WELCOME: Abang Johari (right) greeting a member of the committee while Assistant Minister of Youth Development Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah (third right) and RS Mohan (second right) look on.
KUCHING: Coherence and understanding of the various religions among the multi-racial community in the state has become the basis for Sarawak to develop further.
Minister of Tourism Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said that respecting one another would instil trust among the people to avoid the emergence of extremists.
“Although Sarawak is a melting pot of a multi-racial and multi-religious community, our goal to become a peaceful and prosperous state is unhindered.
“This has created a good environment for us to bring the state towards further advancement,” he said at a dinner to welcome delegates of the Committee to Promote Understanding and Harmony Among Religious Followers on Tuesday.
The minister, who represented Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, said that understanding and respecting one another would enable Sarawak to move forward.
He said he was confident that the committee would be able to play an important role in strengthening the relations and understanding among people of various races and religions in this country.
The committee chairman, RS Mohan Shan, meanwhile said the committee was established to serve as a mechanism in the event of racial disputes.
“Our objective of visiting Sarawak is to foster closer relationship with its people,” he said.