by Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, May 26: Deputy Premier Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian has given his assurance that the RM6.2 million St Basil Parish Centre building, promised by the late Tun Pehin Adenan Satem to the Anglican community of Batu Kawah, will be completed on time.
It is slated to be fully completed by August 2024.
Dr Sim said that the project, which has been under construction since 2021, is also part of the development in his constituency as it caters for the needs of the people and the community for Batu Kawah as a whole.
He shared that the setting up of the Unit for Other Religion (Unifor) Charitable Trust by the Sarawak government would continue to ensure that it could generate income and have sufficient funding to assist other religious practitioners in the region.
“Unifor Charitable Trust would also help with the maintenance and other activities of churches and other religions to ease the financial burdens of these institutions.
“When there is structural damage or it needs maintenance in a place of worship like a church, we will get immediate assistance from the Unifor Charitable Trust to start something with while waiting for bigger funding from the government,” he said at the groundbreaking ceremony of St Basil’s Parish Centre building project at St Basil’s Church Batu Kawah today.
Dr Sim said the Parish Centre building, once completed, would have various amenities, including a multipurpose hall, classrooms, a library and more.
Also present were the Bishop of the Diocese of Kuching and Brunei Darussalam, the Right Reverend Datuk Danald Jute, Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang, Unifor director Datu Jack Aman Luat, and Archdeacon Jose Jol Endru. — DayakDaily
