Dr Adi Badiozaman Tuah
KUCHING: Parents must set good examples to their children by keeping an open mind towards other cultures and ethnicity.
According to Social and Urbanisation Development Board (MPSU) executive secretary Aishah Edris, it is necessary for parents to do so in order for the state to maintain social understanding and stability.
“Parents must provide the best example by having an open attitude towards other cultures so that their children will naturally follow their footsteps,” she said yesterday during a Sarawak FM Radio live interview on cultural preservation and social harmony.
Aishah added that schools have also taken the initiative through programmes which focuses on unity.
“Besides that, private bodies have also jumped into the bandwagon with youth programmes that introduce culture, tradition and ethnic festivals in Sarawak.
“NGOs such as Azam (Angkatan Zaman Mansang Sarawak) and Sarawak Development Institute (SDI) frequently hold programmes such as Youth Dialogue,
Azam’s Integrity Ambassador and other seminars that promote unity and social harmony,” she added.
Meanwhile, Educational Services Bureau of Sarawak Islamic Council director Datu Dr Adi Badiozaman Tuah said that among the ways to deal with cultural challenges included the introduction of cultural studies.
“The introduction of cultural studies can help build social and interpersonal skills needed in communal living. We need to encourage and instill this at the earliest age possible,” he said in the live interview.
He added that although being a globalised individual, the people must not leave behind their roots and culture.
“We must realise that our culture and ethnicity must be preserved with pride because it is something very unique, a reflection of who we are in the globalised world,” he said.
‘Randau Pembangunam Azam’ is broadcasted every fortnightly on Sarawak FM Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) at 4.30pm to 5pm.