KOTA KINABALU: The state government allocates up to RM18 million to temples and churches in Sabah annually in support of the development of the religious bodies.
Minister of Special Tasks Datuk Teo Chee Kang said the Sabah state government surpassed other states in Malaysia in terms of allocation to religious bodies.
Teo said this when meeting delegates led by Bishop Datuk Julius Dusin Gitom of the Catholic Diocese of Sandakan here recently.
Julius said the Catholic Diocese of Sandakan was made up of 108 churches in Sandakan, Telupid, Lahad Datu, Tawau and Semporna.
He said some of the churches under the Catholic Diocese of Sandakan were undergoing repair and expansion while some old church buildings were in urgent need of refurbishment.
Julius expressed hope that the state government could provide assistance to churches in the rural areas, adding that the churches organized their own fund-raising events as well.
In response, Teo said the state government had always been concerned with the development of non-Islamic religious bodies, and allocated up to RM18 million to temples and churches every year.
Teo also urged Catholic churches to play their role in encouraging young people not to be overly choosy in job seeking, but to involve and contribute to nation building.
He said many young people nowadays were too selective in job seeking, which gave rise to unemployment.