KUCHING: Some 105 less fortunate families have received their “angpow” and Chinese New Year goodies yesterday.
The goodies consist of basic goods such as rice, rice noodles, canned foods and mandarin oranges that were donated by the Kuching Bodhi Path Society to their members.
Bodhi Path is an international organisation of Buddhist centers founded and directed by Shamar Rinpoche. The centre provides a non-sectarian approach to Buddhism, where is teaches Buddhist meditation, philosophy, and offer guidance for practicing Buddhism.
Present to handover the donations was the Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, and Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah.
In her speech, Fatimah said the beauty of Sarawak is that the people are caring and willing to help the needy.
“If all of us in the government together with charitable bodies combined forces to help the poor, in God’s blessing people in Sarawak will be happy,” she said.
She said the State Welfare Department has organised its annual “Sejambak Kasih” programme to also give angpow and hampers to the welfare clients during festive seasons.
“This programme which has going on for 11 years to bring joy and remember the less fortunate,” she said, adding that the donation is an addition to the monthly assistance the clients are receiving.
On a another note, she said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg has took the initiative to set up Unit For Other Religions (Unifor) to help the religious bodies, and it is hoped that one day the unit can be upgraded to a division.
“The setting up of the unit shows that the state government respect the multi religious society in Sarawak.
“And we believe that someone who practices his or her religion is someone who does good things and wants to be a better person by doing good for the community, family and will contribute to the well being of the whole state of Sarawak,” she pointed out.
Therefore, she said Sarawakians must continue to respect each other irrespective of their religious beliefs.
About 7,738 Chinese recipients throughout Sarawak benefited from the “Sejambak Kasih” programme this year.
