KUALA LUMPUR, 10 AUGUST 2020: The Salvation Army is grateful to the Sarawak Government for allocating a 7.5-acre site in Kota Samarahan for it to relocate its welfare homes at Jalan Ban Hock and Jalan Uplands. The land title has been awarded to The Salvation Army for a lease of 60 years. With the allocation of the land, the Sarawak Government through The Unit for Other Religions (UNIFOR) has also provided a grant of RM4 million to help construct its new facility.
To construct the new purpose-built facility, it would cost approximately RM15.5 million. With the grant of RM4 million from the Sarawak Government and RM9 million from Borneo Medical Centre, The Salvation Army still needs to raise RM2.5 million to build the much-needed facilities for the community.
Regional Officer of The Salvation Army Malaysia, Major Francis Ng said, “We are ever grateful to the government of Sarawak and Borneo Medical centre for the land and necessary funds to aid in the construction. With this new facility, The Salvation Army is able to meet the pressing needs of the weak and vulnerable in the community. Since the 1950s, we have served all Malaysians regardless of their ethnicity or religious upbringing and today, we renew our commitment to continue providing essential services to those who need them the most.”
Presently, The Salvation Army’s Boys and Children’s Homes in Kuching is home to 72 children. With its new facility, the organisation will be able to extend its reach and care for 80 children. It is also looking into the possibility of additional care homes for the elderly, which is a growing need for the aging population. The Salvation Army’s new facility is expected to be completed in 2022.
