Cardinal brings message of peace and sambal to Sanusi
GEORGE TOWN : A colourful show of interfaith harmony unfolded in Alor Setar over the weekend when Catholic Cardinal Sebastian Francis paid a courtesy visit to Kedah menteri besar Sanusi Nor and senior PAS ulamas.
The meeting, held at the menteri besar's office on Sunday afternoon, marked a rare moment of engagement between the top Catholic cleric and the leadership of a state led by PAS.
With warm smiles and light-hearted exchanges, the cardinal handed over a set of gifts; a Penan basket filled with local food products, and a copy of the Abu Dhabi Declaration on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together.
The declaration, signed by the late Pope Francis and Grand Imam Al-Tayyeb in 2019, calls for interfaith understanding and peaceful coexistence.
Contents of the woven purple basket included four types of sambal, coffee, jackfruit chips, and a mosquito-repelling candle for campers.
Sanusi, looking relaxed in his khaki jacket, accepted the gifts with a smile, later giving the cardinal his own token of appreciation.
Later, the cardinal and the menteri besar had mee goreng and teh tarik. Kedah PAS ulama chief Syeikh Rodi Abdul Rahman was also present.
When contacted, Cardinal Sebastian, who oversees Catholic dioceses in the northern states including Kedah, said the visit was part of a wider outreach to PAS-led state governments.
He had previously met leaders in Kelantan and Perlis.
'This is not just a social call. It is a moment of spiritual and civic bonding. Faith, hope and love must guide us to justice and to see each other as brothers and sisters,' he said.
He also recalled the long history of Kedah's Catholic community, which traces its roots to 1781, and the role of mission schools in education.
He thanked the Kedah government for preserving harmony and hoped the meeting would pave the way for stronger ties.
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