Anwar (centre) accompanied by Liew and others cutting a cake at the PKR Sabah Aidilfiri Open House celebration.
KOTA KINABALU: The Pakatan Harapan and Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) government will last if Malaysia’s diverse population understands and tolerate each other’s racial backgrounds and religious beliefs, said the country’s next Prime Minister and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“When you understand, you respect. Yes, there are differences but we respect. This is the Aidilfitri spirit that we must inculcate,” he said at the PKR Sabah Aidilfiri Open House celebration at Magellan Sutera here yesterday.
He added the fasting month not only instill the discipline to control desires but also compassion for the less fortunate.
“This compassion is for all humankind in this world. If we mention justice, it is justice for all. If we mention compassion to assist unfortunate people, then it does not recognize skin color or religion.
“If this understanding is in our government, then Pakatan Harapan with (Parti) Warisan (Sabah), I am confident, no force can shake this strong government under the Pakatan Harapan whether in Sabah or Malaysia. But, the condition is for us to implement what we say,” he explained at the event, organized and sponsored by the Kota Kinabalu Assemblyperson’s Office.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Sabah PKR State Leadership Council, Datuk Christina Liew said cooperation and harmony were important thrusts in national and social development, especially in Sabah.
Liew who is Deputy Chief Minister cum Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, said the state government under Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal emphasised on harmony as it formed the true strength and thrust of the state that could be learnt by the other states in the country.
“In the context of festivals, we could see that all races joined in the merry making for the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration, just like for Chinese New Year, Deepavali and Christmas celebrations,?she said.
This is the real strength of Sabah that can be emulated in other states in Malaysia as a tourism product and package for foreign visitors, she pointed out.
Also present were PKR vice-president Dr A. Xavier Jayakumar, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution as well as several leaders from Warisan, DAP and Upko.