Racial bigotry, religious discord have no place in Sabah, says Musa Aman
KOTA KINABALU, Jan 29: There is no space for racial bigotry and religious discord in Sabah, says Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman.
He said the people of Malaysia, especially in Sabah, should not allow themselves be drawn into actions that could incite tension.
“I wish to take this opportunity to touch on the need for us all to have mutual respect for each other.
“Despite the best efforts made to maintain unity, we still face issues related to the different faiths and races in this country.
“I pray the prevailing harmony we have here will remain intact,” he said in his Chinese New Year message here, today.
Nevertheless, Musa (picture) is happy that Malaysians continue to uphold the tradition of visiting one another during festivities that allow the people to better understand and accept each another’s differences.
He commended groups that have made efforts in sharing festive cheer with the less fortunate.
“While the government is aware of rising costs and monitoring the situation, traders should refrain from indiscriminately raising prices of goods, especially during the festive season,” he reminded.
The chief minister called on consumers to also play their part in monitoring the price situation by reporting to the relevant authorities of errant traders, shops or restaurants that do not display the correct price tags or raise prices excessively.
With regard to development, Musa called on the people in the state to set aside their differences and cooperate with all quarters in order to see a better Sabah.
“The Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) is progressing well with focus on the oil and gas, tourism and palm oil sectors for Sabah, and in tandem with this is the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC), which is well on its way to achieving its objectives.
“The Sabah Development Agenda, introduced over a decade ago, has also brought progress to the state via the focus on tourism, agriculture and manufacturing,” he said.
Musa also assured the people that security in the state would continue to be beefed up and the Lahad Datu intrusion nearly a year ago was now a matter of the past with the setting up of the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom).
“Security is of paramount importance in attracting investors and driving the economy, especially one that depends very much on tourism,” he said.
He also thanked the security forces, who have sacrificed their time and comfort to be away from their loved ones, during the festive seasons to maintain peace and order in the country.
source: BERNAMA
