Ik (eighth left), Kamaludin (ninth left), students from Toyo University and Kuching Polytechnic Sarawak, and guests after the closing ceremony for the programme. — Photo by Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING: ‘Unity in Diversity’ in race and culture is to be the brand for Sarawak and Malaysia.
Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datu Ik Pahon Joyik said choosing Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia as the venue for youths from Japan to learn how to live in unity in diversity in race and culture was right for an organisation like Global Incubation & Fostering Talents (Gift).
“We have a very long history with Japan – in good and bad times. But now the global community must look at how we can work together for the good of our youths and our countries,” Ik said before officiating at the closing of Diversity Voyage in Malaysia (Kuching) programme held at Kuching Polytechnic Sarawak on Tuesday.
“On the part of the ministry, we look at you visitors as tourists, but living in unity in diversity can be done through culture and arts, which is what you are here to learn,” he told them.
The six-day global citizenship programme with Japanese students from Toyo University Japan was organised by Gift in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Politeknik Malaysia, Kuching Sarawak and Malaysia Red Cresent Society.
Ik lauded Gift for bringing students from Toyo University in Japan to Kuching Polytechnic and Sarawak, and hoped the stay would open students’ eyes.
“Put English and Bahasa Malaysia to good use when you go back to Japan and please communicate to enhance your knowledge in foreign languages and other cultures,” he reminded.
Ik said the objective of Gift was noble in that it encouraged living in unity in the global community and as global citizens.
He hoped such programmes received long-term collaboration and acceptance by students from Japan and vice versa.
Kuching is called the ‘City of Unity’ in 2015 due to people of many races, cultures and religions living harmoniously.
“We can sit together and come together like a family eventhough diversifed in race and culture. There are trouble in other places in the world which we do not want to happen in Sarawak,” he said.
Ik reminded local students not to be shy of their language and culture as they were unique people of the world, adding that “God made us who we are, which we can’t change”.
He hoped such programmes were the beginning of many more cultural and learning exchanges with Japan, and that the Japanese students had learned from their stay here in Sarawak and through mingling with the polytechnic students.
He took pride in the religious tolerance in Sarawak where many places of worship were built next to one another within a five kilometre radius.
The state government, he said, would support such exchange programmes, and he urged the heads of departments to motivate their students as Toyo University had offered 100 scholarships.
“The polytechnic can go global and, with assistance from the state government, we can pursue its objectives. It’s time we sit together to interact with people from other countries, races and cultures to give the human touch,” he pointed out.
Ik said the state government would support Gift 100 per cent through his ministry in future programmes related to customs, immigration and places Japanese like to visit, adding that “I don’t like to recommend places that are not secure and safe”.
He said Gift had three or four more programmes like this, and they should collaborate further to give youths exposure to the world outside.
Nine students from Toyo University and eight from Kuching Polytechnic Kuching Sarawak participated in the programme.
Ik presented them with attendance certificates.
Present at the closing ceremony were representative for director of Youth and Sports Sarawak, Anna Lee Siok Cheng; director of Kuching Polytechnic Sarawak, Kamaludin Daud; and Global Incubation & Fostering Talents (Gift) facilitator Kimura Daisuke.