Latest news with #Kadazandusun
The Sun
14-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Penang unity week 2025 to boost grassroots integration and harmony
GEORGE TOWN: The National Unity Week (SMP) is more than a symbolic event, it is a crucial platform to foster social cohesion and meaningful grassroots integration, says Penang National Unity and Integration Department (JPNIN) director Rohai Zahar Nedi. Penang has been selected to host the 2025 National Unity Week, featuring a wide range of programmes designed to promote harmony through sports, cultural and artistic activities. The event, running from this Thursday until July 20, will include the Rumah Kami exhibition showcasing 24 ethnic communities, replicas of Kadazandusun and Orang Asli longhouses, as well as exhibitions by government agencies, private sector organisations, and NGOs. Rohai highlighted key attractions such as MADANI sales, FoodUnites, traffic summons discounts, museum showcases, and the cultural concert Malam Irama Sama-Sama Kita featuring top Malaysian artistes. He emphasised that the event encourages cross-cultural interaction and shared experiences across ethnic and generational lines, key to bridging social divides, building empathy, and strengthening national identity. More importantly, it promotes the core values of 'Understand, Respect and Accept', encouraging Malaysians to not only appreciate each other's backgrounds, but to embrace diversity as a national strength. Rohai added that the initiative contributes to a sustainable unity ecosystem and positions national cohesion as a shared responsibility, not just a government mandate. To further boost public engagement, the National Unity Ministry is organising a Jelajah Kembara Perpaduan roadshow, which began in Melaka on April 4–5 and has since reached Kedah, Kelantan, Johor, Perlis, Terengganu, and Sabah. Rohai called on Malaysians of all backgrounds to treat unity as a collective duty and a valuable legacy to be preserved with sincerity and awareness. The 2025 National Unity Week will be held at Batu Kawan Stadium over four days, with the official launch by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim scheduled for 10.30 am on July 19. - Bernama
Barnama
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Barnama
Penang To Host Unity Week With Focus On Grassroots Integration
GEORGE TOWN, July 14 (Bernama) -- The National Unity Week (SMP) is more than a symbolic event, it is a crucial platform to foster social cohesion and meaningful grassroots integration, says Penang National Unity and Integration Department (JPNIN) director Rohai Zahar Nedi. Penang has been selected to host the 2025 National Unity Week, featuring a wide range of programmes designed to promote harmony through sports, cultural and artistic activities. Running from this Thursday until July 20, the event will include the Rumah Kami exhibition showcasing 24 ethnic communities, replicas of Kadazandusun and Orang Asli longhouses, as well as exhibitions by government agencies, private sector organisations, as well as non-governmental organisations (NGO). 'Other highlights include MADANI sales, FoodUnites, traffic summons discounts, museum showcases and the cultural concert Malam Irama Sama-Sama Kita featuring top Malaysian artistes,' Rohai said in a radio interview with MutiaraFM today. He said the event encourages cross-cultural interaction and shared experiences across ethnic and generational lines, key to bridging social divides, building empathy and strengthening national identity. 'More importantly, it promotes the core values of 'Understand, Respect and Accept', encouraging Malaysians to not only appreciate each other's backgrounds, but to embrace diversity as a national strength,' he said. Rohai added that the initiative contributes to a sustainable unity ecosystem and positions national cohesion as a shared responsibility, not just a government mandate. To further boost public engagement, the National Unity Ministry is organising a Jelajah Kembara Perpaduan roadshow, which began in Melaka on April 4–5 and has since reached Kedah, Kelantan, Johor, Perlis, Terengganu and Sabah. Rohai called on Malaysians of all backgrounds to treat unity as a collective duty and a valuable legacy to be preserved with sincerity and awareness.
Daily Express
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Express
GRS must have nothing to do with Umno: LDP
Published on: Monday, July 14, 2025 Published on: Mon, Jul 14, 2025 Text Size: Chin said that if negotiations fail, both coalitions may contest independently in a friendly match with government formation discussions taking place post-election. Kota Kinabalu: The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has called on Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) to steer clear of any electoral alliance with Barisan Nasional-Umno in the coming 17th state election. LDP president Datuk Chin Su Phin pointed out the importance of maintaining good relations with the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, regardless of the state election outcome. 'It is imperative that the coalition or party that wins has an amicable relationship with its federal counterparts,' Chin said following a unanimous decision by the LDP Supreme Council, Sunday. He said the GRS is likely to negotiate seat distribution with PH for the state polls, but pointed out that the federal coalition must have genuine commitment to working with GRS. He suggested PH limit itself to contesting no more than 20 seats. Chin said that if negotiations fail, both coalitions may contest independently in a friendly match with government formation discussions taking place post-election. He expressed particular concern about DAP's ambitions to contest six to eight Chinese-majority seats, saying this could squeeze out Chinese-based component parties within GRS. Addressing Chinese voters specifically, Chin cautioned against supporting Parti Warisan despite strong local party sentiment in Chinese-majority constituencies. He said Warisan's limited appeal beyond Chinese voters particularly among the Kadazandusun community and in Malay seats makes it unlikely to form government even if it wins all six Chinese-majority seats. 'If Warisan fails to form the State Government, Chinese voters will inevitably be labelled as the opposition,' he said, urging the community to exercise wisdom in their voting decisions. He called for continued GRS governance, citing political stability and economic growth under the current administration, adding that the government changes typically result in policy shifts that deter investment and hinder economic progress for two to three years. The LDP Supreme Council also approved a motion to freeze the Pantai Manis division during the meeting. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Express
Liberal Democratic Party: GRS must have nothing to do with Umno
Published on: Monday, July 14, 2025 Published on: Mon, Jul 14, 2025 Text Size: Chin said that if negotiations fail, both coalitions may contest independently in a friendly match with government formation discussions taking place post-election. Kota Kinabalu: The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has called on Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) to steer clear of any electoral alliance with Barisan Nasional-Umno in the coming 17th state election. LDP president Datuk Chin Su Phin pointed out the importance of maintaining good relations with the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, regardless of the state election outcome. 'It is imperative that the coalition or party that wins has an amicable relationship with its federal counterparts,' Chin said following a unanimous decision by the LDP Supreme Council, Sunday. He said the GRS is likely to negotiate seat distribution with PH for the state polls, but pointed out that the federal coalition must have genuine commitment to working with GRS. He suggested PH limit itself to contesting no more than 20 seats. Chin said that if negotiations fail, both coalitions may contest independently in a friendly match with government formation discussions taking place post-election. He expressed particular concern about DAP's ambitions to contest six to eight Chinese-majority seats, saying this could squeeze out Chinese-based component parties within GRS. Addressing Chinese voters specifically, Chin cautioned against supporting Parti Warisan despite strong local party sentiment in Chinese-majority constituencies. He said Warisan's limited appeal beyond Chinese voters particularly among the Kadazandusun community and in Malay seats makes it unlikely to form government even if it wins all six Chinese-majority seats. 'If Warisan fails to form the State Government, Chinese voters will inevitably be labelled as the opposition,' he said, urging the community to exercise wisdom in their voting decisions. He called for continued GRS governance, citing political stability and economic growth under the current administration, adding that the government changes typically result in policy shifts that deter investment and hinder economic progress for two to three years. The LDP Supreme Council also approved a motion to freeze the Pantai Manis division during the meeting. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Star
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The Star
PBS, Sabah STAR grassroots set to gather in show of unity
KOTA KINABALU: Two of Sabah's major native-based non-Muslim parties under the ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) are set to hold a major gathering Saturday (July 12) in a move to strengthen their unity ahead of the state election. The state's oldest registered party, Parti Bersatu Sabah, and Sabah STAR are targeting to work on a unified front within the GRS coalition to contest most of the 23 to 25 native Kadazandusun, Murut and Rungus majority seats. The major gathering of the two parties comes after over a year of discussions on working together to unify their grassroots support and even discuss merger following the signing of a memorandum of understanding on April 18, 2024. Though the talks for merging the two parties have now been left on the backburner, Sabah STAR president Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan and PBS acting president Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam have been steering towards agreeing for the parties to share unified stand ensuring there was no splits in the votes in their native strongholds. In the 2020 snap state election, candidates from PBS and Sabah STAR clashed in certain seats going against the allocation agreed by the then coalition partners - Perikatan Nasional, Barisan Nasional and PBS under the yet to be registered GRS banner. Sources from both parties indicate that they were looking at contesting at least 10 seats each under the GRS coalition while leaving out non-Muslim seats held by their partner Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat). GRS information chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said that over 5,000 delegates from both parties are expected to attend the convention aimed at strengthening cooperation to secure GRS's success at the polls. UiTM Sabah political analyst Tony Paridi Bagang said the convention serves as a critical groundwork-laying effort that could significantly shape GRS' competitiveness and cohesion. "It also is reinforcing and renewing people's trust especially among the Kadazandusuns," he added. Leaders from both PBS and Sabah STAR are confident that if the grassroots remain intact and supportive of each other's candidates, the two parties could secure most of the native non-Muslim seats straddling from the state's interior, northern and west coast. However, political analysts said the relations could become testy if Sabah STAR changes its position as it watches closely the GRS led by Chief Minister Datuk Hajiji Noor's seat sharing formula with Sabah Pakatan Harapan. Kitingan, who is pro-local party, has remained restive over the possible GRS-Pakatan electoral pact while Dr Gunsalam has repeatedly maintained that the party will remain within the GRS coalition. A senior Sabah STAR leader, who declined to be named, said since talks have been initiated between the two parties, there has been good progress at the grassroots levels for them to work together. At least five divisions had already put together joint working committees with other divisions still working on it. "We hope that whatever decisions are made even if it may involve reviewing our position in GRS, Sabah STAR and PBS must have a common stand, otherwise the unity efforts will not be of any use," the Sabah STAR leader said. Apart from PBS and Sabah STAR, native Kadazandusun, Murut and Rungus seats are now being held by Gagasan Rakyat and GRS's coalition partner Sabah Pakatan as well opposition Parti Warisan and Parti KDM. Electoral pacts in Sabah remain fluid with coalitions or individual parties making any clear commitments until after Hajiji calls for the dissolution of the assembly anytime before Nov 11.
