MIRI: Federation of Miri Division Chinese Associations will run more social activities this year to promote racial unity and religious harmony in the state, particularly in Miri.
Its president Datuk David Goh said there would be a few big programmes to be implemented by the federation this year.
“The federation indeed is an umbrella for the Chinese associations, but we should not draw a line which limits our programmes to just the Chinese community.
“Instead, there is a need for us to ensure that other races can also participate in our programmes,” he told the media after receiving Chinese New Year (CNY) visit
by a group of Northern Sarawak Journalists Association (NSJA) at his residence in Piasau yesterday.
Goh, who is also EPISO Group of Companies managing director, said the federation also wanted to play its role in enhancing the existing racial unity and religious harmony in the state.
“When we talk about unity, it is not only about the need for us to enhance unity among ourselves. Unity must be for the whole community.”
He reminded all that the existing multiracial harmony in Sarawak should not be taken for granted.
Instead, he said, it was important for the people to renew the existing good relationship, pointing out the open house events held during festive seasons as ‘the best platform for social interactions’.
On another matter, he believed that Sarawak’s economy was moving towards improvement and the so-called slowdown in economic activities might be caused by national economic programmes as well as international programmes that affect consumer spending and confidence.
In general, he said consumer spending remained quite strong.
“We are confident that our economy would be more vibrant than last year’s. Hopefully, this ‘Year of the Rat’ would bring good economic prospects for Sarawak.”
Also present at Goh’s CNY open house were Miri City Council councillor Ariffin Mohamad and NSJA president Andy Jong.