SIBU: The State government has been requested to consider paying fixed allowance to priests in the state through the Unit for Other Religions (Unifor).
A political secretary to the chief minister, Edwin Banta, made the proposal during a charity dinner organised by Bawang Assan Iban Methodist Church at a restaurant here yesterday. He was representing Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing.
“I propose that the state government through Unit for Other Religions (Unifor) to pay a fixed allowance to priests in the state.
“My proposal is for the state government through Unifor to give the priests monthly allowance instead of them having to rely only on (public) donations,” he explained.
He suggested that Unifor give salaries to priests, similar to those given to religious teachers (Ustaz) under Jabatan Agama Islam Sarawak (Jais), who are paid monthly by the state government.
“It is better if such payment is streamlined, given that now we have Unifor,” he suggested.
