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Kota Kinabalu: Australia's new Foreign Minister Penny Wong's trip to her birthplace Kota Kinabalu is more than just a homecoming — it's a show of hope and respect.

“It is an act of hope that my story and my family’s story can contribute to the relationship between the nation of my birth and the nation to which I belong, that it can bring information to strengthen the relationship between our countries,” said Wong.

She said her trip to Kota Kinabalu is also a way to show respect for the place, its people, and her family, who have helped her become the Minister of "Luar Negeri Australia" that she is today.

"It's a way to honour my grandmother, Poh-Poh, whose courage and strength have always been an inspiration to all of us, and it's a way to honour my father, because this is the country where his drive gave me so many opportunities."

She was speaking in her address to a select audience at a reception with prominent Sabahans at Le Meridien Hotel, here, on Wednesday.