KUCHNG: The state must be isolated against divisive influence from the outside, said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi (Dr) Abang Johari Tun Openg.
“We should not let the extreme element from outside come into our state and we must maintain the tolerance,” he pointed out.
He added that the state government will be able to govern the state on its own although various projects have been cancelled by the federal government.
“We need to continue supporting and provide assistance to our community regardless of ethnicity as we regard each other as family.
“That is why we need to preserve our culture and the symposium is held to remind what we should do. Should there be any shortcomings due to change of time, we should adapt to it,” said Abang Johari during the closing ceremony of Chinese Cultural Symposium 2018 at Crown Square here yesterday.
He added that the next Sarawak Cultural Symposium to be held in November 2018 will be a meeting point for every cultural group.
“The government will take the views in the meeting and it will become the basis for state government to formulate the policies so that in terms of managing the state, every ethinicity is taken into consideration,” he said.
Meanwhile, the President of the Federation of Chinese Associations of Kuching, Samarahan & Serian Division, Dato Richard Wee said that the symposium has produced resolutions highlighting several points.
“These resolutions are aimed to further solidify the deep-rooted unique Sarawak way-of-life and our heritage and also to improve the livelihood of Sarawakians with the caring society and people-centric policies of our government,” he explained.
On the cultural aspect, the association will organise ‘722 Unity Night’ annually by each of the major ethnic groups on rotational basis to foster connectivity and strengthen interactions among all and also to encourage local scholars/researchers to intensify cultural studies and history of all ethnicities.
“We also aim to form an agency similar to the ‘Borneo Cultural Bureau’ to publish, translate research papers and standardise translation on specific terminologies or names.
“On the socio-economic aspect, we want to implement policies for the immediate benefit of the common people, like converting leasehold land for residential purpose to freehold with affordable fees and to provide subsidies and/or free health and medical care to all Sarawakians regardless of ethnicity.
“We hope that these resolutions will be reviewed during the Sarawak Cultural Symposium in November 2018,” stressed Wee.
Also present were Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Minister for Local Government and Housing, Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian and Minister for Welfare, Community Well-being, Women, Family and Childhood Development, Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.
