HAPPY ANNIVERSARY: Wong (centre) joining (at his right) temple chairman Kong Chek Fong, Tang (left) and Tze Ling (second right) at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
SIBU: The Malaysian government has an open policy that allows various races to have freedom of worship, said Second Minister of Finance Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh on Friday night.
Addressing the 23rd anniversary of Wei Ling Temple in Naman here, Wong said: “This freedom of worship does not come out of the blue but from the wisdom and sensitivity of our nation’s leaders to the needs of the people.”
Wong, who is also the Minister of Environment and Public Health, said this freedom gave the people the opportunity to practise tolerance and understanding that led to the 1Malaysia spirit.
He said for the government’s wisdom and its continued efforts towards building a truly unitedMalaysian race, the people should give the current government their full support.
On religion, Wong said: “It is for everybody and is something personal.
But most of all, it issomething that a person can hold on to if he has nothing else.”
He said building places of worship is, therefore, important because they allow people the space to do what they believe in.
Tang Tung King, the secretary to Sibu mayor, said religious bodies must help build goodwill among people of different religions.
He said when there is understanding between people of different religions, doing things together for the greater good would be easier.
Meanwhile, the temple’s honorary advisor Kong Tze Ling said the developmentof Wei Ling temple of Naman reflects the progress of the local Cantonese community.
“A century ago, our forefathers came from China to open up land here and today we have this beautiful home in Malaysia,” he said.
“The development of Wei Ling Temple has come about with a lot of help from Barisan Nasional,” he added.