By SAPAM
KUCHING — The Social and Political Awareness Ministry (SAPAM) of Blessed Sacrament Church held a one-day Forum entitled “Kindling Christian Hope in Uncertain Times: The Role of Christians in Nation-building” on 28 October 2023.
The forum, attended by 136 participants, was divided into three sessions each based on the theme of SEE, JUDGE and ACT.
In the first Session, Dr Helen Ting, an Associate Professor from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia shared on the current political scenarios in Malaysia and remarked that Malaysians should be proud of our country as we have accomplished the unthinkable feat of having changed the federal government peacefully in 2018, a feat rarely seen anywhere in Asia.
Dato’ Dr Ron Tan Kee Kwong, who was a former Deputy Minister also shared that the Malaysia we have today is due to the ordinary citizens who strive for a strong country. Dr Ron Tan advised that as Malaysians, we ought to be brave and speak out for a moderate government.
In the second Session, Dr Lin Khee Vun, a principal of the Anglican Training Institute in Sabah, brought the participants to look at current events through the lens of the Gospel and that Christ Himself had faced extremism not through violence but through sacrifice and forgiveness.
Fr Felix Au, the Rector of Sacred Heart Church emphasised that our God is a God of all people and so we ought to seek the common good for all people as well.
In the last Session, Mr Gopala K Sundaram shared his experience as an Assistant Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia, and described how we ourselves are the 5th Gospel, by showing examples of the way we live as Christians.
Dr Hwa Yung, the Bishop Emeritus of the Methodist Church encouraged the participants to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord, their labour is not in vain.
Kuching Archbishop Simon Poh in his speech, reminded the participants that the Vision and Mission of the Archdiocese of Kuching as formulated in the Archdiocesan Pastoral Congress, includes encouraging lay people to be actively involved in politics as part of Nation building for the betterment of Sarawak and Malaysia.
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