A group photo of Lo (standing centre) with the celebrants.
KUCHING: Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang yesterday commended the Indian community here for constantly organising meaningful cultural events.
Although a minority community they never failed to protect their community, preserving their culture, nurturing and educating their youths on their heritage, said Lo when officiating at the Kuching Hindu Youth Organisation (KHYO)-organised Pongal Kondattam 2017 celebration at MBKS open theatre at Jalan Padungan here.
“I would like to remind all of us not to forget these progressive Indian communities as they too are part of our society. We are Sarawakians and in Sarawak we unite regardless of race and religion. Congratulations once again on the success of holding this Pongal celebration,” said Lo.
Pongal is a harvest festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu, a southern state of India, and is one of the most important popular Hindu festivals of the year. It examines the strong sociolinguistics of the Indian community, particularly in Sarawak.
“The Indian diaspora in Sarawak is of interest because the community differs from others in many respects. Although a minority, Indians too enjoy constitutional recognition. Furthermore they are a firmly established ethnic group within the country, both socially and economically having been instrumental in early colonial times and during the foundation phase of present-day Sarawak,” Lo stressed. Lo presented a grant of RM5,000 to KHYO to support their activities.