Only In Borneo, Church Opens Parking For Ramadan Bazaar

KOTA KINABALU: The decision by a Catholic Church in Kota Kinabalu, Church of St Mary Immaculate in Bukit Padang, to open its car park to visitors frequenting a nearby Ramadan bazaar, has gone viral in the social media in the peninsula.

A Facebook posting by a Daniel Doughty on the Church drew thousands of likes. “I love Sabah . . . tolerance, co-operation, understanding, unity and love is all we need. Yes, it’s here. It’s in Sabah,” he wrote.

Another surfer, Allen Jeyarajasingam, responded: “Don’t let the narrow-minded politicians (from the peninsula) ruin this.”

“Those who visit the Ramadan bazaar can park at the Church.”

However, the Orang Asal taking to Facebook pointed out that “such display of racial and religious harmony is the norm in Sabah and Sarawak”. A Church in Miri, sited next to a mosque, opens its car park every Friday to worshipers who throng the Islamic place of worship for prayers.

“Families in Sabah in particular include members from various religions.”

Uniquely, it was noted, Christians in Sabah may sport “Muslim” names and vice versa.

Every Easter and Christmas, note surfers in Facebook, Muslim journalists even in tudung can be seen at the Churches in Sabah, taking photographs of the baptism ceremonies and covering the news for their papers.

The exceptions, like the recent cross incident in Sandakan, the conversion of a student in Kinarut, and another conversion case in Miri, and the refusal by Mara Junior Science College in Sarawak to allow non-Muslim students to go for their Sunday prayers, are all the work of newly-arrived teachers. - source