Kota Kinabalu: The rakyat can learn from fellow Malaysians in Sabah and Sarawak on how to manage their differences, said former Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak.
He said Sabah and Sarawak, and its diverse plural societies, have shown how differences can be managed in a progressive and constructive manner.
“As our politicians continue to discuss and comment on the current political affairs in Malaysia, I wish to remind myself and every one of us to take a moment to remember how our fellow Malaysians in Sabah and Sarawak might feel about it,” he said in his latest Facebook post, Sunday.
He said it was important to embrace the true values of being Malaysian, which includes accepting differences and embracing the diversity in the country.
Salleh, who is Usukan assemblyman, said that the need to acknowledge the supremacy of rights as enshrined in the Federal Constitution is understood.
“But let’s keep our comments and discussions respectful and mindful of our diverse society,” he said.
In the same vein, Salleh said on Friday that different religious and racial backgrounds were not an obstacle for Sabahans to unite and live in harmony.
He said it was not a problem for non-Muslim houses of worship to be built near mosques in Sabah and rather indicates the high level of tolerance among various ethnic and religious groups in the State.
His remarks came after Kuala Langat MP Ahmad Yunus Hairi, when debating the supply bill on Thursday, urged the Government not to build non-Muslim houses of worship in the same vicinity as mosques due to sensitivities.
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