The Future Of Penang Shall Be Written With The Same Commitment Towards Justice, Truth Freedom And Righteousness.
Malaysia is unique in that Islam is the religion of the country but there is freedom of religion for other faiths. For the last 227 years, Penang symbolises the ability for diverse cultures and faiths to absorb and celebrate these differences in peace, mutual respect and harmony.
This is the principal reason George Town was selected as a UNESCO World Heritage City in 2008. For this reason the Penang state government is confident that outside threats to disrupt this mutual respect and destroy racial harmony with vile and abhorrent acts like burning Bibles will certainly fail.
The past of Penang is filled with reaffirmation that what is important is not our origins but the strength of our character. I believe that the future for Penang shall be written with the same commitment towards justice, truth, freedom, righteousness and universal moral values.
This year the Hindus and Indians in Penang has much to celebrate. Land has been provided for both schools and temples. Yearly grants given not only for primary schools but even for kindergartens. Further, not only has the largest Murugan Temple outside India being completed after more than 10 years, the Penang Hindu Endowment Board(HEB) that runs the Thaipusam Festivities is also celebrating their own home for the first time in history.
The granting of a new home for the Penang HEB by the Penang state government together with annual allocations of RM1.2 million(compared to RM50,000 annually previously) is a recognition of the important role it can play to improve the lives of the Hindus in Penang both culturally as well as educationally, religious as well as economic. The Penang HEB shall be the model of good governance and integrity not only for Indians in other states but also for other marginalised communities such as Orang Asli, Ibans and Kadazans in improving their lives and dignity.
Let us welcome the Thaipusam festivities in Penang for the first time with the new Murugan Waterfall Temple, the largest outside India, by absorbing and celebrating our differences as part of a multi-racial Malaysia.
LIM GUAN ENG
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槟州首席部长林冠英于2013年1月26日在乔治市光大所发表的大宝森节献词。
槟城人将会以共同的正义、真理、自由、正直及普世道德价值，书写槟城的未来。
马来西亚的国教虽是伊斯兰教，但在其他宗教方面却也有着宗教自由，这是马来西亚充满特色的地方。槟城在过去227年，已经成为一个以和平、尊重互信及和睦方式，去海纳及欢庆多元文化与信仰的标杆所在。
这是乔治市2008年被联合国教科文组织遴选为世界文化遗产城的核心价值。槟州政府有信心槟城的尊重互信及种族和睦，并不会因为一些卑鄙恶劣的行径而倍感威胁，因此诸如焚烧圣经的恶行注定会失败。
槟城的过去一再提醒我们，最重要的不是我们来自何方，而是我们槟城人那独有的能力。我相信，槟城人将会以共同的正义、真理、自由、正直及普世道德价值，书写槟城的未来。
今年，兴都教徒及印裔将有更多的事情值得庆祝，淡米尔学校及庙宇已经获得土地提供，年度助学金不只颁发给淡米尔小学，连淡米尔幼稚园也不例外。更让人值得庆祝的，不只是耗时超过10年，如今终于建竣的印度境外最大姆鲁甘战神庙，还有肩负重任承办槟城大宝森节庆典的槟城兴都教理事会终于也在历史上首度有了自己的会所，有了自己的“家”。
连同新会所在内，槟州政府今年给予槟城兴都教理事会的年度拨款共有120万令吉（相较之前的5万令吉年度拨款），作为增进兴都教徒在文化、教育、宗教及经济上的生存与发展，以承认兴都教徒在槟州所扮演的重要角色。槟城兴都教理事会不只可以成为其他州印裔在良好施政及廉洁上的楷模，同时也可成为其他被边缘化社群如原住民、伊班人及卡达山族的借镜，增进他们生存环境及尊严。
在多元种族的马来西亚，我们吸纳着及欢呼着彼此的不同之际，就让我们首次在印度境外最大、最崭新的槟城植物园姆鲁甘战神庙，全民共同欢庆大宝森节。
林冠英