‘Unity the best policy for steady development’
We understand each other, that’s the core value Sarawak has. The late Adenan (Satem) said in Sarawak, the Chinese are not ‘pendatang’ (immigrant). He said the Chinese are like others in Sarawak as they have lived long enough in the state. They went to the same schools, drank the same coffee and even courted the same ‘amoi’ (ladies).
KUCHING: Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg believes unity is the best policy to bring about steady development to Sarawak given the state’s diverse culture.
The Chief Minister asserted during a festive gathering on Saturday night that Sarawakians must uphold the core value of understanding and respecting one another in their multi-racial and multi- cultural society.
“We understand each other, that’s the core value Sarawak has. The late Adenan ( Satem) said in Sarawak, the Chinese are not ‘pendatang’ (immigrant). He said the Chinese are like others in Sarawak as they have lived long enough in the state. They went to the same schools, drank the same coffee and even courted the same ‘amoi’ ( ladies).
“What Adenan told us is that we in Sarawak live together as one. Sarawak is a model for unity. Like Chinese New Year, we celebrate together,” he said at the Lunar New Year dinner held at the Alumni Hall of Chung Hua Primary School No. 3 at Jalan Padungan
Chief Minister, Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg
here, referring to his predecessor the late chief minister Pehin Sri Adenan Satem.
The event was jointly organised by five Hakka clan organisations; namely the Sarawak Hakka Association, Kuching Taipoo Community Association, Sarawak Hopoh Association, Kuching Kaying Community Association and Kuching Fui Tung Onn Association.
Abang Johari noted the fact that five Hakka clan bodies joined hands to host the festive do ref lected the unity of the various associations within the community.
“Hakka is united and also united with other races in Sarawak, thereby contributing to the unity of the people of Sarawak.”
The Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chairman said the Sarawak government had offered subsidies worth RM300 each to Sarawakian students to return home from Peninsular Malaysia, Labuan or Sabah for this Lunar New Year celebration.
“This is so that they can be united and celebrate together with their families.
“Because the air fares are quite high, so we give subsidies of RM300 for students to come home,” he said.
Abang Johari said similar subsidies would be offered again in the coming Gawai and Aidilfitri celebrations early June this year.
In Sarawak, he observed that there are a lot of mixed marriages and Sarawakian students who have mixed parentage would be able to enjoy the RM300 subsidies again.
“If one of your parents is Chinese and the other Iban, another RM300 will be given.
“With a lot of mixed marriages in Sarawak, the new generation of Sarawak will be hybrid Sarawakians,” he added.