KOTA KINABALU: Tan Sri T.C Goh, President of The Federation of Chinese Associations Sabah (FCAS) was convinced that, with a stable political environment, Sabah will achieve speedy economic recovery.
He expressed this while welcoming and supporting the statement of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor, for saying that the state government and the people would continue to unite and focus on fulfilling the state’s development agenda.
He said, the Chief Minister’s determination to focus on expediting recovery of Sabah economy should be fully supported by the people of Sabah of all races, in order to create a better future for the state and its people.
Goh who is also President of The Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Huazong) was responding to the speech made by the Chief Minister during the 2023 Lunar New Year Gathering jointly organized by the State government and FCAS, recently. He said FCAS shared the same aspiration of the Chief Minister that there will be lasting peace and harmony for Sabah and its people.
In a statement issued today, Goh who is also a member of the Sabah Economic Advisory Council (SEAC) also fully supported the Chief Minister’s statement that, the state will ensure everyone, regardless of race or religion, is able to celebrate his or her respective festival, citing that 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.
Goh stressed that the government and the people of Sabah must continue to safeguard Sabah’s long-established harmonious society, especially from being ‘contaminated’ or infringed upon by race and religious extremists.
He assured that FCAS together with the Chinese community of Sabah will always remain steadfast in defending all aspects which preserve and promote a harmonious multiracial society in Sabah.
He also supported the Chief Minister for assuring that 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 Sabah.
He noted that for this purpose, the state government had allocated a total of RM54.05mil in this year’s state budget, an increase of RM 7.05 million compared to last year’s allocation. He said this also showed that state government’s flexibility and practicality in making adjustments based on necessity.
He acknowledged that following the Covid-19 pandemic is gradually under better control, and most sectors in Sabah had resumed operations, some of these sectors might require some forms of assistance from the state government, after this.
Meanwhile, on behalf of FCAS, Goh also thanked the state government for providing funding for organising the Chinese New Year gathering.
He also thanked Sabah Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin and his wife, Toh Puan Norlidah RM Jasni, the Chinese Consul-general in Kota Kinabalu, Huang Shifang, and the various Sabah ministers and assistant ministers, Members of Parliament, state assemblymen, leaders of various political parties, government department and agencies heads, and members of the Chinese community, for their attendance and support, as well as the organising committee for their hard work in making the event a successful one.-pr/BNN
