Sabah govt to help build places of worship for non-Muslims

KOTA KINABALU: The state government will keep its word and help non-Muslim communities develop places of worship, says Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.

The Sabah Chief Minister said he had held discussions with religious leaders to understand their aspirations and expectations of the new leadership.

“I give my assurance that we will help build more churches.

“We will also give allowances to pastors if the state’s finances allow for it,” said Shafie at the Sabah Cultural Centre in Penampang yesterday.

He was invited by United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) to open the party’s extraordinary delegates’ conference.

Upko acting president Datuk Seri Madius Tangau, who is also Deputy Chief Minister, said the delegates were supportive of its supreme council’s decision to withdraw from Sabah Barisan Nasional on May 10.

Noting that Upko had been subjected to heavy criticism following the decision, Madius said it was made based on principles and in accordance with the people’s resounding call for change.

He thanked Shafie for giving Upko the opportunity to form the state government with Parti Warisan Sabah and its partners PKR and DAP.

Sabah Barisan and the Warisan-PKR-DAP coalition were tied with 29 seats each in a hung assembly following the May 9 general election.

Tan Sri Musa Aman was sworn in as Chief Minister on May 10 after Sabah STAR threw its support behind Sabah Barisan to give the coalition a 31-seat majority in the 60-member state assembly.

But Musa lost his majority the next day when six assemblymen from Upko and Umno declared their support for the Warisan-led coalition.

With the defections, Shafie secured a 35-seat majority. He was sworn in as the new Chief Minister on May 12.

But Musa refused to step down and later went missing after a police report was lodged against him over an alleged threat against Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin.