冬至团圆会，郑秋华讲稿

今晚感到非常高兴，看到大家踊跃出席由顺兴公会、德教会紫川阁及郑氏公会联办的冬至团圆会。冬至是一年中重要的节庆， 冬至過後，新年就在眼前了，所以又有「冬節大如年」的說法，意思是說冬至的禮俗和年節相差無幾。 人们常在冬至搓汤圆，祭祖，是春节前一家团聚的日子。今晚这三个友好社团特籍这非常有意义的节令在疫情中团聚，祈愿冬去春来，会是人们的好日子。

今晚也特感荣幸，因为原任州议员，即本届州选举的砂拉越政党联盟候选人拿督法兰吉斯哈丁，也在竞选宣传的忙碌中拨冗与我们团聚。凭着他过去25年来与我们的友好关系，不间断的拨款于本会、本会属下慈云阁及成邦江幼稚园，我认为情感上，我们应该再把选票送给他。

阿德南以来，砂拉越政府显现更开明，尊重多元及积极在联合邦制度下争取及落实自主权。砂拉越政府对华教、华校与各宗教的扶持是明显的。华校特别基金和其他宗教单位的设立就是好例子。成邦江顺兴公会即受益其中，2016年阿德南首长在少过3分钟内就把慈云阁右侧的土地及明堂河上逾25尺范围批准给本会。为了让慈云阁与政府美化鲁巴河畔计划驳接，我们规划了逾100万的计划，目前计划还在进行中。2020年，在拿督法兰吉斯哈丁的安排下，砂拉越政府通过其他宗教单位首批拨款30万于本会。所以理智上，我们应该给予该联盟的候选人支持，因为这是一个有明确方向与心系人民的联盟。

坊间有众多的言论，这是健康的民主现象。但我相信华人选民是理智的，不会被过去恩怨所纠缠，我们是向未来看的族群，我们追求的是和谐、稳定与发展。国际领导顾问约瑟夫·波耶特（Joseph H. Boyett）曾在《选民进化论：如何选出最佳候选人》一书中提到，“我们需要更好的领导者，但我们得先让自己变成更聪明、更严格的追随者。”就是说，只有把我们自己演化成更精明的选民，那我们才不会再被愚民，也能监督领导者。

最后，我祝福大家冬至快乐，并在12月18日踊跃在遵守标准程序下出来投票，理智选择，享受5年做一次老板的乐趣。谢谢。

Thank you for joining us in this very occasion of Winter Solstice Reunion Program, jointly organised by Soon Heng Society, Che Chuan Khor and Clan Cheng Association of Sri Aman Division. Winter Solstice is the last festival according to Lunar Calender before moving into a new year. It is when the family reunion to worship their ancestors for giving them another good year and they eat dumpling (tangyuan) together.

We are pleasure to have the former ADUN of Simanggang cum GPS candidate of Simanggang for the coming state election, Datuk Francis Harden with us. Datuk Francis is a good partner of us, as he allocated annually fund for Soon Heng Society, Ciyun Temple and Simanggang Kindergarten. Emotionally, he is very close with us, therefore we should ensure he continue to be our representative in the DUN.

Since Adenan Satem, Sarawak Government is moving toward more transparent, open, respect of multicultural and ethnicity, and actively fighting our right and privilege under a federal system. The state has a clear and progressive stand on developing Chinese schools and education and other religious in Sarawak. The establishment of Chinese Schools Fund and UNIFOR are the real examples. Soon Heng Society had benefited from this good governance by getting additional lots of land surrounding Ciyun Temple in 2016 within less than 3 minutes, approved on the spot by the late CM Adenan. In 2020, UNIFOR, after suggestion and support of Datuk Francis allocated RM 300k to Soon Heng Society to furnish the Ciyun Temple get connected to the Government’s “Upgrading Batang Lupar River side Project”. Therefore, rationally peoples should support GPS under CM Abang Jo for its visionary development plan for Sarawak.

I strongly believe Chinese community are rational. They don’t entangled by the past grudges. They always look forward for harmonise and good living, they prefer development than meaningless talking. They are very calculative voters, they are very strict followers too. I believe they will make their good choice for Simanggang.

Thank you and please turn out on 18 December to enjoy your right as Boss, once in 5 years.

16-12-2021