KUCHING: The Sarawak government will increase the allocation for the Unit for Other Religions (UNIFOR) by RM10 million next year, bringing the total to RM120 million as part of its continued commitment to foster harmony among people of various faiths in the state.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the increase was made in view of Sarawak’s rising revenue and the government’s ongoing commitment to the development of houses of worship and mission schools.
“So, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas (Deputy Premier) whispered to me, ‘since we have the funds, can we share a bit more for 2026?’.
“Very well, we will add another RM10 million, making it RM120 million for next year,” he said during the UNIFOR appreciation ceremony held here on Sunday (Dec 7).
Abang Johari expressed confidence that UNIFOR would be able to manage the funds with full integrity and accountability in line with the principles upheld by all religions.
He also called on aid recipients to manage the funds with the highest standards of integrity and accountability once they receive them from UNIFOR.
The Premier launched the Other Religions Service Management System (ORSEM), a digital platform aimed at enhancing UNIFOR’s services to houses of worship across Sarawak.
This upgraded ORSEM now offers a complete end-to-end digital experience, covering the registration of House of Worship profiles, submission of funding applications, submission of progress and project completion reports, as well as applications for scope changes.
