By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, Feb 21: Catholic Archbishop of Kuching Fr Simon Poh shared a heartwarming story about the late Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib who was the former Sarawak Governor for almost a decade, and Sarawak’s longest serving Chief Minister for three decades.
“I would like to share a human side of the late Tun Pehin during the death of one of my priests, the late Rev Fr Datuk Lawrence Chua in October 2021.
“Both of them grew up as classmates in Mukah and came to study in St Joseph’s Secondary School, Kuching and they remained lifelong friends.
“I was told that Tun Pehin was shedding tears of sadness when he wrote a personal handwritten note of condolence for Fr Chua, addressed to me.
“Now in the late Tun Pehin’s own words, we also pray: ‘Saya berdoa semoga Tuhan menganugerahkan syurga yang dikhaskan untuk umatnya yang baik dan taat’ (I pray that God will graciously bestow a heavenly abode for His faithful and obedient people),” Poh told DayakDaily.
The Catholic Church in Sarawak expressed gratitude to Taib for maintaining religious harmony and freedom in the Land of the Hornbills.
On behalf of the Catholic Church in Sarawak, Poh with Bishop Joseph Hii of Sibu and Bishop Richard Ng of Miri and the religious Sisters (nuns) of Sarawak, extended their deepest condolences to the Sarawak government and family of the late Taib.
“We are grateful to Tun Pehin’s vision for the modernisation of Sarawak and especially for ensuring religious harmony and freedom in this land, which have greatly contributed to the current environment of mutual respect and acceptance among all the races, cultures and religions in our beloved Sarawak,” said Poh.
Taib passed away at the age of 87 earlier this morning at a private hospital in Kuala Lumpur. — DayakDaily
