Non-Muslim Religious Affairs Unit proposal shot down

KIULU assemblyman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai has suggested the setting up of a Non-Muslim Religious Affairs Unit in Sabah.

However, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal said there was no necessity for such a unit as all affairs related to non-Muslim religious bodies were already being taken care of by the Ministry of Law and Native Affairs.

Answering a supplementary question posed by Joniston, Shafie said assistant law and native affairs minister Jannie Lasimbang has been given the task to deal with issues related to non-Muslim religious bodies.

Joniston made the suggestion on grounds that Sabah has a substantial number of non-Muslim religious denominations and their needs should also be looked into.

The Kiulu representative told the House that he was made to understand the Sarawak State government had put in place such a unit.

“I think such a unit was crucial to, among others, ensure that government financial assistance to non-Muslim religious bodies reached the targeted group,” he said.

Joniston raised the supplementary question after Shafie had answered his original question on whether the new State Government would provide as well as increase grants to non-Muslim bodies and Mission and Chinese Independent Schools.

In his reply, Shafie, who is also State Finance Minister said his government will continue provision of such grants but any decision for an increase would depend on the State’s financial capability.

He also said that the total annual allocation disbursed for non-Muslim religious bodies and Mission and Chinese Independent Schools was only RM17 million and not RM30 million as announced by the previous State government.

To another supplementary question by Joniston, Shafie said the proposal for the government to pay the allowances of Christian pastors could not be implemented as yet due to financial constraint.

He said he had wanted to implement the proposal as he had thought the State government had RM4 billion in reserves.

“However, I found out that our State reserves is less than RM2 billion,” Shafie said.