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Daily Express
2 days ago
- General
- Daily Express
Church: New contractor takes over
Published on: Tuesday, July 29, 2025 Published on: Tue, Jul 29, 2025 By: Lorena Binisol Text Size: The front of the Gothic-style six-storey church. Credit: PUTATAN: With RM8 million spent since construction started in 2013, the Catholic faithful are still hoping that the St Catherine Laboure Church site at Kg Imbaan, Putatan, will be completed in due course. It is understood that an injection of at least another RM6 million would be necessary, thus making it one of the most expensive churches to be built in Malaysia and possibly in Sabah. One thing for sure – it would be the first six-storey church in the nation. A special blessing and handover ceremony to new contractor (Macromax Enterprise) was led and witnessed by Archbishop Datuk John Wong of the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu. The Gothic-style six-storey church was built on donated ancestral land. Subscribe or LOG IN to access this article. Support Independant Journalism Subscribe to Daily Express Malaysia Access to DE E-Paper Access to DE E-Paper Exclusive News Exclusive News Invites to special events Invites to special events Giveaways & Rewards 1-Year Most Popular (Income Tax Deductible) Explore Plans Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Borneo Post
5 days ago
- Business
- Borneo Post
St Catherine Laboure Church in Putatan ready by end of 2026
Shahelmey visiting the St Catherine Laboure Church in Putatan. PUTATAN (July 25): The St Catherine Laboure Church in Putatan is expected to open its doors to parishioners by the end of 2026, marking a significant milestone in a decades-long journey of faith and perseverance. Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Shahelmey Yahya said the main construction works are slated for completion by the end of 2026, allowing the church to begin operations, while other components will be completed in stages. Shahelmey, who visited the construction site today, expressed hope that the new church would ease the burden of Christians —especially Roman Catholics — who currently have to travel to Stella Maris Church in Tanjung Aru and other districts for worship. The St Catherine Laboure Church in Putatan. 'As an area with mixed communities, it is my responsibility to inspect the site as the Putatan MP. The works have been ongoing for some time, and we hope the construction can be completed as planned,' said Shahelmey, who is also the Works Minister and Tanjung Keramat assemblyman. His Grace Archbishop Datuk John Wong, present at the site for the blessing and project site handover ceremony to the appointed contractor Macromax Enterprise, said RM5.18 million is needed to complete the church. 'The Church hopes that generous donors will come forward to help make this dream a reality. We welcome support from all,' said the Archbishop, who was pleased with the strong turnout at the ceremony. He expressed optimism that work would commence immediately, and the building could be completed by next year. The contract sets a one-year construction period, with an allowable extension of five months. Father Peter Abas, the Steering Committee's Spiritual Director, shared three hopes: for progress on the project, for generous support from the faithful, and for unity within the community to see the church completed. 'We are praying and working together with the Archdiocese and the steering committee. Hopefully, one day, this church will stand as a place of worship for the people of Putatan,' he said. The history of the St Catherine Laboure Church in Kampung Imbaan dates back to 1885 when Fr. Alexander Prenger arrived from Labuan. Despite initial resistance due to local adherence to Momolianism, the community built a 'Mission Transit Home' that later served early missionaries. Fr. Rientjes, who took over in the early 1890s, planned to build a church but tragically drowned in 1891. In 1906, the first Dusun convert, Tuyoh (later baptised as Ethelwin), marked the beginning of local conversions. A school and mission church were established in 1926 by Fr. Wachter but halted after he went missing during the Japanese occupation. In the 1940s, a small church built by the Chinese Catholic community was destroyed during World War II and never rebuilt. From the 1960s, Putatan served as a temporary mass station with monthly masses held in private homes. Land acquisition challenges and funding issues delayed permanent church construction efforts until the 2000s. The current church project was revived thanks to a joint vision by the late Rev. Fr. Fundes Motiung, several prominent figures including Datuk Dr Marcus M. Mojigoh, Datuk Stephen L. Sondoh, and land donated by the late Catherine Moinin. Additional land was contributed by Tan Sri Bernard Dompok and others. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on 12 January 2013 with RM1.8 million in initial funding from the Federal and State governments and the public. However, construction faced multiple suspensions, including a complete halt during the Covid-19 pandemic until June 2025. Following reactivation by Archbishop John Wong in 2023, the project was retendered and awarded on 19 May 2025. The current phase focuses on completing the church building with an estimated cost of RM6.28 million, while the full complex is projected to cost RM11.26 million. Contributions toward the construction of St Catherine Laboure Church can be made via Public Bank Berhad to the account of RTDKK ST Catherine of Laboure Putatan, Account Number: 3242757410.
