RM16.1 Million Channelled To Non-Muslim Houses Of Worship In Penang Since 2016 - Chow

GEORGE TOWN, Dec 10 (Bernama) -- The Penang government, through the Trust Fund for Non-Muslim Houses of Worship (RIBI), has approved 411 applications amounting to RM16.114 million since 2016.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the allocation demonstrates the government’s commitment to safeguarding the welfare of RIBI institutions, as well as its concern for sustaining the social, cultural and heritage roles carried out by these places of worship.

He said the financial assistance is intended to ease the burden on RIBI managements in covering construction, maintenance and emergency-related costs.

“The management of non-Muslim houses of worship often relies on contributions from devotees, corporate sponsorships and public donations, while conservation, renovation and repair works require substantial funding, particularly for older buildings with heritage architectural elements that demand specialised expertise,” he said.

“If financial constraints persist, maintenance works may be delayed and could pose safety risks to users and devotees. Therefore, this financial assistance is crucial to ensure that repairs can be carried out in an orderly and safe manner,” he said.

He said this when speaking at the Penang Trust Fund/RIBI mock cheque presentation ceremony at Auditorium F, Komtar, today. Also present was state Social Development, Welfare and Non-Muslim Affairs Committee chairman Lim Siew Kim, who also chairs the Trust Fund for RIBI Committee.

Chow said the RIBI application process, which was previously conducted manually, has now been fully migrated to a digital platform - a significant step forward in efforts to streamline public service delivery. The eRIBI system, developed by the Penang Harmoni Corporation (HARMONICO), represents a proactive, progressive and responsive digital service innovation.

He added that since its introduction in August 2022 as an information inventory system for RIBI, eRIBI has now evolved into a comprehensive platform for financial assistance applications. Following a year of research and development, it is now fully operational as Penang’s official RIBI financial assistance application platform.

“The entire process, from application to monitoring, has been centralised through a digital system. This transformation not only enhances operational efficiency but also reduces administrative costs and ensures that public resources are utilised optimally,” he said.

Chow said that today, 78 RIBIs received financial assistance amounting to RM2.495 million, and he expressed hope that the incentives would be fully utilised for construction, repair or maintenance works to ensure that the architectural heritage and cultural identity that define the state continue to be preserved.

“I also urge all RIBI management bodies to give their full cooperation to the committee by adhering to all procedures and technical standards during project implementation, to ensure safety and smooth progress,” he said.

-- BERNAMA