Kuala Lumpur: Christians celebrated Christmas in a moderate albeit merry atmosphere with some having to face the current floods in the East Coast. Traffic in the city was smooth as many people have returned to their hometowns for the festival.

Kuala Lumpur residents and foreign nationals took the opportunity to visit shopping malls such as Kuala Lumpur City Centre.

In Sabah, Christmas was heralded with several open houses organised by state leaders which were attended by various multi-racial communities and foreign tourists.

Among those who held open houses were Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan and United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) president Tan Sri Bernard Dompok.

Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said the celebration of main festivals such as Christmas was the best time to strengthen unity between the multi-racial people of diverse religions in this country.

"Through the practice of visiting each other at open houses we can strengthen our ties and can surely work together to develop Malaysia and Sabah, as in the concept of cooperation we adopt in Barisan Nasional," he said at the Upko open house.

Musa had earlier accompanied Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin to the PBS open house at Dewan Hongkod Koisaan, Kadazandusun Murut Cultural Association, also in Penampang.

Met by reporters at his open house, which was attended by more than 5,000 people, Pairin welcomed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's statement on being always open to sharing the aspirations and views from the Christian community. In SARAWAK, Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu and Environment and Natural Resource Minister Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas held the open house at the Dewan Tan Sri Kalong in Betong.

In PERLIS, the celebrations were moderate amidst unpredictable weather conditions.

Business premises were open as usual and people spent their day off with family activities such as picnics at local tourist spots. - Bernama