Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal addressing the Chinese New Year crowd in Kota Kinabalu.
KOTA KINABALU: Malaysians should reject extremist and racists beliefs but focus on cooperation and tolerance among each other, Parti Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said.
He said that all parties, especially in Sabah, need to reject groups that do not respect the spirit of unity.
"It is important for us in Malaysia who are made up of various races, ethnicities and religions to live in harmony.
"We need to reject extremist and racist beliefs," he said in his speech at the party's Kota Kinabalu division's Chinese New Year Celebration here on Friday (Feb 23).
He said the unity achieved in Malaysia - especially in Sabah - needs to be valued and the cooperation and tolerance between each other enhanced.
Shafie added that just because one party becomes dominant, it should not affect other groups in the country.
"We must share the benefits together, besides that we must also respect every festival celebrated by all levels of society in Malaysia," he said.
Parti Warisan leaders including Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal at the party's Chinese New Year celebrations in Kota Kinabalu.
As such, Shafie said that the celebrations of major festivals like Chinese New Year among others should be held more extensively in the future in an effort to maintain the understanding and unity of the people.
He said such public celebrations reinforce the traditional values of each community while also strengthening the bond among the multi-racial and multi-religious people of the country.
The former chief minister and now state opposition leader said that there was a need to address immediately the rising cost of living as a large segment of people are struggling to make ends meet.
"It's no use just talking about the high cost of living but not acting to solve this problem for the benefit of the people as a whole," he said.
He said the government needs to address the matter immediately.
Warisan held similar Chinese New Year open houses at major towns across the state over the last two-week period.
