MIRI: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem announced that three new districts would be created for Miri Division; namely Bekenu, Telang Usan and Beluru.
With the new districts, Miri Division will have a total of five districts, including the two existing districts of Miri and Marudi.
Addressing the ‘Gathering of Orang Ulu community with the Chief Minister’ organised by Federation of Orang Ulu Association Malaysia (Forum) at Meritz Hotel here on Sunday, he also said the use of the word ‘Allah’ by the Christian community was not an issue in Sarawak.
He assured that Christians in the state were free to use the word in their worships.
“I don’t care what happens in West Malaysia. You can use the word ‘Allah’ anytime, anywhere and anyhow you want here.
“I’m not going to tell you how to worship your god… your god is your god, my god is my god. I respect you for your religion and your belief as I expect you to respect my religion and my belief. Although I’ don’t agree with some of your principles personally I respect your belief,” he said.
As a person who studied at a mission school, Adenan said he did not believe that Muslims would be misled if other faiths used ‘Allah’ to refer to their god.
“I’m the chief minister for Sarawak, not just for Malays, Chinese, Ibans, Bidayuhs or Orang Ulus. Sarawak is big enough for everybody including the small community like you.
“Don’t let only one community to dominate because you are small as you also belong to this country.”
On the allegation of attempts by a group of outsiders to convert Christians to Islam by offering RM6,000, he said it was untrue.
“I will not condone this sort of rubbish to induce the people to join your religion for RM6,000. The inducement of some trade or some force is not conversion.
“You convince the people to join because of my good example and the way of my life.”
On a separate matter, he told the Orang Community not to worry about their Native Customary Rights (NCR) land because the state government always recognised their rights to their land.
At the same time, he approved a piece of land at Tudan for Forum’s cultural centre.