Musa kicks off Yuletide celebration in Kota Kinabalu

KOTA KINABALU: The annual Yuletide celebration drew huge crowds to the city with none other than the Chief Minister himself setting the mood by lighting a Christmas tree at Padang Merdeka.

Christmas classics from Jingle Bells to Silent Night were belted out by carollers at a field near the downtown area earlier this week.

The event, jointly organised by the Sabah Council of Churches and City Hall, also had a local cultural touch with traditional dances such as the sumazau and magunatip.

Tan Sri Musa Aman told the crowd that the Sabah government was committed to religious freedom and this was reflected in the celebration of a multitude of festivals.

“These are some of the solid benchmarks of nation-building and meaningful progress as a peaceful and harmonious Malaysian society,” he told the spectators who braved a downpour to take part in the festivities.

Musa said in the face of a world filled with challenges and conflicts, local communities need to ensure peace and harmony are preserved.

“The state government is always working with the community and leaders of the various religions to find common grounds and solutions to any religious or cultural issues.

“Every year without fail, the state government distributes allocations to churches for them to fund identified projects and community programmes,” he said.

“This is done sincerely and we are glad to note these annual allocations have helped make a difference in their communities.”