Unifor disburses RM1.82 mln to 10 houses of worship

KUCHING: Unit For Other Religions ( Unifor) in the Chief Minister’s Department yesterday disbursed RM1.82 million to 10 houses of worship across the state.

The grants were handed over to eight assemblymen who received the fund for projects in their respective constituencies by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas at Wisma Bapa Malaysia at Petra Jaya here.

Of the amount RM1.42 million was for 11 projects approved under Phase II while BEM Kuching Evangelical Church and St. Margaret Chapel, Stampin, received RM200,000 each.

Uggah said the amount under Phase II was part of the RM20 million approved by the state government for this year for the construction and repair of non- Islam Houses of Worship.

He added that a total of RM15.87 million had been approved for 206 projects under Phase I in May this year, while RM3.57 million was approved for 20 projects in Phase II.

According to him, RM1.75 million for seven projects under Phase II has also been disbursed earlier, while allocation balance of RM560,000 for this year would be for projects under Phase III and is expected to be disbursed by end of this month.

Uggah, said the assemblymen will help Unifor to monitor these projects to make sure they are implemented successfully.

“Our officers from Unifor will also make ground visits to do the audit to ensure that whatever allocation given is well spent and the project according to what has been planned,” he said.

Uggah said the state is fortunate for having such unit, which was mooted by the late Chief Minister Pehin Sri Adenan Satem and continued by the present Gabungan Parti Rakyat (GPS) government under Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg as no other state have such a unit.

Present at the handing over of the grants were deputy state secretary (rural transformation) Datu Jaul Samion and head of Unifor Datu Dr Ngenang Janggu.