KOTA KINABALU: “Focus on the similarities rather than the differences.” The simple and timely reminder to the people came from Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman who assured them of continuous peace and harmony in the state.
Yahya presenting a mock cheque of RM5,000 to Faridah Datuk Abu Bakar Titingan after she was awarded the Saiyidatina Khadijah Award during the Maal Hijrah celebration yesterday.
“We must not look at the differences in backgrounds, socio-economy levels, religions, races and cultures as it would only bring destruction. Instead we must focus on our similarities because the acceptance of these varieties is one of the important elements in upholding the 1Malaysia concept,” he said in his speech, read by Deputy Chief Minister cum Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Yahya Hussin during the Maal Hijrah celebration at Dewan Saadah, Wisma Muis, yesterday.
He said it was the responsibility of the multi-racial people in the state to continue to live in harmony, especially when Sabah has been labeled as the best model to the 1Malaysia concept.
“The government is doing its best to further improve every sector, to provide the people the comfort and to lead a healthy and quality life,” he said.
As such, the government has allocated RM3.07 billion under the State Budget 2011 to ensure all projects are implemented to meet the people’s increasing demands and needs.
“Transformation requires us to spend a huge sum of money to ensure all projects can be implemented successfully, while we work to uplift and upgrade the people’s living standards and strengthens our economy,” Musa said.
He said among the programmes implemented to enable the country to stay competitive with other nations are the New Economic Model, Government Transformation Programme and Economic Transformation Programme.
“However to ensure the success of these programmes, the manpower should equip themselves with skills in various fields so that they will be able to be competitive with their counterparts in the developed countries. This is important for the state’s transformation so as to bring the nation towards achieving its goal to be a high income country by the year 2020,” said Musa.
Meanwhile, there was no recipient for the Tokoh Maal Hijrah award this year, but nine others were presented with special awards.
They were Faridah Datuk Abu Bakar Titingan (Saiyidatina Khadijah Award); ABIM Sabah president, Abdul Manaf Mahmud (Khalid Ibni Walid Award); BTC Maju Holding chairman cum City Mosque deputy chairman, Abdul Jamal Tun Sakaran (Abdul Rahman Auf Award); Sabah Medical Islamic Welfare Association (Special Award); and the Excellent Mosque Award went to Masjid Ar-Rahim of Keningau.
Others were Kampung Benoni Cemetary in Papar (Ar-Raudah Award), and Surau Al-Burhani of Sekolah Menengah Agama Islam Mohammad Ali in Ranau received the Excellent School Surau Award.
Some 3,000 Muslims gathered for the celebration.