KUCHING: Since April 2017, the Unit for Other Religions (Unifor) has received 667 applications for assistance from non-Islamic religious institutions in the state.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said to date, 373 applications for church construction, renovation or upgrading works costing RM50 million have been approved.
“This year, it has approved another RM60 million worth of applications including those announced (and approved) by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg during his visits across the state.
“We are continuing to receive even more each month now that Unifor is a very well-known organisation. I will have to appeal to the state government to provide more funds,” he said at St Francis’ Church consecration dinner at Kota Samarahan yesterday.
Uggah, who is the minister-in-charge of Unifor, also said non-Muslim Sarawakians are very fortunate to have had the late chief minister Pehin Sri Adenan Satem (fondly called Tok Nan) and now Abang Johari as they share similar aspirations.
“The idea for Unifor was conceived by Tok Nan and continued by Abang Johari because he believes in inclusivity,” he said.
Calling all Sarawakians to zealously preserve their strong racial unity and religious harmony, Uggah urged them to always beware of outside influences that can disrupt peace and harmony in the state.
“We have this trying time elsewhere where people are having problems living together since there are tensions which can harm them and impede their development.
“In Sarawak, people of different faiths have no qualms about having dinner with us. We are in fact a model state in the nation,” he said.
St Francis church’s priest, Reverend Canon Dennis Gimbang, explained that the newly consecrated church, which was completed last May, is short of RM3 million to pay off for its interior furnishing and furniture.
“Without Unifor, many churches, chapels and temples will be still be in rented buildings or in dilapidated state or could not have been built for want of suitable sites,” Dennis told New Sarawak Tribune.
During the dinner, Uggah also announced Unifor’s financial aid amounting to RM500,000 for St Francis’ Anglican Church to complete its construction and upgrading its building.
Also at the function were the Anglican Bishop of Sarawak and Brunei Right Reverend Danald Jute, Unifor director Datuk Dr Ngenang Janggu, Myanmar Archbishop Most Reverend Stephen Thant Myint Oo and the secretary-general of Association of Churches in Sarawak Ambrose Linang.
