SYNOD 2019 Opening Dinner
SPEECH BY YAB TUAN CHOW KON YEOW
CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG
Address for SYNOD 2019 Opening Dinner
14 OCTOBER, 8 P.M.
CITY BAY VIEW HOTEL, PENANG
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good Evening to all of you.
It is my pleasure to be within the midst of the leaders of the Anglican churches in the region of West Malaysia. I am sure that all of you must have visited Penang before, but if this is your first time here, a very warm welcome to the Pearl of the Orient.
It is my understanding that this is the 45th SYNOD and I am honoured to be a part of celebrating the life and witness of the Anglican Church in West Malaysia. Throughout the years, the Anglican Church has contributed much to society, particularly in the fields of education, social concern and the development of the nation. Collectively, there is much to be thankful for, and we celebrate the unity, hope, peace and commitment that have helped to sustain the church and enabled it to contribute towards the state and nation.
Here in Penang, we have constantly strived to build a bridge between state and church – ties which are bound by our mutual desire to act towards the care and concern for the people of Penang. I have personally been a witness towards the celebration of the 200th Anniversary of St. George’s Church in May this year – the oldest Anglican church in South East Asia and I am sure that other churches within the diocese have partnered with various organisations and institutions to help build and strengthen communities as well as in promoting the message of reconciliation towards one another. We hope to continue working hand-in-hand in shaping our nation, where everyone in spite of our differences, will live in unity, harmony and in mutual understanding of, and for each other.
In all these matters that concern the livelihood as well as the very social fabric of our society, it is my intention when I launched Penang2030 last year that the hallmark of my administration could best be described as the empowerment of the people especially in uplifting our vulnerable communities and reduce inequalities and to boost the participation of our youth, women & seniors in community life.
What the state government would be focusing on, given our stated goals, would be the creation of more platforms for public involvement in our social development and to accelerate programme delivery and institutional reform in our administration.
Hence, the support from all stakeholders towards this vision would be instrumental for the continued success and prosperity of Penang which we now enjoy and more importantly, for us to remain competitive in the face of global challenges which will only intensify in the coming years.
Lastly, I wish to congratulate the Diocese of West Malaysia for your services for the state and nation for the past 49 years, and I look forward to hearing more of the milestones you will reach and the legacy you will leave behind.
Thank you.