TUARAN: It is important that there should be more interaction between the people of Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah and Sarawak to understand each other better which helps unity and national integration.
Quoting the Malay proverb “Tak Kenal Maka Tak Cinta” (Don’t know each other, therefore don’t fall in love), Local Government and Housing Minster Datuk Seri Hj Hajiji Hj Noor pointed out that very often misunderstanding arose out of miscommunication or no communication at all.
“In this context, I praise the initiative of the Kent Campus of the Malaysian Teachers Training Institute (IPGM) in organising a two-day Adoption Programme for its trainees at Kampung Lok Nunuk here recently.
Fifty-three IPG Kent trainees and 42 foster families were involved in the programme jointly-organised with the National Unity and Integration Department (JPNIN) as well as the Sulaman Assemblyman’s office.
Hajiji, who is Sulaman Assemblyman, said it was good that the trainees who came from all over the country had a chance to live their lives as villagers even though it was only for three days and two nights.
“In Sabah, we have more than 40 ethnic and 200 sub-ethnic communities. So it was very opportune that our Sarawakain and peninsula young people, for that matter Sabahans themselves from other districts, had a chance to be with the villagers even if it was for a short time,” he stressed.
Earlier in his speech, the trainees’ representative Valery Saing anak Edward, who is from Sarawak, said it was an experience that money could not buy.
“We could experience not only the way of life of the villagers, most of all are Bajau Sama fishermen, but also their food which is fresh seafood cooked the natives’ way,” he said, referring to the coastal fishing village of Lok Nunuk.
Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) chairman Sitarin Hj Jaafar in his speech said humbly that there was not much the villagers could offer the trainee teachers as most of them are merely fishermen who live simply.
“But if you like our seafood, that is enough to make us happy,” he quipped, thanking IPG for the honour to host the trainee teachers.
Present were IPG Kent director Romli Darus, IPGM Cyberjaya assistant director Puan Nora Ludinand Tuaran JPNIN officer Dusin Gingging.
Also on hand were village headman Hj Dawan Daud, Tuaran OCPD Fuad Malek and political secretary Kassim Razali.
Even though it was only for a couple of days, when it was time to say goodbye after the closing ceremony many trainee teachers and their foster families were seen crying.