KUCHING: Nine houses of worship and religious organisations in the Batu Kitang state constituency have received grants totalling RM475,000 from the state government through the Unit for Other Religions (Unifor).
Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang said that the nine houses of worship and religious organisations comprised eight churches and one temple in this first batch of distribution.
“Among the recipients are St Margaret Church, Kampung Betong, Landeh (RM20,000); The Immaculate Conception, Kampung Sudat (RM50,000); Sacred Heart Church, Kampung Semeba (RM50,000); Gereja St John De Brebeuf, Kampung Tematu (RM50,000); Gereja Injil Sepenuh, Kota Sentosa (RM10,000); St Maria Church, Kampung Bumbok (RM100,000); Gereja Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA), Kampung Bumbok (RM50,000); Gereja SDA, Kampung Semeba (RM100,000); and Persatuan Penganut Agama Buddha Amitabha Ming De (RM45,000),” he said in a statement issued yesterday (Sep 15).
He also said that in Sarawak, the communities are lucky to have Unifor, which is unique given that Sarawak is the only state having such a unit.
“With Unifor, we get to enjoy peace and harmony in the state, and it would be further enhanced to allow unity in the foundation for continuous development.
“Sarawak had set up Unifor to assist religions other than Islam as Sarawak’s resources belonged to the people of all faiths,” he added.
Unifor is progressive and is looking after 16 different religious groups which make Sarawak a model state for racial and religious harmony.
“Our desire and commitment to racial and religious harmony will remain strong and steadfast,” he said.
He also thanked the state government for adopting an inclusive approach to multi-religious Sarawakians in assisting all houses of worship and religious organisations with the Unifor grants.
“I urged our fellow Sarawakians to continuously put their trust in our Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg to govern Sarawak so that the welfare and needs of Sarawakians are always fairly taken care of,” he said.
Also present was Association of Churches Sarawak secretary Ambrose Linang.
