Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said Malaysia’s strength lies in its ability to unite and progress together, declaring that diversity is not a weakness but the foundation of the state’s identity and resilience.
In his 2026 Malaysia Day message, NST reported that Chow pointed to eight years of tangible progress under the Penang2030 Vision as evidence that unity delivers results. Average household income in the state rose from RM5,409 to RM7,386 over that period, while environmental sustainability and welfare support remained strong.
“Differences in race, religion, culture and language should not be walls that divide us. Instead, this diversity makes Penang dynamic, progressive, competitive and harmonious,” Chow said.
Penang secured RM17.3 billion in approved manufacturing investments for the first half of 2026, with foreign direct investment accounting for RM12.8 billion or 74 per cent of the total. The 177 approved projects are expected to create 19,337 jobs, and around 69 per cent came from existing company expansions, reflecting sustained investor confidence in the state’s economic trajectory.
International passenger traffic at Penang International Airport rose 11 per cent between January and July 2026, reaching more than 2.64 million travellers. Chow said strategic mega-projects including the Mutiara Line Light Rail Transit, the Juru-Sungai Dua Elevated Highway, Penang International Logistics Aeropark, the airport expansion and Silicon Island would improve urban connectivity and expand economic access for all residents.
In education, Penang became the first state to equip all national schools with interactive smartboards while expanding STEAM MakerLabs to give students hands-on experience in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.
“On this Malaysia Day, let us strengthen mutual trust, reject hatred and prejudice, and continue building a united, progressive, inclusive and harmonious Malaysia,” he added.
Chow’s message echoed remarks he delivered at the Penang Peace Dialogue 2026 earlier this month, where he called for trust to become an “infrastructure of cooperation” in an increasingly multipolar world. Speaking at the Jen Hotel George Town, with former Indonesian president Joko Widodo among the guests, Buletin Mutiara reported that Chow described dialogue as essential to keeping countries and societies connected when strategic rivalry and diverging interests threaten to pull them apart.
“Connectivity can bring countries together, but trust is what allows them to remain together when interests begin to diverge,” he said at the gathering.
Chow drew on Penang’s multicultural history, noting that George Town and the Straits of Malacca had for centuries brought together people, religions, ideas and trade from across Asia and beyond. He cited the 1955 Bandung Conference as an example of countries with different histories and political systems finding principles for coexistence without surrendering independence.
“Different peoples do not have to become the same to build something together,” he said, describing this as one of the lessons Penang brought to the dialogue.
Chow said peace is not simply the absence of conflict, but the ability of different peoples to live, work and prosper together despite their differences. He noted that Penang’s manufacturing, semiconductor and technology sectors are deeply connected to markets across Asia, creating both opportunities and vulnerabilities that depend on stability and trust.
Former Indonesian president Joko Widodo, who attended the dialogue, said peace begins with the willingness to listen and the courage to understand one another. He added that leaders have an important role in building a peaceful future, but leadership is not merely about strategy and power.
In his earlier Merdeka message, Chow urged Penangites to uphold the spirit of Independence by maintaining the tradition of embracing the pillars of the country, which is unity through diversity. He said the state was built by people of various races, religions, cultures and backgrounds, and this diversity is a strength that must be preserved for future generations.
“We are one state, one nation despite different faces, but we have one common soul. We may have different tales, but we are one in wanting what is best for the state and future generations,” he said.
