KUCHING: The ability of Malaysians coming together and rise from the darkest episode in the country’s history speaks volume of the goodwill among the people.
In his special address in conjunction with the Christmas and New Year’s Day celebrations, Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud reminisced how Malaysians moved forward and forged greater unity after the May 13 riot incident.
The unity among Malaysians including Sarawakians, which was nurtured through multi-racial interactions, said the head of the state, has become the driving force for the nation to move forward and prosper.
“I am not as worried as some pessimists, (who) would look at Malaysia as a potential place, where people will come to some kind of disagreements or even (lead to) clashes because of the existent of many races.
“By now we have forgotten what the May 13, 1969 was like although it was looked upon with alarm when it occurred.
“Personally, I believe the fact that we survived it, the fact that we could start building new relationships among the people after the incident that speaks volume of the goodwill that has been building up among all communities.
“And this interaction among us will increase because our economy will draw people together through bigger organisation,” he said.
Taib added he is optimistic on the future of the nation but called for continuous and a more creative interactions among the people from various.
“As we deal more and more with other nations outside Malaysia, we begin to appreciate the good things about other people.
“This makes it easier for us to make transactions and joint actions in pursuing common interests,” he said.
Echoing the same sentiment was Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Abang Openg, who said differences in religions have never been an issue among the people in the state.
He cited an example of strong multiracial bond among the people in Miri when the Muslim wanted to perform the Friday prayers and the Christians attending Sunday services.
“On Friday a church in Lutong would lend its carpark to Muslims attending Friday prayers at a neighbouring mosque and on Sunday the mosque lends it carpark to Christians attending Sunday services.
“And in Mukah, you have Melanau Christian and Muslim families living under one roof without any issue at all,” he said.
The state government, said Abdul Rahman Zohari, have allocated RM15 million for Unit for Other Religions (UNIFOR) formed to look after the interest and welfare of people of other religions besides Muslims in Sarawak.
On the economic prospect of the state, the chief minister said he is upbeat that Sarawak’s growth domestic product (GDP) will jump to six per cent from the current four per cent after all the various digitalisation and other income generating initiatives introduced by his administration are in place.
The state’s GDP must be at least six per cent annually to enable Sarawak to achieve its developed state status by 2030.