
KOTA KINABALU, SABAH – Mooncakes and Jalur Gemilangs were distributed to the public around Kota Kinabalu to promote Sabah’s longstanding spirit of unity in diversity.
Chinese relations officer to Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam, Goon Thien Shang together with the N.20 Api-api community development unit were making their rounds to distribute the goodies and flags to taxi drivers stationed at Kampung Air and Kota Kinabalu International Airport.
“We are distributing the flags to the community at large during this Merdeka month to remind them to use our patriotism to fight the COVID-19 pandemic together…
“During this hardship, we should help each other to stay afloat as many people had been financially affected by the ongoing pandemic and many became jobless,” said Goon.
The taxi operators were one of the worst-hit sectors as the absence of tourists have caused many to struggle with some giving up hope completely.
“Furthermore, they are unable to compete with the e-hailing services due to their lack of skills in using the phone apps,” he said.
“We hope they will continue to stay patient because when the State reaches the goal of herd immunity as targeted by next month, the tourism activities will be gradually resume. Adding that nowadays most of the taxi operators rely on tourists to generate income,” said Goon.
Aside from that, Goon and his team has also distributed handmade mooncakes to the business operators and the general public around Kampung Air, Damai, Bandaran Berjaya, Kepayan ridge and Api Api Centre.
“We hope the mooncakes would cheer the people up during this stressing moment and celebrate mid-autumn festival on Sept 21 together without any barriers,” he said.
He said Sabah unique multiracial and religious harmony has been the epitome of national unity and it should not be breached especially when there was a proposal to introduce a bill to control and restrict the propagation of non-Muslim religions by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Ahmad Marzuk Shaary.