BELAGA: The Unit For Other Religions (Unifor) has received more than 170,000 requests and applications since its inception in April last year.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, who is responsible for Unifor, said yesterday most of them were about repairing dilapidated churches and temples or for funds in successfully completing those whose constructions were stopped due to fund shortage.
He said others were for sites to build them as well as for graveyards.
Uggah said this before handing over a cheque for RM10 million from the state government through Unifor for the construction of a new main Borneo Evangelical Missionary (BEM) Church in Koyan Asap in Sungai Asap near Belaga yesterday.
The cheque was received by the state BEM Deputy President Bina Agong. Present to witness the ceremony were the Assistant Minister of Water Supply Datuk Liwan Lagang who is also Belaga State Assemblyman; Murum State Assemblyman Kennedy Chukpai Ugon; Unifor Director Datu Dr. Ngenang Janggu; local community leaders and longhouse chiefs.
Unifor, according to Uggah, was a manifestation of the state government inclusive policy. “Although Islam is the official religion, we do not discriminate against other religions
“We are a government for everyone. We will solve everyone ‘s problems as much as we can.” Uggah added Unifor was also a forum to forge better understanding and harmony between Islam and non Islamic religions. “ In our process of nation-building such harmony is very important so we can remain very strong and united,” he said.
Uggah who is the Minister for the Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development said Unifor was the brain child of the late Chief Minister Pehin Sri Adenan Satem which is continued by his successor Datuk Patinggi (Dr) Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He said last year it had been given a grant of RM15million to finance its activities. “This year it receives RM37 million and for next year we will talk to CM Abang Johari for the necessary funding,” he said.
Uggah said Sarawak was the only state to have such unit in the whole country and to enjoy the highest level of racial and religious harmony and tolerance.
He advised the people to continue supporting the state government as it had proven itself to be people centric.
On agriculture he said the Koyan Asap Resettlement area had tremendous potentials for agriculture with its plenty of land available, its over 2412 families and its proximity to Bintulu town.
“But we must migrate to modern commercial agriculture for greater and better production and income.
“We can use new technologies like fertigation and hydroponics….these are the things we want to introduce to rural areas to transform the agriculture sector.
“Of course we will provide the necessary trainings,” he said.
He also said the government too had the durian tree rehabilitation programme to ensure the current trees could be properly looked after to ensure bountiful harvests for the owners during fruiting season.
“We can no longer neglect the trees like we use to do.
“ We must provide the extra care like application of the right fertilizer and so forth
“We will bring the training programne here as well as providing Musang King seedlings as requested by Datuk Liwan,” he said, besides considering establishing a durian processing centre in Belaga.
