Concern about extreme groups expressing extreme thoughts

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Lau (fifth left) at the launch of Teku Neighbourhood Committee’s Chinese New Year celebration. On his left is Hii.

SIBU: Chinese community leader Temenggong Vincent Lau is concerned that the change in political scenario could have affected racial harmony in the country.

He noticed that extreme groups had been speaking out, so much so that some extreme thoughts had taken over the ideology of moderation.

Lau was speaking at a Chinese New Year gathering of Sibu Teku Neighbourhood Committee held in a restaurant on Friday.

Worried by what he saw as a stumbling block towards understanding and goodwill, he hoped that people would treat this matter seriously to put things back in order for a harmonious nation.

“To see prosperity, the nation will have to rely on the willingness of people to cooperate and work together, including understanding of cultural and religious aspects.”

He said the nation was eager to promote this understanding, and had been hosting various programmes like open houses to bring people together.

“But do not take this as a time for good food. More importantly, this should be a time to get together to promote understanding, an understanding of a colourful Malaysia where people have the ability to share their lives and prosperity.

“We must be willing to live with mutual support and respect.”

Lau said there was no single-race country in the world so people must make an effort to build prosperity through understanding.

In this regard, he hoped Teku Neighbourhood Committee would gather this strength of the people to build harmony.

“Work also with government agencies to build shared prosperity in your neighbourhood.”

Association chairman Hii Leong Teck praised the state government for tightening its grip on illegal logging.

He said fewer logging trucks were using Teku Road to transport logs from the interior but it was still sinking.

“We hope the government would consider doing piling work on the road to solve the sinking problem once and for all.”

Hii said the face of Teku was changing in an era of transformation with a property boom; hence, there was a need to improve the drainage.

“The drainage can no longer cope with the opening up of Teku; so whenever there is a downpour, certain areas like Ling Kai Cheng Road get flooded.”

He said traffic jams during rush hours were becoming a headache in Teku and other parts of the town.

At the festive gathering, the association presented study awards to members’ children for excellence in their studies.