KUCHING: Political Secretary to the Chief Minister, Peter Howell Jilan has suggested to members of the Anglican Epiphany Chapel of Taman Duranda Emas Siburan to construct their Sunday school building the gotong royong way to reduce cost.
Howell believed there are many skilful craftsmen in the congregation who could pool their resources together for the project.
Once the chapel had acquired sufficient funds for the extension, they should build on a gotong royong basis rather than tender the project out to contractors, he said.
Howell was representing patron Social Development Minister Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom at a fundraising dinner for the chapel in a restaurant at Jalan Kuching-Serian last weekend.
“The gotong royong way is aimed at instilling Christian belief as well as the spirit of volunteerism, cooperation and comradeship among the young. Who else should be teaching our children this, if not us the older generation?” he asked.
The dinner was attended by almost 1,000 people including organising chairman Marudi Jemat who is also the chapel lay reader.
In his welcoming speech, Marudi disclosed that their Sunday school students have to put up at the choir room for the time being.
The extension to house the Sunday school costs around RM50,000, hence the fundraising dinner last weekend.
Marudi said other activities will be held to raise funds.
He would like well-off private individuals to come forward to help the chapel catering to around 200 Christians residing around Siburan.
During the dinner, Howell pledged RM5,000 from Mawan for the chapel’s upkeep.
He also urged the chapel to apply for larger funds in subsequent years.