By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Dec 10: Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has approved a RM110 million budget for the Unit for Other Religions (Unifor) to carry out its responsibilities in the coming year.
Announcing this today, Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the allocation reflects the Premier’s and Sarawak government’s continued commitment to social inclusivity.
Uggah, who is the minister in charge of Unifor, made the statement before presenting 41 cheques totaling RM8.776 million to 20 Members of Parliament (MPs), State elected representatives, or their representatives.
The presentation, held at his office at Wisma Bapa Malaysia, marked the final disbursement of Unifor’s RM110 million allocation for this year.
Tomorrow, Uggah will present the remaining four cheques, amounting to RM800,000, to the Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar for church projects in Lundu.
“This will bring the total amount for this final disbursement to RM9.576 million, benefiting 45 houses of worship statewide,” he said in a media release.
For 2024, Uggah revealed that RM90 million had been approved by Unifor for the construction or rehabilitation of 242 houses of worship, while RM20 million has been allocated for the maintenance of 120 mission schools.
He also mentioned plans to write to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to request additional funding for next year.
Uggah reiterated his call for houses of worship that received grants to put them to use immediately, stressing that no further funding would be provided if they had not done so.
The event was also attended by Minister of Utility and Telecommunication Dato Sri Julaihi Narawi, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts Datuk Snowdan Lawan, and Deputy Minister of Women, Childhood, and Community Wellbeing Development Datuk Rosey Yunos. — DayakDaily
