Lost rights will be lost forever if Sarawakians are disunited, warns CM
KUCHING: Sarawak’s lost rights as enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the Federal Constitution will not ever be returned if the people are not united.
On the other hand, those lost rights could soon be regained if Sarawakians are united, therefore, able to present a single voice to the federal government, said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg in a Chinese New year message yesterday.
“It is not an easy road ahead for us and that is why Sarawakians must speak and act with one voice,” he advised.
The Chief Minister said politics should not be allowed to divide Sarawakians in their struggle to seek a return of those rights.
He said the spirit of ‘Sarawak First’ among Sarawakians must not be mellowed down by their political affiliations because they must know they have been treated like a stepchild.
He also pointed out that Sarawak’s strongest strength is its unity in diversity.
“Sarawak is a land of diversity. Not only are our nature rich and diverse but so, too, our culture…ways of life and beliefs of our people are also diverse,” he said.
He added that people are free to practise their culture and profess their beliefs.
He said he noted with much joy how Sarawakians have always tried to resist elements and ideologies that are against the spirit of the people’s unity and brotherhood.
“We are proud that Sarawak has always been a place where people can understand and respect each other and able to live in a society where unity is of utmost importance to our common good and overall well-being,” he pointed out.
Abang Johari said the respect for one another’s religion, customs and opinions has been the basis of Sarawak’s racial unity and religious harmony.
“Therefore, during this Chinese New Year celebration, I call upon non-Chinese brothers and sisters to spend time to visit their Chinese friends during their open house as a way to strengthen unity among the people of various religions, races and cultures,” he stressed.
“Of late, the spirit of our brotherhood and social cohesion has been somewhat challenged in the face of onslaught of a new and vicious political culture coming from outside Sarawak.
“Knowingly or unknowingly we are beginning to cast doubt and aspersions on each other, which if left unchecked, would sow the seed of distrust among us,” he warned.
“Let Sarawak continue to be a model of racial unity and religious tolerance to the whole world,” he said, adding that he will continue to pray that the day of a serious division among the people will never come to justify outsiders from coming in and taking control of the state and its people.
