Stay United, Support Govt For Sake Of Nation’s Peace

KUCHING: Kuching Indian Association (IAK) president R. Nadison reminded fellow Malaysians to stay united to preserve the nation’s peace at all costs.

He said this to reporters while welcoming visitors to his home yesterday during the Deepavali celebrations.

“We must also continue to give our support to the government as a way of maintaining our nation’s peace and prosperity,” said R. Nadison, who wished all the Hindus in Malaysia a Happy Deepavali.

Hundreds turned up at his open house at his residence in Batu Kawa on the first day of the celebrations yesterday.

Holding the post of IAK president since April, the baton was passed down to him from Anthony Ramanair who had helmed the post for the past 14 years.

“I hope that I will be able to do something for the Indian community in Kuching, particularly in areas such as education,” he added.

Other areas that the IAK will be focusing on will include how to provide assistance and support to local Indians here who wish to start their own business.

On another note, he also said the biggest problem the Indian community faced was that there are too many Indian based associations in Sarawak.

“In Kuching alone, we can see at least 20 Indian organisations for a population of around 7,000. I hope that all of these leaders will one day sit together and try to merge,” he added.

An association with a larger number of members will then carry more weight to ensure that their requests and demands

will be heard by the government and other authorities, he explained.

Meanwhile, R. Nadison, who is also the Kuching Indian Temples Association secretary, said prayers were also held on the first day of Deepavali at various temples in the state where light refreshments were also prepared to mark the celebrations. -BP-