BY GABRIEL LIHAN AND GILLVEN MIXCOLLIN
KUCHING: St. Mark’s Church extension building is beneficial to the development of Batu Kawa, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian.
In stating this, Dr Sim who is the Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government and Batu Kawah assemblyman, said the area has experienced tremendous growth in the last few years due to the increasing number of cars and population.
“This place, Batu Kawa, is indeed booming as it is a place where people want to live, work and enjoy recreational activities.
“I think that it is indeed timely for St. Mark’s Church to be expanded because there’s a need for it,” he said during his address before officiating at the earth-breaking ceremony for the extension building of St. Mark’s Church at the church’s compound here on today.
Additionally, Dr Sim said that the Unit for Other Religions (UNIFOR) would continue to support building churches and temples which is part of Sarawak’s nation-building efforts.
“We build churches, temples and mosques because there is a need for it and we should do it together.
“Build big enough but not too big because our population is decreasing. Bigger church will cost more due to the need of maintaining it, and we want to work with the church and I support 100 per cent with the expansion of the Sunday school and the building of the bell for the church,” he said.
Elaborating further, Dr Sim said the development of St. Mark’s Church is for those who go to the same church, specifically family members who stay around the area and those that don’t live far from their family.
He said despite the rising cost of tender in 2019 and compared to 2022 and 2023, Dr Sim stressed that UNIFOR would continue to support building churches, temples and mosques.
Towards the end of the event, Dr Sim witnessed Catholic Archbishop of Kuching, the Most Revd Simon Poh and Rector of St Mark’s Church Fr Felix Au conducted a prayer of blessing over the construction site and church compound.
