500 to join Sarawak Day special thanksgiving prayer

KUCHING: Around 500 participants from various faiths are expected to attend the Sarawak Day special thanksgiving prayer organised by Unit for Other Religions (UNIFOR) on July 20, in Bintulu.

Deputy Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government, Datuk Dr Penguang Manggil said that the event to be held at Dewan Suarah Bintulu will host participants, including community leaders, heads of departments and agencies, as well as ministers and deputy ministers.

“The event will commence at 10 am and the guest of honour will be Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr. Sim Kui Hian, who is also the Board deputy chairman for UNIFOR Board of Trustees.

“After his arrival, the ceremony will commence with thanksgiving prayer to be led by Roman Catholic Archbishop Simon Poh and to be followed by prayers by other faiths, that is Baha’i, Buddha, Hindu, Christian, Sikh, and Tao,” he said.

He said this during a press conference on the event at UNIFOR office, Wisma Satok here on Friday.

Penguang, who is also the deputy minister in charge of the event, said that Dr Sim will also deliver a speech.
“The ceremony will continue with lunch, accompanied by performances from the choir and an invited band.
“Not forgetting, this particular occasion is very significant because we are celebrating July 22, that is Sarawak Day. Our hope is to see and to make sure that unity is at its peak, and also that it will become pillars for our state of Sarawak.

“We are multi-religious, multi-ethnic in terms of demographic composition, and we want to maintain it as such because that is what Sarawak is famous for,” he added.

He said among other events to be held are the Majlis Kesyukuran Agama Islam at Masjid Asyikirin, a fun run and bicycle ride on July 22 and the official opening of the methanol plant at Samalaju Industrial Park, Bintulu.

“The celebrations will continue with a townhall in the afternoon at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Bintulu Campus and the main event will be in the evening to be attended by Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and other dignitaries, with an expected turnout of 10,000 people,” said Penguang.