Sarawak is truly blessed that the people, comprising diverse ethnic and religious groups can continue to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri, now entering its fourth day, in peace and harmony. One of its advantages is that those, who profess certain religions and traditions, all join the celebration. This helps to nurture a sense of belonging among Muslims and non Muslim communities.
Hari Raya Adilfitri or the Festival of the Eid as it is popularly known in the West, unlike the Chinese New Year, which is being celebrated mainly in urban areas and Gawai Dayak, mainly in rural areas, is being celebrated in both urban and rural areas and by all the people.
In Semenanjung Malaysia, Hari Raya Aidilfitri is being celebrated more in rural than in urban areas. Hence, there will be urban – rural rush two or three days before the day and the reverse rural –urban rush after it. Unavoidably, the heavy traffic on roads cause massive traffic jams and accidents, including fatal road accidents.
Of course, the celebration of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, like any other provides the opportune occasion for the people to look back at the blessing and help that have been endowed upon them in the face of diverse challenges.
The atmosphere of goodwill and harmony can be seen through close co-operation among the diverse ethnic and religious groups in the common pursuit of socio-economic advancement. This harmonious environment based on the local mould, must not only be preserved but strengthened as the identity of the State.
Generally, the people know their roles in strengthening the spirit of goodwill and harmony, which are the fruits of tolerance and the spirit of mutual trust among the people comprising diverse races, customs and traditions and religious beliefs. This uniqueness is the strength, which has become the pillars of the unity and stability that must be perpetuated for the generations that will come in the State.
This is very relevant to the people as recipients of heritage of celebrating Hari Raya together with other races with the determination to renew social relationship with friends, relatives and extend relationship among family members.
The people must all appreciate that the spirit of unity and the attitude of being tolerant and having mutual respect should be nurtured and made livelier as a legacy and characteristics of a multi-racial, multi – religious and colourful customs and traditions of the society.
Actually, the attitude of being tolerant and concerned of Muslim leaders to Muslims and non Muslims alike have made a success of Sarawak, which does not have a group that forms a majority on its own.
The Yang di Pertua Negeri, Tun Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud, believes that the people have come of age not to think which community forms a majority in Sarawak but whoever governs must be responsible in safeguarding the welfare and interests of all communities regardless of religious beliefs and racial origins.
For example, Muslim leaders together with non Muslims have been working together in governing the State with tolerance, fairness and justice. In this regard, a Muslim leader, who holds power, is being guided by the teachings of his religion, to be fair and just and ensure that all the people are being protected and their security and welfare being guaranteed.
In this regards, a Muslim leader is obligated to adhere to the true teachings of Islam and not to follow his heart or his strength in politics. This becomes the guiding principle and responsibility for Muslims as the teachings of Islam guide them to protect the welfare and rights of the people without taking into consideration the racial origins, religious beliefs and traditions.
Tun Abdul Taib, who served as the fourth Chief Minister of Sarawak from March 26, 1981 to February 2014 for a period of more than 33 years, adheres to the belief that the true teaching of Islam emphasizes that the primary responsibility of a Government being led by Muslims leader is to ensure that all the rights and interests on the people must be protected with fairness and justice. Besides, efforts must be intensified to help the Rakyat in the low income group to follow the steps to move forward with the progress of the country, which is continuously moving forward.
He also believes that their primary responsibility must be to avoid a situation where a group of people are being left out of the mainstream of development. In this regard, all forms of assistance should be focussed on the people in the low income group, not only to Bumiputras but also non Bumiputras to enable them to move shoulder to shoulder together in pursuit of greater progress and advancement.
Generally, the people can see growing similarities in conditions between urban and rural areas. For example, the Malays and other Bumiputra groups have been enjoying a form of livelihood, which is the same as those in urban areas.
This brings about a realization that the future is tied together regardless of racial origins and religious beliefs in the common efforts to develop Sarawak towards greater progress and prosperity.
Tun Abdul Taib said Sarawak has been able to achieve a sustainable level of development and progress as a result of the people’s capability to safeguard their unity and a good relationship regardless of their diverse ethnic groups, religious beliefs and backgrounds.
Undoubtedly, Sarawak has been experiencing tremendous changes from the most backward state in the 60s and 70s to become one of the most progressive and successful one in the country.
At one time the per capita income of Sarawak was only RM4,000 but now it is RM40,000, which is an increase of more than 10 times. For this reason, the people have every reason to be grateful for the success in raising their standard of living.
He said Muslims are truly grateful that they have been given the trust and confidence by the people to lead the state beginning with the era of Dato Haji Abdul Rahman Ya’akub ( the late Tun Haji Abdul Rahman Ya’akub, a former Yang di Pertua Negeri and third Chief Minister of Sarawak in the 70s) and now with the government being led by Datuk Amar Abang Haji Johari Tun Openg, as the sixth Chief Minister of Sarawak
He believes the new Chief Minister, like his predecessors, would enjoy the undivided support of the people by adhering to the teachings of his religion, in continuing with the struggle to push Sarawak to attain a higher level of success in development based on the National Agenda of Vision 2020 and Sarawak Agenda of 2030 not only to attain the status of a developed State with high income economy but to become the most progressive and prosperous state in the country.
Tun Abdul Taib said it is not just an honour but a heavy responsibility, which demands them to have the attitude of being fair and be observant to the rights of Muslims and non-Muslims all the time. For this reason, they all know their responsibility that they do not only look after the rights and interests of Muslims but carry and be observant of the interests and rights non Muslim communities.
They must discharge their primary duty and responsibility in the serve of the people, state and country. For this reason, today we can say the leaders are not being judged by their ability to work but by their spirit of responsibility and their attention towards of races.
As leaders, they must never think of racial origins, religious beliefs and the customs and traditions of the people. They must take care of the people whether they stay in the Ulu or on top of hills or foot of the mountain or in remote rural areas or in urban areas with fairness. All the wealth and success in the State must be shared together so that the people can all go up together.
He believes the leadership comprising Muslims and non – Muslims have been able to strengthen a system, which is fair and just, that can protect the rights and interests of the Rakyat and the State. They all realise they must continue to work together as they still have a long way to go especially in developing the infrastructure connectivity to spread out to the nooks and corners of the State.
He believes that success to reduce the gap between the people in rural and urban areas also depends on their capacity to make more efforts to increase their income. However, from time to time, this situation may become increasingly complicated to as more and more people from rural areas migrate to towns.
However, the people in urban areas generally can accept and work together with their rural counterparts as more and more jobs are being created. Actually, they become the source of manpower, which is increasingly being required in the process of development of natural resources with the emphasis on rural development through the modernization of Agriculture.
As a consequence, the people comprising the Chinese, Malays, Ibans, Bidayuhs and Orang Ulu, who have migrated to towns, can feel that they are part of the community in developing the economy and the success of the state. This unity and co-operation must be perpetuated in sustaining the peace and harmony, which should be the responsibility of all.
Tun Abdul Taib observes a healthy sign that the people, who used to stay in traditional Kampung in coastal areas and longhouses and distant apart from each other, without having any opportunity to interact with each other, now meet in towns. This new trend helps to promote a connection among the people. All these new developments bring the people to a new society, which is more friendly and united in moving forward to the future.
He also notices the people from rural areas, as more and more of them migrate to towns, in initially stay next to their relatives but by and by they start to mix with others with the feeling that they belong to the same community of Sarawak; this is good thing that comes about through rural urban migration.
Admittedly, efforts to construct good road connectivity especially in remote and coastal areas take a long time. They have to be carried out according to the capability from the aspect of financial allocation, manpower like engineers, technical workers and others and cannot be carried out at one time.
Generally, the people in rural areas understand the situation as their elected representatives represent the nooks and corners of the state to help them to understand that, in principle, projects have to be implemented based on priorities and cannot be done simultaneously.
They are quite convinced that the government has been working hard to serve their welfare and interests to ensure that they remain in the mainstream of development and benefit from opportunities being created in the process of development.
Generally, the people are quite industrious in their efforts to follow the rhythm of development and continue to give their undivided support to the government in implementing Sarawak Economic Transformation Program, a long – term development plan to achieve the goal of Agenda 2030.
