Malaysia Day is as significant as National Day and should be appreciated by all Malaysians regardless of their race, religion and political ideologies, said the Temenggong for the Bidayuh community in the Kuching division, Datuk Austin Dimin.

He said celebrating Malaysia Day, which falls on Sept 16, is critical to unity, which is the backbone of the nation’s strength, and inspires patriotism among the youth.

“Everything we have achieved today has been on the back of our warriors who sacrificed themselves. There may still be people who recall the battles and sacrifices for independence made by family members or ancestors, for the current well-being of the nation.

“Maybe for the younger generations, it is something they hear about from their parents, grandparents or through textbooks, photos, videos, historical sites or artifacts,” he said during a Radio Bernama interview in conjunction with the 2023 Malaysia Day, here, today.

As such, he said Malaysia Day promotions and activities should be continuous to enable younger generations to better understand the country’s history, which is full of historical figures who selflessly fought to build the nation.

He said although the country is facing numerous challenges, its cross-cultural relations are good and he urged everyone to continue fostering the long-held bonds of unity between the races.

“We are all Malaysians. This is what binds us, let us always keep in mind that unity is our foundation, as a people and as a nation. We can achieve all this because each of us believes that even if we are diverse we still stand together.

“Through lively displays of the Jalur Gemilang, we can further boost the spirit of Malaysia Day and highlight unity, harmony and patriotism,” he said.

This year’s national-level Malaysia Day celebrations will be held at the Perpaduan Stadium in Kuching, Sarawak, on Sept 16.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency