KUCHING: The thousands of multiracial guests who turned up at the Hari Raya Aidilfitri open houses of two state leaders today showed that the firebombing of a KK Mart store here has failed to break the unity among people in the state, says PKR Sarawak information chief Senator Abun Sui Anyit.
It is also a victory for peace-lovers in Sarawak over the extremists, he added.
The number of guests at Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg's open house at the Borneo Convention Centre in Kuching (BCCK) is estimated at around 13,000.
A similar number is also believed to have attended Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar's event at the Astana.
Abun said the firebombing of the convenience store in Satok almost a week ago has failed to instil fear in the people.
The attack is believed to be linked to the alleged "Allah" socks controversy in Peninsular Malaysia.
A Molotov cocktail hurled at the front of the store had ignited a small fire among the merchandise on display. No one has been arrested over the incident to date.
"What happened a week ago, the instigation to boycott the store and the firebomb attacks in several places did not seem to have any impact in Sarawak.
"Tens of thousands of visitors still came to the open houses of the premier at BCCK and the governor at the Astana.
"This is a victory for peace lovers in Sarawak over those who tried to sabotage the peace and harmony enjoyed by people in the state," Abun said.
He and his friends also visited the house of Datuk Seri Hafsah Harun, who is an adviser of Sarawak PKR. Hafsah is also a former minister in the Sarawak cabinet.
Abun said he hoped the people of Sarawak will continue to live in harmony and not be rattled by the actions of a few.
Abang Johari said he too noticed a slightly larger crowd this year and attributed it to the people's culture of visiting one another to exchange greetings, no matter what festival it was.
"It shows our unity. The guests are from different ethnic groups. It's a sign that people in Sarawak are still united," he said.
Abang Johari said the unity is just the foundation the state needed to move forward to its goal of being the green powerhouse in the Asean region.