sarawakbahai.org

16 July 2008 No Comment

Kuching (Sarawak Tribune) 2003.11.07 - A delegation of senior representatives from the Anglican Church, Catholic Church, Baha’i Spiritual Assembly, Buddhist Society, Sri Mariamman Temple, Hindu Temple Association and the Sikh Temple Association held an informal gathering with officials of the Sarawak Islamic Council during a courtesy call at the Sharia Court Building yesterday afternoon.

There were welcomed by the Yang di-Pertua of Sarawak Islamic Council, Datu Haji Putit Matzen. The closed-door discussion centred on bringing about greater inter-faith understanding, to continue to foster a community that interacts more regularly with one another and to promote knowledge of their beliefs and eliminate ignorance and prejudice.

According to the delegation leader, Right Reverend Datuk Made Katib of the Anglican Church, “ignorance of the teachings of the world’s religions is a major factor in the divisions beseting us. After all what unites us is so much more than what keeps us apart.”

In a press release later, Katib pointed out that the government was always concerned with the rising social ills and the delegation felt there was much scope for them to assist the authorities in ensuring lasting harmon and progress in society. They also hoped to work together in the months ahead “to promote true welfare and happiness of all the peoples of Sarawak.”

Reverend Katib stressed: “We all believer in a Creator, we all have a Founder, we all have our Holy Writings, we all promote worship, we all have our laws, we all have our religious communities. And as the famous historian, Arnold Toynbee, showed religions have laid foundations for the great civilisations in history.”