RM50,000 annual grant for MCCBCHST to promote inter-religious harmony

林冠英（左5）與五大宗教理事會檳州分會成員對話後合影：左起為黃漢偉、黃國創、林展鵬、安東尼以；左6是拉瑪沙米。

As reported in The Star

RM50,000 annual grant for Penang's inter-religious council

GEORGE TOWN: The state government will give a RM50,000 annual grant to the Penang Chapter of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) to promote inter-religious harmony.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng made the announcement after meeting 15 representatives from the council on Friday. The meeting was also attended by Deputy Chief Minister II Dr P. Ramasamy and state executive councillors Phee Boon Poh and Wong Hon Wai at Komtar.

"The state government will also extend the yearly educational school funding to Punjabi schools.

"We will also be working with the Penang Hindu Endowment Board to find a suitable site where Hindu final rites can be performed on the seafront, both on the island and mainland,” said Lim, who heads the non-Muslim Religious Affairs department.

He added that the government would also organised a Wesak Day open house.

The council's Penang Chapter chairman Bishop Anthony Selvanayagam expressed his gratitude to the state government for its support.

As reported in Sinchew.

續與五大宗教理事會州分會成員對話‧檳政府迎來4項協議

北馬

2012-01-07 16:11

（檳城）檳州政府於去年首設的檳州非回教宗教事務委員會，繼會見全國五大宗教理事會之後，昨日（6日）也首次跟該理事會檳州分會成員舉行對話，雙方達致4項協議。

這4項協議分別是州政府將撥出常年撥款5萬令吉給五大宗教理事會檳州分會、制度化撥款給學校的計劃擴大至本遮普（Punjabi）學校、州政府將首辦衛塞節門戶開放，以及跟興都信託基金會連同興都教徒安排一個適合的濱海地點，作為最後葬禮儀式用途，即讓興都教徒可把鮮花及白米撒入海中。

上述會議由檳州首席部長林冠英主持，出席者包括了檳州第二副首長拉瑪沙米、檳州行政議員彭文寶、黃漢偉、五大宗教理事會檳州分會主席安東尼主教、各宗教組織代表如佛總林展鵬、錫克教組織蘇興達巴爾星、興都教組織巴亞班、道教總會檳州分會主席黃國創以及其他成員等。

林冠英：不一定每年一次
有需要就召開會議

林冠英說，州政府首設檳州非回教宗教事務委員會，主要是考慮到檳州多數為非回教徒，因此應有此部門來關注這些事務，同時促進各宗教和諧以及建立文明對話。

他說，昨日舉行的是一項常年會議，但不一定是每年一次，只要有需要，便會召開會議。

安東尼則說，今次的會面建立了良好的對話環境，他認為這種對話方式應繼續下去。（星洲日報／大北馬）