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.

Two representatives of the Spiritual Assembly of Sarawak, namely, K C Yong and Robert Ting, joined members of the national and local institutions in Bintulu for a 2-day retreat at the Likau National Park on 23 – 24 July 2005.

The institutions involved were Regional Baha’i Council for the Northern Region of Sarawak, Area Growth Committees, and Local Spiritual Assemblies. Among the participants was also an assistant to the Auxiliary Board.

The 2-day retreat was held to prepare the friends for the launching of an intensive programme of growth in the Bintulu Cluster before the end of the year. The participants studied documents related to growth and discussed on the institutional set-up necessary for such growth as well the strategies required to advance to the next stage of growth in their cluster.

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.

The Spiritual Assembly has the pleasure to announce the the formation of the Regional Bahá’í Councils in Sarawak for the Southern and Northern Regions on 26 Novemebr 2003 with the membership as follows:

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: