Malaysians can continue playing their roles to uphold ‘unity in diversity’, says Kit Siang

Lim asserted that Malaysians could continue playing their role to uphold ‘unity in diversity’. – Malay Mail photo

KUCHING (Feb 5): Malaysia can lead the world in promoting multi-ethnicity and multi-cultural society while keeping Malaysians’ respective ethnic, religious and cultural identities, said Lim Kit Siang.

The Democratic Action Party (DAP) veteran leader asserted that Malaysians could continue playing their role to uphold ‘unity in diversity’.

“Malaysia can lead the world in giving a new meaning to ‘Unity in Diversity’ where Malaysians celebrate the great ethnic, religious and cultural festivals of the world while keeping their own ethnic, religious and cultural identities.

“Nobody wants the Malays to become Chinese, Chinese to become Indians, Indians to become Dayaks or Dayaks to become Kadazans.

“Similarly, nobody wants the Muslims to become Buddhists, the Buddhists to become Hindus or the Hindus to become Christians. That will not be ‘unity in diversity’,” he said in his joint Thaipusam-Chap Goh Mei message today.

This year, Thaipusam and Chap Goh Mei falls on the same day.

According to Lim, Malaysia is at the confluence of the four great civilisations of the world – Malay/Islamic, Chinese, Indian and Western.

He said Malaysians regardless of ethnicity, language, religion or culture must leverage on the values and virtues of the four great civilisations to re-build a first-rate world-class Malaysia.

“Malaysia can show the world to take one step further – not just to tolerate but to celebrate the great ethnic, religious and cultural festivities of the world, which is why we have Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Hari Kaamatan, Hari Gawai, Vesak and Christmas as national holidays,” he added.

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