THE Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) State Government’s policy of openness and moderation earned praise from the Federation of Chinese Association Sabah (FCAS) which said this should be emulated and learned by other states in the peninsula.
FCAS President, Tan Sri T C Goh, said Sabah has been showing the spirit of the “Sabah Family, the Malaysian Family” that has been implemented for a long time.
“We are a state that has dozens of ethnicities but is harmonious in one family, Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ).
“Sabah, the Land below the Wind, is an example to the whole of Malaysia, where we are peaceful, tolerant, not extreme in religious and racial issues as we help each other, we have mutual respect and we do not cause any envy, jealousy and distrust.
“We do not have any extreme policies to close liquor shops, close lottery shops, close temples that have been in operation for hundreds of years or taking action to challenge Chinese and Tamil national type schools to court or call on Chinese people to go back to China,” he said at a Chinese New Year Carnival 2022 officiated by Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor at Dataran Deasoka, Kota Kinabalu, on Jan 22.
Goh also said the State Government’s effort to provide lion heads for the lion dance teams in Sabah in conjunction with the coming Chinese New Year celebration makes it the only State to provide a budget of RM1 million for such activities.
“I don’t see any other state doing that, except Sabah. Boleh Bah SABAH!.
“We also welcome an announcement of the State Government under the leadership of Hajiji, to provide an annual budget of RM164.12 million for the development and advancement of education and religion.
“In addition to approving RM47 million for Chinese schools, religious schools, non-Muslim religious bodies, this is the largest number in the budget and development of Sabah. Thank you Hajiji.
“This proves that the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) State Government under the leadership of Hajiji is indeed a government of moderation and open to all citizens in the State, regardless of ethnicity, race, and religion,” he said.
He also thanked Hajiji and the State government for contributing the allocation of RM200,000 for FCAS to organise the carnival and the Ang Pow Festival 2022.
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