SANDAKAN: The Federal Government has allocated RM177,980 for the repair and maintenance of four churches here through the assistance of Sabah MCA.

       Three are Basel Christian Church of Malaysia (BCCM) churches in Sandakan, Sibuga and Singkang, while the fourth is Sandakan's Methodist Church.

       On the allocation, Sabah MCA treasurer Datuk Chin Kim Hiung said that he assisted the churches by handing over the application to then-National Unity deputy minister Senator Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker in May.

       The Libaran MCA division chief said BCCM Sandakan and BCCM Sibuga each received RM 30,000 while BCCM Singkang received RM 37,980 and Methodist Church Sandakan received RM 80,000 to carry out emergency work, repair and maintenance of their respective facilities.

       Chin and other local MCA leaders met with the representatives of the churches on Tuesday (Nov 9), where they thanked the federal government and Chin for assisting them to obtain the funds.

       The federal financial assistance programme comes under the emergency work, repair and maintenance for non-Islamic religious bodies under the National Unity Ministry.