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Members of the national body of the Baha’is of Sarawak together with Mr. Gustavo Correa (centre), a member of the Baha’i world supreme body and Mr. George Soraya (3rd left), a member of the Baha’i advisory board for Asia in a recent meeting to consult on the dynamics of growth of the Baha’i Faith in [...]

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.

For the group of people gathered at the Sibu Baha’i Centre, it was indeed an historic gathering. So said Mr. K C Yong, NSA Sarawak Chairman, in his opening address to the friends present. The reason for such a remark was because they were witnessing the beginning of a new chapter in the annals of the Baha’i Faith for the central region of Sarawak. Among those present were two other members of the national assembly, Mr. Robert Ting and Mr. Suai Kirak.

The friends, from 5 local assemblies in the region, had come to the Centre to cast their ballots for the formation of a new Regional Baha’i Council for the central region (RBC Central). Altogether 51 ballots out of a total 54 ballots from 5 local assemblies were cast; 17 were cast in person and the remaining by postal ballots. A similar gathering would be held in Selangau on 11 Nov for assemblies in other localities in the central region.

“Counsellor Mr Jayagopan Ramasamy, representative of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Asia, with the newly elected Spiritual Assembly members (seated L-R) Chin Chia Chau (Vice-Chairman), Yong Kiong Choon (Chairman), Tipik Ladi (Secretary), Dajai Mancha (Treasurer), (standing L-R) Suai Kirak, Robert Ting, Capt Chong Chee Kuan, Narong Singau, Alexson Keling”

Nine newly elected members of the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Sarawak together with Counsellor Mrs Zena Sorabjee (seated centre) of the Baha’i Contintental Board of Counsellors for Asia, at the 8th National Convention held in the Kuching Baha’i Centre on 30 Apr - 2 May 2005: (L-R front) Maria Peter, Yong Kiong Choon, [...]

The 7th Sarawak Bahá’í National Convention, an annual event held to elect new members of the highest Bahá’í administrative body in Sarawak, started on 30 April evening at the Kuching Baha’i Centre with a training of the delegates on their sacred duties and responsibilities in electing the new members. The training was conducted by Counsellor Mr George Soraya, a representative of the Continental Board of Counsellors in Asia.

The Convention proper, held at Penview Inn, Kuching, started at 8am on 1 May and ended at 4.30pm on 2 May. The Convention, graced by the presence of the said Counsellor, was attended by all members of the outgoing and incoming National Spiritual Assembly, 4 Auxiliary Board members, 25 out of the 38 delegates and 25 observers.

The newly elected and appointed Regional Council members of both the northern and southern region had a joint meeting with Counsellors, members of the National Spiritual Assembly and the Auxiliary Board on the weekend of 27-28 December 2003, in Kuching. Initially the meeting looked like “business as usual”, but towards the end of it most participants realized and admitted that the councils would bear heavy responsibility in the future unlike that of their predecessors, the regional teaching committees.

Miri Community was privileged to play host to the visit of Counsellor George Soraya as well as all the members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Sarawak from 19.10.2002 to 20.10.2002. The NSA members were all here for their monthly meeting which started on 19.10.2002

While here, the Counsellor and NSA members took the opportunity to inform all the friends gathered about the possible formation of a Regional Baha’i Council for Northern Sarawak. This council will oversee the Baha’i activities in northern Sarawak. The character of this Council is similar to the Sarawak State Baha’i Council which was in existence from 1991 to 1998.

With heartfelt joy the National Spiritual Assembly announces that the Universal House of Justice feels it is timely to form by appointment Regional Bahá’í Councils in Sarawak. The formation of Regional Councils for the northern and southern region will take effect on the Day of the Covenant, 26 November 2003. It was decided that the number of membership of each council be 9 (nine).

The election of the 9 members shall be based on the following procedure: