Kota Kinabalu: A two-acre land grant approved by the state government will pave the way for a Chinese Muslim cultural complex designed to preserve the cultural identity of Chinese Muslims in Sabah while introducing their heritage to the wider public.
The land, situated in Luyang along Jalan Kebudayaan, has been allocated to the Sabah chapter of the Malaysian Chinese Muslim Association (Macma), which plans to develop the site into a centre combining cultural facilities, including a mosque open to the public.
Speaking to reporters at the Iftar and Chinese New Year celebration on Saturday, Sabah Finance Minister Masidi Manjun said the project is envisioned as more than just a cultural hub, noting that the complex will serve as a shared religious and community space accessible to people from all backgrounds.
“This planned development once again reflects Sabah’s proud and longstanding tradition of harmony and unity in diversity among its culturally diverse communities,” he said.
Masidi added that the centre is also expected to become another tourism attraction, offering visitors the opportunity to experience the state’s unique model of inter-ethnic and interfaith coexistence within a single integrated space.
“Our beloved state of Sabah has long been highly regarded as a model for managing interfaith and multiethnic relations, where diversity is seen not as a dividing line but as a shared strength,” he said.
He noted that it is common in Sabah for families to include members who follow different faiths but continue to live closely together while maintaining strong kinship ties and mutual respect.
“This event reflects the reality that harmony in Sabah is not just spoken about, but can be seen in real initiatives that bring communities together,” he added.
Also present at the event were Macma president Taufiq Yap, Macma Sabah chairman Ritchie Jay Cheng, Sabah Housing and Urban Development Board chairman Awang Ahmad Sah, and Director of the Community Development Leaders Unit (UPPM) Sabah Awang Kadin Tang.
