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On the 20th to the 21st of Septermber, The Partners of Peace organized a celebration of the International Day of peace, and the Baha’i Community of Taiping was invited to take part in an exhibition, focusing on the role of the Baha’i Faith in promoting world peace. The occasion was launched by YABhg Dato’ Seri Dr Hj Wan Mohd. Isa bin Dato’ Seri Wan Ahmad, Orang Besar Jajahan Larut Matang dan Selama. The Baha’i booth had a display of books, magazines and pamphlets, including a video highlighting the global role Baha’is play in promoting world peace.

On the 3rd of August 2008, 22 friends from the Padawan community including 3 children and 2 junior youths met at Mr. Bonaventure’s home to learn more about the recent Ridvan Message 2008… The turnout was encouraging as not only did 9 members of the local Majlis Rohani attend, but AJKs from every sector in the Padawan area were also present. Most of the information that was shared by the ABM were in line with the 27 Dis messages that outlined the role of the MRT in the development of the clusters.

The 7th National Institutional meeting was successfully held at Li Hua Hotel Bintulu from 30th to 31 October. A hunderd and thirty members of the various Baha’i Institutions and friends were present during the two days meeting. Also present at the meeting were Counsellor George Soraya, seven members of the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Sarawak, Board members Dr. Shehab Phung, Kalong Katiik, Mail Ingkai and Mdm Tan Ing Kheng.

More than 60 Baha’is from throughout Sarawak gathered in Kuching to attend a convention on 23 – 25 May 2008. The convention, an annual event, was held to elect a 9-member governing body of the Baha’is of Sarawak.

The election is a common feature throughout the worldwide Baha’i communities in more than 150 countries where Baha’is reside. Casting of ballots was by delegates who were elected in their respective localities.

We left Kota Kinabalu for Labuan at 8 in the morning. Everyone was excited and full of spirit to teach. Some were revising their flipchart. We were greeted by Mr. Goh Kok Kyiu in Labuan ferry terminal and was treated lunch too. Thanks to Mr. Goh for being so hospitable. Also thanks to Mr. Naysan Lee for assisting in printing of the Iban flipcharts. Upon arrival to Limbang by ferry, we were greeted by Mr. Kong Siew Moi, Dr. Johun Teh, Mrs. Jubang and a few youth. They brought us straight to Mendamit Bahá’í Centre which is 45 minutes from Limbang Town using two cars and a school bus. There at Mendamit Bahá’í Centre, we met Mr. Sumbang and Mdm. Rata, Mr. Changgau and Mdm. Sema, Mr. Suili and his brothers – Richie and Junaidi, and other youth.

Lim was awarded the Outstanding Young Malaysian Awards 2006 (TOYM) for Moral or Religious Leadership by Junior Chambers International (JCI) Malaysia. The award is in recognition of his 13 years of outstanding contribution towards the development of academic, moral and spiritual education of children and youths from the Jenjarom community.

Soon Kam was nominated for the Award by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Malaysia. Endorsed by the Ministry of Youth & Sports of Malaysia, The Outstanding Young Persons of The World Programme (Jaycees, US) and the Malaysia Book of Records, this internationally acclaimed Award is to accord recognition to Soon Kam’s outstanding personal achievements and significant contributions to the welfare of the community through the implementation of the four core activities in Jenjarom Chinese New Village, situated 2 hours away from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

This morning, the mayor of Kuching north, Datuk Chan Seng Hai held a reception for the members of various religions to formally receive the religious titles which had been presented to him on 5 May.

The Bahá’í Faith was represented by Michael Kho and myself. I was also representative for MIN – Malaysian Interfaith Network.

All the other representatives of the various religions were present, Datuk Putit Matzen (Islam), Mr. Goh Leng Chua (Buddhist), Mr. Ambrose Linang (secretary-general of Christian Churches of Sarawak), Mr. Santokh Singh (Sikhs), Kapitan Komurusamy (Hindu Sangham). I was very pleased to see Datuk Putit, because he came with only two days notice and joined in very well with all the other faiths.

There were 218 people participating in the children’s festival 2004; a total of 70 children, 75 junior youths, 16 youths and 57 adults out of which about 60 were unexpected turn-ups. We are very happy to have quite a large number of seekers among our participants. About 15 children, 20 junior youths and 2 parents were seekers.Programmes were catered for 3 groups, the children, the junior youths and the parents.

The junior youths were sub-divided into about 10 persons per group for workshops and performance. Lee Yih Ven and Kenneth Jampang were the main coordinators for the junior youth programmes and other facilitators for each sub-group were appointed to assist with their workshops and performance.

On 11 September 2004, a group of Kuching friends led by Dr. John Fozdar, a member of NSA Sarawak, visited Mr. Koh Sze Hock and his wife in Batu Kawa, a suburb of Kuching City.

“It was a very enjoyable meeting and the friends promised to keep in touch with Mr. Koh and his wife,” wrote Dr. John in a recent report on the visit.

“Mr. Koh was a young man in 1966 when we visited long houses along the Samarahan river and the first Bahá’í communities outside of Kapit and Limbang began to spring up. Kg. Turong, Betong Kanowit, Merang and a few others were among the first to have believers,” he said.

Today, an interfaith delegation comprising of members of the Muslim Faith, the Anglican church and Roman Catholic church, the Kuching Buddhist Association, the Hindu Temple Association and Sri Mahamariamman Temple, the Sikh Temple Association and the Bahá’í Faith paid a courtesy call on His Excellency, the Governor of Sarawak.