By Shikin Louis & Karen Bong
KUCHING, June 28: The Sarawak government has contributed a final RM1 million to the St Peter’s Church building fund, successfully closing the remaining shortfall and bringing the total raised to complete the RM38 million project.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg made the announcement in a special message delivered during the official opening ceremony of the iconic church this morning.
“Later, on behalf of the Sarawak government, we will be handing over a RM1 million cheque to the church in further aid to the building fund,” he said in the message read on his behalf by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, who is also the Minister-in-charge of UNIFOR.
The latest cheque, presented through the Unit for Other Religions (Unifor), marks the third such contribution by the Sarawak government, bringing its total support to RM3 million since 2023.
Speaking to reporters afterwards, Archbishop of Kuching Dato Dr Simon Poh revealed that the church’s original construction budget stood at RM38 million, but the Covid-19 pandemic had significantly disrupted earlier donor pledges, forcing the church to restart its fundraising efforts from scratch.
In a final push earlier this year, the church launched a crowdfunding appeal on Easter Sunday, announcing that it was short of RM4 million. The response from the public was overwhelming, with individuals from across the State stepping forward to donate.
He confirmed that with the latest RM1 million in funding today, the church has fully settled all construction-related costs ahead of its consecration ceremony tomorrow (June 29).
“With the additional RM1 million from the Sarawak government today, we now have enough to cover the full contract sum.
“That means tomorrow, when we consecrate this church to God, we do so debt-free,” he said.
However, he stressed that public support is still needed for furnishings, sound system upgrades, and a maintenance fund for long-term upkeep, including future repainting and improvements.
Assuring all donors, Poh said: “Every ringgit received is used wholly for the church, for its intended purpose.”
In his speech, Poh described the new St Peter’s Church as a proud symbol of tradition and hope, blending Neo-Gothic architecture with modern design to inspire future generations of Sarawakian Catholics.
He highlighted that the new church succeeds the original St Peter’s built in 1939 and pays tribute to the first Gothic-style St Joseph’s Church constructed in 1891—a structure dismantled in 1969 due to structural failure in its columns and load-bearing walls.
“Now, we have both an anchor to our sacred traditions and a futuristic cathedral that will inspire our Catholic congregation for years to come,” he said.
Located near the iconic Big White Cat, Poh said the church complements Kuching’s landscape of religious landmarks and stands as a testament to unity, friendship, and goodwill—values enshrined when Kuching was declared a City of Unity in 2015.
Since its soft opening on Christmas 2024, the church has attracted pilgrims and visitors, and has been designated a pilgrimage church for the Jubilee Year of Hope 2025.
Poh also praised the high standards achieved by local builders using local materials, calling the project a showcase of Sarawak’s construction talent.
“At the project’s outset, many viewed the construction as overly ambitious. But today, this church stands as a powerful testament to the capability of Sarawak’s construction industry.
“The excellent quality of its structural work, tiling, metalwork, and wooden furnishings has not only set new benchmarks but also lifted the standards for the entire industry. Sarawak Boleh!” he said.
He then appealed to anak-anak Sarawak to return home, contribute, and participate in the nation-building and development of Sarawak.
During the opening ceremony, a commemorative coffee table book titled “Anchoring Tradition, Embracing Change: Commemorating the Consecration of St Peter’s Church” was officially launched to mark the historic milestone and celebrate the church’s rich heritage and renewed vision.
Among those present were Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, Unifor director Datuk Georgina Apphia Ngau, and St Peter’s Church Rector Vincent Chin.
– DayakDaily
