PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - A video of a Catholic church band in Keningau, Sabah, playing a Hari Raya song after Sunday mass has gone viral.

Posted on Facebook on Sunday (June 25), the video showed the church band of the Holy Family Pilgrimage Centre Nulu Sosopon playing an instrumental version of Suasana Hari Raya while several altar boys removed candles from the altar.

Choir leader Harry Wong said that the four-man band decided to play the classic Raya song to spread love and solidarity during this festive season.

"It's Hari Raya and we wanted to enjoy the festivities, and at the same time we wanted to show that it is not wrong to play a Hari Raya song in a church to mark the occasion," he said.

Mr Wong, 45, said he was surprised that the video went viral as it is the norm for the church band to play festive songs during celebrations such as Chinese New Year and Hari Raya.

Netizens have praised the church for the gesture.

"I am proud to be from Sabah. We are made up of different races and religions but we respect each other. Although we are not from the same religion, we come from the same roots," One'z Afiq said on Facebook.