Keadilan urges greater religious tolerance in M’sia
(Daily Express) – Kota Kinabalu: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Vice President Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan hoped for greater religious tolerance in the country.
In particular, he hoped there would be no more recurrences like the work stoppage midway on the Mazu statue construction in Kudat as well as suggestions in Parliament recently to take down the Crosses and statues of Jesus and Mother Mary in Mission schools.
The Mazu (Goddess of the Sea) issue is now before the courts while the Government had already assured the people that the Christian symbols would not be taken down since they traditionally formed the identity of these Mission schools.
Dr Jeffrey urged especially young Sabahans to rekindle the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement under which 44 years ago Sabahans and Sarawakians joined the formation of an economically dynamic and democratic Malaysia wherein all citizens lived happily and peacefully irrespective of race, ethnic, origin or religious belief.
In a Christmas message, Dr Jeffrey, who is recuperating at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) from injuries sustained during a recent road accident, also urged all PKR leaders and supporters to be even more resilient next year and prepare for the General Elections which he believed might be held very soon.
"I thank God for saving my life. I also thank all PKR leaders, supporters and BN leaders and friends who visited and prayed for me in their hearts. AlsoÉ (brother) Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan," he said.
PKR also urged the Government to release promptly and without conditions all the Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees to enable their families to celebrate this coming Christmas and New Year meaningfully in peace and joy.
Dr Jeffrey said the Prime Minister must not succumb to pressure by some power hungry Umno leaders who want him to use the ISA to detain people in the name of national security and economic stability.
Touching on the Sabah economy, Dr Jeffrey said he is saddened that after 14 years of uninterrupted Umno BN Government, abject poverty in rural areas is now at its worst with 24 per cent, the highest in the country.
"There is no denial that Sabah is a rich State, yet ironically, Sabah is the poorest state in the country and according to the survey made by the UNDP recently, majority of the poor are the natives of Sabah and SarawakÉthere must really be something amiss in the BN administration of the State," he said.
