Sabah's Multicultural Model An Inspiration For National Harmony - Aaron

KOTA KINABALU, June 29 (Bernama) -- Sabah's model of multicultural coexistence should serve as a national inspiration, National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang said today.

He said each group, no matter how small, contributes to the rich mosaic that makes Sabah a living symbol of Malaysia's multicultural strength.

"Sabah is home to 42 distinct indigenous ethnic groups and over 200 subethnic communities, each of which preserves a unique language, heritage and worldview.

"This is not just a statistic, it is a profound reflection of how deeply rooted harmony and respect for differences are in Sabah's identity," he said in his speech at the Grand Finale of the "Lagu Kita"- Sabah Multicultural Songwriting and Band Competition here tonight.

The competition was first conceived in June 2024 with the noble aim of celebrating Sabah's rich cultural diversity and empowering young talents through the creation of original music, he said.

"Recognising the value and potential of this initiative, my ministry was pleased to support it with a grant of RM30,000," he said, adding that music serves as a universal language, a bridge across languages, faiths, and customs.

-- BERNAMA