BY ANG LAI SOON
KUCHING: Not since the founding of Sarawak as a sovereign state in 1841 did it, and indeed, the whole of the Federation of Malaysia, experience such a tumultuous year as 2018 (Sarawak, which was recognised as a sovereign state by America in 1850, together with Malaya, Sabah and Singapore formed the Federation in 1963).
Almost like the “Big Bang”! But out of this, claimed by many, was the rebirth of the country!
Suddenly an unprecedented outburst of unsolicited patriotism and love for Sarawak and this young Federation was the order of the day!
But alas, it is just a young “infant”, still waiting to be nurtured by responsible parents and the environment.
Only if the “child” is nurtured, loved, and disciplined properly in the true sense of the word can we be truly proud of the rebirth of the country!
Nation building can be a rather difficult and complicated process, particularly in a multi ethnic, lingual, cultural, and religious country like ours, and we need to constantly strive to live together peacefully and harmoniously as members of the human race; as brothers and sisters.
We have living examples of people of countries who refuse to coexist, resulting in perpetual conflicts, turmoil, and chaos. And in many cases with non-stop human suffering and loss of innocent lives.
These war-torn countries were previously in more decent and acceptable conditions, but are now becoming nothing more than ruins, with the elderly, the women, and the children bearing the brunt of men’s misdeeds.
Fortunately we know we are different.
We know we can think and reason that ultimately common sense has to and must prevail.
We know that no journey in life is ever smooth, which is exactly the same for any nation anywhere on this planet earth.
It is, indeed, through trial and error that we learn to improve. And any unpleasant experience is a lesson for us to be a better nation. We know we will survive and flourish.
Ushering the New Year in the calendar of any culture and religion or ethnic group is a major event, marked with pomp and great celebrations.
In this country, we have the good fortune to be from different ethnic, linguistic and religious groups, each group with its own New Year, celebrated at different times and with different names, although their traditional festivities and rites differ.
For the ethnic Chinese wherever they may be, the Chinese New Year heralds the dawn of Spring after a Long Winter of hibernation.
The first leaves appear on the trees and the first flowers bloom.
It is an event of much rejoicing and celebration!
Hari Raya, Gawai Dayak , Hindu New Year, Sabah Harvest Festival, Chinese New Year, as well as Christmas, the Georgian New Year and the Baha’i New Year are freely celebrated in this country.
It has been the practice for families and groups to hold open house for all their friends of all ethnic and religious groups and their families. Sarawak and Sabah were, before 1963, and still are particularly known for their exceedingly warm hospitality.
The simple exchange of visits has played a significant role in promoting better relationships among the different groups. This exercise has fostered better understanding among all groups, which is beneficial to our nation building effort.
At family level, thousands of people who are working in bigger cities or overseas to make a better living, go back to their hometowns to pay respects to their parents and elders, bringing with them gifts in cash and in kind.
Some travel for thousands of miles, others by trains, buses or boats to perform their filial duties, having done well financially during the year outside their family homes.
In mainland China, each New Year is probably the biggest migration of humans in history. Everyone everywhere is going home to be with their families.
I am always very impressed by the touching sight of millions of people, many from low income groups, who have saved over a whole year to make this annual pilgrimage of love, and respect to their families.
I can’t be helped but be moved to tears when seeing these people, many travelling in great discomfort, even walking at times on foot in bad weather, to be at the family home for the New Year.
This is the time of the year to think of those less privileged than ourselves, the disabled, the sick, the poor, the downtrodden, the discriminated, and the persecuted, and how we can help to alleviate their plight.
Let’s make it a resolution to protect and conserve the flora and fauna of this planet earth and to try and reverse the damage to our much-abused environment. And do everything we can to prevent climate change getting any worse.
Let us all remember we depend on the resources of our planet for our survival, for the air we breathe, the food we eat every day, and the water we drink.
Our very survival depends on our conservation and protection of our planet, planet earth.
Let’s also make a New Year resolution to show to the world that we celebrate our differences and diversity and that we are united to making Sarawak and the country a place we are proud to call home.
I wish you all a fruitful and blessed year ahead.
Happy New Year.
