Feeling festive: Juhar (centre) beating the drum while Hajiji (on Juhar’s right) and other state dignitaries look on during the Chinese New Year event in Kota Kinabalu.
KOTA KINABALU: Assuring the people in Sabah of continued peace and harmony, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the state will ensure everyone, regardless of race or religion, is able to celebrate his or her respective festival.
“The celebration of festivals such as Chinese New Year, Christmas and Hari Raya Aidilfitri should be used as a platform to further strengthen relations and unity.
“Equitable development for all citizens will continue to be practised, including the provision of allocations to vernacular schools and missionaries as well as non-Muslim religious bodies in this state,” he said at a Chinese New Year event organised by the Sabah government and the Sabah Chinese Association yesterday.
For that purpose, Hajiji said the state had allocated a total of RM54.05mil in this year’s state budget.
Sabah Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin and his wife, Toh Puan Norlidah RM Jasni, were the guests of honour.
The Chief Minister said he was pleased to see that the event was not only attended by the Chinese community but also by people of various races and religions.
“We will continue to give focus to the state development agenda and the progress of the people,” he said.
Hajiji pointed out that Sabah’s progress and growth were on the right track under the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) development plan.
“To date, the state government has earned a revenue of RM6.6bil, proof that this is our best performance since independence,” Hajiji said.
“I want the people, including the Chinese community, to continue with us on this journey.
“On behalf of the state government, I would like to express my gratitude to all of you for your continued support over the years,” he added.
Earlier, the Chief Minister also attended the Chinese New Year open house organised by Sabah DAP chairman Datuk Frankie Poon, who is also Tanjong Papat assemblyman, in the east coast Sandakan district.
