Halimah (third right) presenting the mock cheque to Fatimah (second left) and witnessed by Uggah (left), Tan (second right) and Wan Suraya.
KUCHING: The Ministry of National Unity wants to adopt and adapt the concept of the state’s Unit For Other Religions (Unifor) into its Racial Harmony Committee, said its minister Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sidique.
She said the ministry would work very closely with Unifor and to learn from its wide experience in dealing with all religious issues.
“We want to adopt and adapt the concept of Unifor into our Jawatankuasa Keharmonian Kaum (Racial Harmony Committee).
“Please guide and advise us,” she said, during a courtesy call on deputy chief minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas at his office here Friday.
Halimah was all praise for the state’s Unit For Other Religions (Unifor), calling it “a very practical and important organisation”.
“We have learnt and are continuing to learn a lot from Sarawak in term of promoting and strengthening racial and religious tolerance, unity and harmony.
“And Unifor is a perfect vehicle to achieve this and with great success,” she said of the body unique to Sarawak that promotes co-operation, understanding, tolerance, acceptance and mutual respect between Islam and various other religions in the state.
Uggah is also the minister in charge of Unifor, which was formed in 2016 by the late chief minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem and continued by his successor Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Halimah, who was accompanied by her deputy minister Senator Dato Ti Lian Ker, the Chief Secretary to her ministry Datuk Wan Suraya Wan Md Radzi and its Director-General Datuk Hisamuddin Mohd Sujak, informed that in her recent meeting with the Yang DiPertuan Agong, she had told him of Unifor and its objectives and roles.
The King had wanted to know her ministry roles in promoting inter-faiths unity and harmony, she said.
She added that she would be meeting the King again soon together with the national heads of all religions in the country and heads of religious organisations.
“I am inviting Datuk Amar to attend this meeting over high tea.
“He can then brief our King on the formation and role of Unifor,” she said.
Meanwhile, Uggah in his speech said Unifor had played its role in further enhancing solidarity among Sarawakians.
“They now feel they have a place to bring up their problems. We solve what we can solve for them and there is no discrimination.
“Unifor is also a bridge between Islam and the various religious groups where issues which can bring us into conflict are amicably discussed and resolved for everyone benefits,” he said, adding that it was in the nation interest too if Sarawak continued to enjoy racial and religious harmony and solidarity.
On the Ministry of National Unity, Uggah pointed out it was one of the most important ministries.
“That is why our Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyddin Yassin decides to make it a ministry on its own,” he said.
Earlier, Unifor director Richard Lon, his briefing to Halimah, said out of Sarawak 2.6 million population (2013), about 1.1 million or 42.6 per cent were Christians, 837,200 or 32.2 per cent Muslims , 351,000 Buddhist or 13.5 per cent and 304,000 or 11.7 per cent practising other faiths.
He said there were about 2,335 churches and temples.
He said the state government since 2016 had provided grants totalling RM115 million to Unifor, which had enabled 520 projects to be carried out.
Richard also said it had allocated a 1.2-hectare site at Ong Tiang Swee Road here for it to build its office complex .
At the function Halimah presented grants totalling RM,.625,766 to the State Rukun Tetangga (RM3 165,800) and to the State Welfare Department (RM459,966).
The Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women , Family and Childhood Development Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah received them on behalf.
Also present at the function were Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Dr.Sim Kui Hian and deputy State Secretary Datuk Ik Pahon.