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| Bolly (centre) presents a token of appreciation to organising chairman Richard Bandar, witnessed by others including Dr Sim on Bolly’s right. |
Non-Muslims make up 70 per cent of Sarawak’s population, so this was significant to the inaugural Sarawak Day celebrated by Sarawakians, Bolly pointed out at a fundraising dinner for St Mary’s Mission District, Matang at a restaurant here on Friday.
Christians making up about 40 per cent of the state’s population are the biggest group in Sarawak.
“The population of Sarawak is close to three million, (of which) 70 per cent are non-Muslims so how can we not look after their welfare?
“It is right and just that they have a department to look after their religious affairs. We are so thankful that our Chief Minister and the State Government at long last listen to the cries of non-Muslim leaders,” Bolly said.
The Non-Islamic Affairs unit was recently set up by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem. Its first meeting was held on June 24, chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas who is also minister in charge of non-Islamic affairs.
Bolly said Sarawak Day was an important celebration whereby Sarawakians, regardless of race, come together to embrace their diversity.
“We pray to God that He would continue to prosper our State. In Malaysia the news is so depressing – you know it, everybody knows it but in the midst of whatever it is, life must go on.
“For Sarawak, it’s time to celebrate – we celebrate one another, we celebrate our peace and harmony, and pray to God that he will continue to guide our leaders and guide the Church to witness what He wants to witness,” he said.
“The Church has been here since the days of Rajah Brooke who brought education and light to the island of Borneo. The Church uplifts the welfare of a very big section of the Sarawak population,” he said.
The dinner, he said, was to raise funds to build a church for the St Mary’s Mission District, Matang – a mission district recently set up to be a parish for Anglicans residing in Matang and Taman Malihah.
The church has asked for state land to build it, as mentioned to Local Government Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian officiating at the 100-table dinner.
Anglicans in Taman Malihah presently worship in a chapel while those in Matang rent a shop lot.
Dr Sim vowed to get the state land for the church next year. He would bring up the land application to the Cabinet Committee headed by Uggah.
“That’s why it is important to have a non-Muslim affairs unit to address issues including state land for churches. You can’t find this unit in other parts of Malaysia – only here in Sarawak, and we should treasure it,” Dr Sim said.
He pledged a RM10,000 grant to that night’s fundraising effort and promised to speak to the Chief Minister and Prime Minister for more allocations.
He revealed that the latter had given at least RM 7 million to churches in Sarawak.
July 24, 2016, Sunday
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