Hajiji (right) receiving a memento from the God of Fortune (Cai Shen Ye) while Goh look on.
KOTA KINABALU: The Federation of Chinese Associations Sabah (FCAS) fully acknowledges and supports policies and measures that ensure stability and continuous growth of Sabah, in line with the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) development plan which is being adopted by the Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
Its President Tan Sri T C Goh said it is also the aspiration of the Sabah people and the Chinese community that Hajiji gets to serve the full term of the present State Government, until the year 2025.
He said the position of Hajiji as the Chief Minister has been further ascertained by Head of State Tun Dr Juhar Mahiruddin and supported by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, which effectively allowed Hajiji to further consolidate and strengthen his current position and to better lead the Sabah Government.
This certainly is in line with the aspiration of the people of Sabah and the democracy of Sabah, he added.
“I am of the opinion that the present State Government was democratically and legitimately elected by the people of Sabah via the State Election held in 2020, and subsequently reached an agreement to fully support the Unity Government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, after the 15th General Election last year.
“Hence, it is only appropriate that the concept and spirit of the Unity Government are fully adopted by Sabah, in order to promote unity among the people, in the true sense, throughout the country. I sincerely believe this would better suit the aspirations of all Malaysians!
“With the Covid-19 pandemic significantly under control and most of the nations, Malaysia and China included, had reopened the borders which thus accelerated recovery of the global economy, I earnestly hope that with greater political stability, Sabah too could achieve a speedy recovery and growth in various sectors,” he said at the 2023 Year of the Rabbit Lunar New Year Gathering held at the Hakka Banquet Hall, Grand Port View Restaurant, Tanjung Lipat, here yesterday.
While also congratulating Tun Juhar for the extension of his tenure for the fourth term by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, effective from this month, which is indeed a great blessing for the people of Sabah, Goh said the Chinese community of Sabah were also very pleased with and fully support the recent State Cabinet reshuffle consented by Tun Juhar, which resulted in the appointment of two Chinese ministers, especially in view of the fact that there were no Chinese ministers in the previous State Cabinet line-up.
“In this regard, on behalf of FCAS, I wish to extend my heartiest congratulations to Datuk Christina Liew, for being reappointed as the Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, for the second time; and also to Luyang State Assemblyman Ginger Phoong for being appointed as the Industrial Development Minister.
“I sincerely believe, with their serious commitment and vast experience in politics, they would be able to serve the people of Sabah, and the Chinese community, well. This includes raising the various issues affecting the Chinese community via the appropriate government channels, and to resolve them promptly and effectively,” he said.
Goh also extended the association’s utmost gratitude to the Chief Minister for his support, especially for allocating RM500,000 for organising the event, as well as the RM150,000 funding for the Chinese New Year Carnival at Gaya Street from Jan 15 to 18, which went smoothly and successful.
“For the Chinese people, this year is the Year of the Rabbit, and according to the Chinese culture and tradition, which has existed for several thousand years, the Rabbit is ranked number four among the 12 zodiac animals and it is popularly regarded as a sensitive, gentle, kind, clean and honest, and responsible creature.
“We thus hope such positive attributes of the Rabbit would bring unity, harmony, moderation and progress for Malaysia, Sabah included!” said Goh, who is also President of the Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Huazong).
Chinese Consul General in Kota Kinabalu, Dr Huang Shifang was also present as a special invited guest for the event.
