KUCHING, June 23 ― Leaders and senior officials of 12 non-Islamic religious organisations and associations in Sarawak are in favour of the formation of the Non-Islamic Affairs Unit in the Chief Minister's office.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem announced its formation at the recent state legislative assembly sitting and has appointed his deputy, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas to head it.

The unit held its inaugural meeting here today and chaired by Uggah.

Met by the media later, he said they had all expressed their appreciation and gratitude to Adenan for its formation.

"They feel it is very important in order to continue to nurture and strengthen religious and racial harmony.

"It will also be a very important forum to deliberate on issues including sensitives ones in the development of non-Islamic religions in the state," he said.

Uggah said leaders of the non-Islamic religions and Islam could use it as a bridge for any discussion as well.

Among those attending the meeting were Archbishop Datuk Billy Lapok of the Sarawak Anglican Church; Archbishop Datuk John Ha of the Roman Catholic Church; Datuk Dr Tay Chin Kin, chairman of the Malaysian Buddhist Association (Sarawak branch); Dr Justin Wan, president of the Borneo Evangelical Mission and Chairman of Association of Churches Sarawak (ACS); Rev Lau Hui Ming of the Methodist Church;  Head Elder Ambrose Linang, secretary-general of ACS and Pastor Ahi Gara of the Seventh-day Adventist Mission of Sarawak.

Others were Chin Chia Chau, chairman of the Spiritual Assembly of Bahai's Sarawak; Balachandran Annamalai of the Malaysian Hindu Sangam; Prof Narayan, chairman of the Sai Baba centre; Dr Kalwinder Singh Khaira, president of the Sarawak Sikh Temple Association and Vijayakumar, treasurer of the Hindu Temple Association.

On the absence of the Taoist group, he said efforts would be made to contact them to engage them in the unit.

On the meeting, Uggah said it was to chart out the structure and direction of the unit, the first to be ever set up in the state.

He said all the leaders and senior officials wanted it to be a very effective one in carrying out its roles and responsibilities. ― Bernama