KOTA KINABALU: Providing help to a Christian seminary during this Covid-19 difficult period, proves the existence of the Malaysian Family.
Sabah Theological Seminary (STS) and its partner churches felt the family spirit when the Sabah Chief Minister gave much-needed funding to aid STS.
Located on a 10-acre site on Signal Hill adjacent to the city centre, its hill slopes were damaged following recent incessant downpours which triggered landslides around the STS compound.
STS is an interdenominational seminary offering a wide range of Christian academic and practical courses to train people to be pastors and community leaders, which in turn enables its graduates to contribute to socio-economic development in rural communities.
"Due to the frequent rain this year, the slopes surrounding the STS campus had suffered serious landslips that would eventually affect the safety of the infrastructure and buildings of the campus.
"After investigation, it was found to require more than RM2 million to conduct the remedial work for the failed slopes.
"We approached Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor for a grant, Hajiji immediately sent his political secretary Datuk Dr Roland Chia to look into the situation. Soon, the seminary received a generous grant of RM500,000 in May 2021," said a statement from STS.
The joint statement was issued by the STS principal Reverend Datuk Dr Thu En Yu and Reverend Bishop Dr James Wong of the Basel Christian Church of Malaysia.
"As a Christian community, we can testify to the fact that Sabah is a place of unity in diversity, where the needs of every religious group are treated with urgency and support.
"The quick response and the generous grant from the Chief Minister is evidence of the Malaysian Family spirit in Sabah.
"On behalf of STS and all the partner churches of STS, we thank the Chief Minister and the state government for walking an extra mile in assisting STS in this very challenging pandemic time."
The duo also took the opportunity to thank Sabah MCA Wanita chief, Datuk Dr Pamela Yong and Likas MCA community leader, Dr Chang Kee Ying, who managed to secure a RM150,000 grant from the National Unity Ministry.
"With the donations collected, the remedial work is scheduled to commence in November 2021 and will be completed in nine months," they said while thanking everyone willing to ease STS' predicament.