Celebration Of Festivals By Malaysia's Multi-Cultural Society Helps Strengthen Unity - Deputy Minister

TAWAU (Sabah, Malaysia), Jan 16 (Bernama) -- The celebration of various festivals by Malaysia's multi-cultural society can help strengthen unity among the people, as well as enable them to understand better the culture of other races, said Deputy Higher Education Minister Mary Yap Kain Ching. She said the presence of people from various races and religions, like at programmes for the Chinese New Year celebration, could forge closer relations among them. "True unity will exist when there is nothing that can create suspicion, anxiety and disbelief among them," she said when opening a carnival in conjunction with this year's Chinese New Year celebration here Sunday night. She said it was crucial for the people to remain united and that it was the responsibility of all Malaysians to maintain unity with the country moving towards becoming a developed nation. About 3,000 people attended the carnival, to be held until Jan 22 at the Padang Perbandaran, here in Malaysia's state of Sabah. -- BERNAMA