PADAWAN: The Padawan Subdistrict Christmas Celebration 2025 is not just a religious celebration, but also a strong symbol of the unity of churches of various denominations in bolstering noble values, unity and harmony of the local community.

Sarawak Deputy Minister for Transport Datuk Dr Jerip Susil stressed that the church plays a role far beyond the function of worship, also becoming a foundational institution for the formation of moral values, a spirit of togetherness and social stability, especially in the context of a pluralistic society in Sarawak.

“The joint Christmas celebration involving various church denominations reflects the maturity and unity of the Christian community in Padawan.

“The participation of churches from the Borneo Gospel Assembly, Methodist, Anglican, Catholic and Evangelical denominations clearly proves the existence of a strong spirit of cooperation across differences, driven by community leadership and local social organisations,” he said during his speech at the event, here, on Thursday.

According to the Mambong Assemblyman, the establishment of church associations and coalitions needs to be further strengthened as a platform for unification, dialogue and understanding, to ensure that differences can be celebrated as strengths, instead of dividing us.

In terms of government support, he expressed appreciation to the Unit for Other Religions (UNIFOR) for its remarkable role in preserving inter-religious harmony in Sarawak.

Datuk Dr Jerip shared that in 2024 alone, an allocation of more than RM11 million was channeled by UNIFOR to assist houses of worship including churches, temples and shrines throughout the Mambong constituency, in addition to support for educational institutions.

At the same event, he also presented Christmas donations to the underprivileged in the Mambong constituency area as a sign of care for the welfare of the community.

Also present were the President of the Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) Datuk Ik Pahon Joyik and Siburan District Officer Ranum Bari. -UKASnews