Christians asked to reject extremism

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Nyabong symbolically presents the RM50,000 grant to a Sarawak Iban Annual Conference committee member. Ong is at third right.

Nyabong symbolically presents the RM50,000 grant to a Sarawak Iban Annual Conference committee member. Ong is at third right.

KUCHING: Christians have been asked to stay away from extremism as it is not part of the religion.

Pelagus assemblyman Wilson Nyabong Ijang said religious extremism has been blamed for the violence and troubles faced in many countries throughout the world.

“Religion should be a platform to promote peace and harmony among human beings. It can also be used as a platform for education while serving God and helping those who are in need,” he said while representing Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar James Jemut Masing at the Methodist Church’s 41st Session of the Sarawak Iban Annual Conference Dinner on Friday.

He pointed out that Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem was educated in St Joseph’s School, Kuching – a missionary school – and as such understands the needs of churches in the state.

Nyabong said with funds from the Rural Transformation Programme (RTP), the government can help Christians and those of other religions in the state.

He presented a RM50,000 grant from Masing to the Sarawak Iban Annual Conference committee and also pledged RM15,000 from his allocation.

Nyabong also announced an additional grant pledge of RM30,000 from Masing.

Meanwhile, Methodist Church Malaysia Bishop Dr Ong Hwai Teik said Sarawakians should be grateful to be under Adenan’s leadership as Malaysians in the peninsula such as himself could only dream of having the rights enjoyed in the state.

Apart from religious tolerance and harmony, he said Sarawakians have seen a revolution in the education system as well as English as the state’s second official language.

“Sarawak is also unique as it is the only state in Malaysia that has a majority Christian population. I pray that the state and the rest of the country will continue to be blessed together as the destiny of the country’s main regions of Sarawak, Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia is intertwined with each other,” he said.