Sarawak’s Unit for Other Religions presents RM660,000 to 10 houses of worship

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Dennis (left) and Uggah go through Telang Usan recipients list during the presentation of Unifor allocation.

MIRI: Sarawak’s Unit for Other Religions (Unifor) assistance to maintain houses of worship or build new ones is meaningful to rural folks here, says Telang Usan Assemblyman Dennis Ngau.

“It is not easy for the longhouse folk  to maintain their houses of worship, upgrade or build new churches.

“To me, the idea of forming Unifor is divine intervention as God wants his house to be always in good condition,” he said to thesundaypost yesterday after receiving allocations from Unifor for Telang Usan constituency from Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas who is also Unifor chairman at his office in Kuching on Friday.

He said so far 38 houses of worship benefited from the fund last year and the latest allocation of RM660,000 would benefit ten houses of worship.

The recipients were Borneo Evangelical Mission (BEM) at Gunung Doa Bato Ulu Baram, to build a new rectory; Bishop St Stefanus Church at Long Tebenyi in Ulu Tinjar; new church for BEM Logan Sibong in Baram; repair BEM Long Nen’s church building; repair BEM church building in Long Liam; repair St Mary Church in Kampung Tanjong Tepalit; Tua Pek Kong Believers Association in Long Lama; repair BEM Church building of Long Item in Sg Bunai; build teachers office, classrooms and library for Malaysian  Evangelical Theological Seminary College in Long Lama; and build new church for Kampung Long Julan in Pelutan.

On behalf of the recipients, he thanked Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg and the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) for the much-needed funds.

Telang Usan constituency has more than 120 churches, one Bible training school at Long Lama, Chinese temples and a mosque.

“I am aware most have submitted their requests and some may not have received funds yet. I hoped they remained patient as the state GPS government is doing all it can to meet requests from all over the state,” he added.