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Borneo Post
27 minutes ago
- Business
- Borneo Post
Sarawak govt's RM1 mln contribution completes funding for St Peter's Church
Uggah (second left) presents the RM1 million cheque to Poh (centre) as additional aid for the construction of St Peter's Church, Padungan. Also seen are (from left) Unifor director Datuk Georgina Apphia Ngau, St Peter's Church Rector Rev Vincent Chin, and Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian. – Photo by Chimon Upon KUCHING (June 28): The Sarawak government has contributed an additional RM1 million to the building fund of St Peter's Church, Padungan, marking the final financial boost needed to complete the RM38 million construction of the new church. The cheque was handed over during the church's official opening ceremony today, in a gesture of continued support for religious harmony and development in the state. 'On behalf of the Sarawak government, we will be handing over a RM1 million cheque to the church in further aid to the building fund,' said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg in a text of speech read by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas. Abang Johari congratulated the Catholic community on the successful completion of the iconic house of worship. 'This is not just a place for prayer and reflection, it is a symbol of vision, resilience, and deep-rooted faith. 'Located in the very centre of Kuching, the presence of St. Peter's Church, among other religious houses in close proximity, is a powerful testament to the religious harmony and unity that Sarawak is so proud to uphold,' he said. The church's completion was made possible through a combination of donations, government funding, and community support, with much of the fundraising effort taking place amid the challenges of the pandemic. Poh speaks to reporters when met at the event. – Photo by Roystein Emmor Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kuching Datuk Dr Simon Poh said the total cost of the building was RM38 million. 'Yes, so from the overall initial planning it was RM38 million and then you know the pandemic knocked out all the donors and pledgers so we had to start from zero again,' he said. Poh acknowledged the critical role of the Unit for Other Religions (Unifor), which had earlier contributed RM2 million through two separate cheques presented in the past two years. 'And then today is the final cheque,' he said. According to him, the RM1 million presented today brought the total contribution from the Sarawak government through Unifor to RM3 million. 'With this last RM1 million, today we received a total of RM3 million from the Sarawak government through Unifor. We have enough just to cover everything and pay everything so tomorrow we will consecrate the whole church together,' he said. While some minor funding is still needed for furnishings and interior work, Poh said the contract sum for construction is now fully covered. 'The smaller things like furnishing and interior work still need to be done, but the building, the contract sum, everything is cleared. With the last RM1 million coming in, we can cover everything,' he added. The Archbishop noted that support had come not just from Catholics but from many other communities and faiths in Sarawak. 'This church stands more than just the church for the Catholic because people from all walks of life are looking and saying wow this is in Kuching. It's amazing that we don't need to go to Europe to see a very nice church here,' he said. Poh said the church had become a new landmark symbolising unity and mutual respect among Sarawakians. 'This became a landmark for a sign of our desire for harmony, contributing to society and building a better Sarawak for peace, for harmony, as a model for other parts of Malaysia and for the world,' he added. Built entirely using local materials and expertise, the church also showcases Sarawak's growing capabilities in architecture and construction, said Poh. 'This is the beginning of something that's possible. So Anak Sarawak out there, those graduating in a few years, by 2030, they can come back. We believe Sarawak will provide employment and continue contributing to peace, harmony, and progress.' The consecration of the new St Peter's Church is scheduled to take place tomorrow. building fund douglas uggah embas sarawak government St Peter's Church
Barnama
2 hours ago
- Business
- Barnama
Jualan Rahmah Offers Youth Lifeline Amid Rising Living Costs
KUCHING, June 28 (Bernama) -- The Jualan Rahmah MADANI programme serves as a key initiative that not only brings government services closer to the people but also helps young people manage their expenses in dealing with the rising cost of living. Media practitioner Asyraf Halim, 34, said living alone as a single man gave him more reason to pay closer attention to promotions on essential items. 'Since I started working and living on my own, I've learnt to manage my finances. The Jualan Rahmah programme has, in some ways, helped me to spend more prudently. 'Prices here are much lower than those at shopping malls and that's helped me save some money this month,' he told Bernama when met at the Jualan Rahmah MADANI programme held in conjunction with the Maal Hijrah Festival 2025 at the Sarawak State Mosque compound here today. The festival was organised by the Sarawak State Mosque Welfare Trust Board (LKMNS), while the Jualan Rahmah MADANI programme was held in collaboration with the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN). Sharing the same view was Ismasuzilla Bahari, 28, from Telaga Air, who said the lower prices offered made it easier for her to manage her spending and save for emergencies. 'The Jualan Rahmah programme helps me save a lot on essential items for my family. 'I used to spend about RM1,000 a month on wet and dry goods for the five of us. Now, with the Jualan Rahmah, I manage to save around RM300 to RM400 every month,' said the LKMNS staff member, who lives with her parents. Meanwhile, Zulhilmi Alet, 31, an assistant officer at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, said he regularly checked the Jualan Rahmah MADANI schedule, especially in Kuching, to purchase essential goods.
The Sun
2 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
ACCCIM urges expanded SST delay to Jan 2026, proposes 4 pct rate until 2027
KUALA LUMPUR: The government is urged to postpone the implementation of the expanded sales and service tax (SST) to January 2026 from July 1, 2025, to allow more lead time for preparation, as several areas still require clarification. While 'cautiously welcoming' the government's announcement on the review of the expanded SST on Thursday, the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM) also called on the government to reduce the expanded SST to a lower rate of four per cent in the first two years (2026–2027) to ease the tax burden on businesses and consumers. The expanded SST applies to additional services (wellness centres, financial, and healthcare) and three new services (rental or leasing, construction works, and education), it said in a statement today. 'Adequate preparation is crucial to ensure better compliance and smooth implementation,' it said, citing concerns over multiple cost increases coinciding with a challenging global and domestic economic environment, which is exacerbated by the uncertainty surrounding trade tariff policies and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. 'The effects of rising costs, which have been felt in 2025, are expected to persist or influence the business and economic landscape in 2026,' it added. Meanwhile, ACCCIM urged the government to raise the registration threshold for service tax on leasing or rental, as well as construction services, to RM3 million from RM1 million. It also called on the government to raise the tax exemption threshold for small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) tenants to RM2 million in annual sales, from RM1 million announced on Thursday. 'We also propose a longer exemption period of 36 months for non-reviewable and reviewable contracts, to cover all project types due to the nature of the projects and their cycles,' it said. ACCCIM said it will continue to engage with its members and industry stakeholders to provide constructive feedback and solutions to the government to soften the impact of the SST on businesses and households.
The Sun
2 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
ACCCIM urges expanded SST delay to Jan 2026
KUALA LUMPUR: The government is urged to postpone the implementation of the expanded sales and service tax (SST) to January 2026 from July 1, 2025, to allow more lead time for preparation, as several areas still require clarification. While 'cautiously welcoming' the government's announcement on the review of the expanded SST on Thursday, the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM) also called on the government to reduce the expanded SST to a lower rate of four per cent in the first two years (2026–2027) to ease the tax burden on businesses and consumers. The expanded SST applies to additional services (wellness centres, financial, and healthcare) and three new services (rental or leasing, construction works, and education), it said in a statement today. 'Adequate preparation is crucial to ensure better compliance and smooth implementation,' it said, citing concerns over multiple cost increases coinciding with a challenging global and domestic economic environment, which is exacerbated by the uncertainty surrounding trade tariff policies and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. 'The effects of rising costs, which have been felt in 2025, are expected to persist or influence the business and economic landscape in 2026,' it added. Meanwhile, ACCCIM urged the government to raise the registration threshold for service tax on leasing or rental, as well as construction services, to RM3 million from RM1 million. It also called on the government to raise the tax exemption threshold for small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) tenants to RM2 million in annual sales, from RM1 million announced on Thursday. 'We also propose a longer exemption period of 36 months for non-reviewable and reviewable contracts, to cover all project types due to the nature of the projects and their cycles,' it said. ACCCIM said it will continue to engage with its members and industry stakeholders to provide constructive feedback and solutions to the government to soften the impact of the SST on businesses and households.
The Sun
3 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Three key amendments to SST following feedback
PETALING JAYA: The government has announced three key amendments to the Sales and Service Tax (SST) following public and industry feedback since the revision was unveiled on June 9. In a statement yesterday, the Finance Ministry said the amendments include exempting certain imported fruits from sales tax, raising the service tax threshold for rental and financial services to RM1 million and dropping the proposed tax on beauty services. 'After due consideration on the feedback received with respect to sales tax on imported fruits, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also the Finance minister, agreed to exempt imported apples, oranges, mandarin oranges and dates from sales tax. 'The ministry would like to reiterate that the Madani government has not imposed sales tax on daily essential goods in order to mitigate pressure on the cost of living for the majority of Malaysians. 'These tax-exempted essential goods, whether locally produced or imported, include rice, chicken, beef, vegetables and eggs. Local fish varieties, including selar, tongkol, cencaru, and sardines will also continue to be exempt from sales tax.' To ease the burden on small businesses, Anwar has approved an increase in the service tax registration threshold from RM500,000 to RM1 million for leasing, rental, and financial services. 'Additionally, after carefully considering public sentiment, the government has also decided not to proceed with the proposed expansion of service tax on beauty services such as manicure and pedicure, facial service, barbers and hairdressers,' said the ministry.
