Dr Sim (fifth left) and Wee, on the minister’s left, join several MBKS councillors in the Christmas cake-cutting ceremony. — Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi
KUCHING: Local Government and Housing Minister Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian has praised Kuching South City Council (MBKS) for its ‘spirit of inclusivity’, especially during festive seasons.
Moreover, he cited the council’s tradition of holding the celebrations of all the festive occasions of Sarawak every year as ‘one of the best traits’.
“This MBKS tradition is very significant because they celebrate every festive season in Sarawak. This is the traditional spirit of MBKS – for unity and harmony, and for the people,” he said during MBKS Christmas Gathering 2019, at the council’s headquarters here yesterday.
The event hosted some 200 guests representing various charitable bodies, non-governmental organisations and also the MBKS community.
Dr Sim said for this very reason, Kuching had been dubbed as the ‘City of Unity’, where Kuchingites would always find “all sorts of excuses and reasons” to celebrate festivities together, regardless of different religious and racial backgrounds.
“This is unlike some other places, where they would find all sorts of reasons and excuses just to quarrel, or drag each other to court,” he said.
In this respect, Dr Sim expressed his hope that Sarawakians would continue to preserve and uphold peace and harmony in Sarawak, and prevent any outside influence from interfering, disrupting and spoiling it.
“We want to go to the right and happy path, not the ‘quarrelling and unhappy path’.
“Nobody can stop us Sarawakians from marching forward towards prosperity, and no outside force can harass our unity,” he said.
Meanwhile in his remarks, Kuching South Mayor Datuk Wee Hong Seng said the making of a caring Sarawakian society would involve everybody, including those in the government, the non-profit sector, businesses and individuals, working together.
He said with a shared sense of responsibility, Sarawak would stand a better chance in riding out the waves of global uncertainties and disruption.
“The making of a caring Sarawak involves and requires all of us to work together to find solutions and demonstrate care and compassion for our community.
“By caring for one another, we foster resilient communities that stand together in both good and bad times,” said Wee.