Land for Methodist Churches

Praise God for His faithfulness to answering prayers!


Taken from The Star Paper Wednesday August 17, 2005

Land for Methodist churches

SHAH ALAM: The Selangor government has approved two sites – one here and another in Pandamaran, Klang – for two Methodist churches in recognition of their good community service.

“The state government recognises the importance of faith organisations in promoting a morally-strong and caring society. Both churches have contributed well to the community,” said state executive councillor Datuk Tang See Hang, a member of the state's non-Muslim religious bodies committee.

Tang said the state recognised religious bodies as a crucial pillar in helping to maintain a strong and healthy society. However, he said, these religious bodies, numbering thousands, must understand there was not enough land to accommodate all the requests.



WISH COME TRUE: Tang (centre) handing over the letters of approval to Rev Ooi (right) and Bishop Hwa, the representatives of the two churches Tuesday.Bishop Dr Hwa Yung, from the Methodist Church, thanked the state government for allocating the 0.48ha site in Kota Kemuning, Section 31 here.

“We will support your call to fulfil the human development aspect of the Selangor Developed State 2005 agenda, where the face of faith, kindness, compassion and generosity is not lost in
the rapid physical development,” he said.

The Methodist Church’s struggle to have its own premises started over a decade ago. It had initially been granted a piece of land in Section 24 here in 1992, but the land was withdrawn by the state government three years later.

Since then, the church had been appealing for a replacement site. Tang said the Pandamaran Chinese Methodist Church was granted a 1,216 sq m piece of reserve land in Pandamaran, adding that Klang MP Datin Paduka Dr Tan Yee Kew had brought the church's appeal to his attention.

Rev Ooi Liang Hung, who accepted the approval letter yesterday, thanked the state for its generosity.