Non Islamic Affairs Unit renamed Unit for Other Religions (Unifor) – Uggah
KUCHING: The Non Islamic Affairs Unit has been officially renamed Unit for Other Religions (Unifor).
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the new name was approved by the state cabinet at its full meeting on Thursday. Uggah, who is also the minister in charge of the unit, said Unifor will be a platform for non-Muslims to air their grievances and whatever religious issues they are facing.
“We got quite a number of positions in the unit filled already,” he told reporters after attending the annual National Day prayer service at the Christian Ecumenical Worship Centre here on Thursday night.
Uggah said applications for funds and land for building of new churches or temples or their repair are currently the dominant issues for Unifor.
He assured that Unifor would bring all the issues raised to the attention of both the state and federal governments.
Sarawak is the first state in Malaysia to have such a unit, which is the brainchild of the previous chief minister, the late Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem.
Former permanent secretary to the then Ministry of Modernisation of Agriculture Dr Ngenang Janggu is the head of
This is a healthy move and I am sure that the prayer will be answered. — Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Deputy Chief Minister
this unit.
Uggah also said the nonMuslim leaders in Unifor are concerned by religious developments in the peninsula which they believe could undermine religious tolerance in the state.
To pass these concerns to the federal cabinet’s attention, Uggah said he will meet Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of National Unity, Tan Sri Joseph Kurup, to convey their concerns to the attention of Putrajaya possibly next week.
Meanwhile, Uggah said the state government appreciates the initiative of the Association of Churches in Sarawak (ACS) to hold a prayer service for the wellbeing of the leaders and nation, especially when it coincides with National Day.
He said the presence of the leaders of the various Christian denominations at the prayer service joining hands shows that they want peace and racial harmony to continue to exist, not only in the state but also the nation.
“This is a healthy move and I am sure that the prayer will be answered,” he said.
The prayer was conducted in English, Bahasa Melayu, Iban, Kayan, Bidayuh and Mandarin.
In his opening prayer, the Archbishop of Kuching Roman Catholic Church Simon Poh said Christians are joined in their hands and hearts in solidarity with fellow Malaysians to seek “God’s blessing for all peoples in our nation Malaysia.”
“Through the diversity of your gifts, dwelling within your children, may unity, harmony and peace fill our whole nation,” he said, praying that freedom and liberty may reign and that all people might live in unity and harmony.
Poh urged the Christians to pray for the state leaders and nation on this coming National Day and Malaysia Day.
Among those present were state Education, Science and Technological Research Minister Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong, Anglican bishop of Kuching and Brunei Danald Jute, ACS president Reverend Datuk Justin Wan and leaders of the various Christian denominations and other religions.