Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah (second left) and Sarawak Governor Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud (left) arriving at the National Unity Week celebration at the Kuching Waterfront. - ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE/The Star
KUCHING: Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has called on all Malaysians to cultivate unity and reduce the differences among one another.
The King said unity is the nation's main asset, and added that it should be valued by everyone.
"We should close the gap between us and lessen the differences between various races and religions," he said when launching the National Unity Week celebration at the Kuching Waterfront here on Sunday (May 21).
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong also said unity, like charity, begins at home.
"There's an English saying that charity begins at home. Let me adapt it to say that unity begins at home," he said.
Also present were Sarawak Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
Earlier, National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang said unity in diversity was a key aspect of the government's efforts to build Malaysia Madani.
He said the Unity Week celebration was the ministry's signature programme to foster understanding, tolerance and mutual respect among Malaysians of various races, faiths and cultures.
"Everything we do today is an investment for future generations to inherit a peaceful and prosperous nation," he said.
Aaron also said the celebration included two attempts to set new records in the Malaysia Book of Records.
One is the most participants wearing ethnic attire at an event and the other is the most participation by ethnic groups in a cultural exhibition.
