KUCHING: Sarawak’s way of life and its cultural heritage must be preserved and not to be ‘polluted’.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the state’s green economy efforts encompass the preservation of its culture and the environment.
“When we pursue green energy, it means that we want to preserve anything that is green, including our culture.
“Not only the environment is polluted, the culture can also be polluted due to the influence of other cultures.
“When this happens, we do not know nor understand the original culture, thus Sarawak wants to preserve that (culture),” he said when officiating at the third International Conference on Science, Social Sciences and Humanities (ICOSSH) 2023 at Parkcity Everly Hotel, Bintulu today.
Abang Johari said Sarawak’s path towards a green economy also takes into account the people’s relationship with the environment, economic strength and humanities.
“Once we are able to identify the weaknesses and strengths of the various ethnic groups, then we can plan a strategy to upgrade the talent and preserve the environment you are in.
“Sarawak is blessed, we have mutual respect among us, and this becomes our strength so much so the Yang di-Pertuan Agong broke the protocol and reached out to the people in Sarawak irrespective of their social standing during the recent ‘Kembara Kembali Borneo’ expedition,” he said.
He said the reason the Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah was able to establish a good rapport with the people is because there is deep understanding of one’s culture.
“This is possible because there are no weaknesses in terms of communication between one another.
“And the Sarawak government takes seriously the question of moulding. We want to create a mould where there is this voluntary interaction (between the people of different races), and not by forced.
“So, this becomes a cultural blending and once the people have that understanding with one another, the future of Sarawak is bright,” he said.
