Historic Kota Kinabalu chapel in urgent need of hill slope remedial work

KOTA KINABALU: Once used as an informal medical facility during World War II, a chapel on the grounds of the Sabah Theological Seminary (STS) close to the city is now on rocky ground.

This chapel, which was built in 1904 with a 350-seating capacity, has been used by Christians of various denominations for prayers whenever they have their programmes there.

Reverend Datuk Dr Thu En Yu, the principal of the seminary, said that their most urgent need right now was to repair the slope where the chapel was situated.

He explained that the remedial works would cost over RM2mil.

The hill slopes were damaged following recent downpours which triggered landslides around the STS compound.

As the chapel operates on public and private funding, Dr Thu said it would really help if there were anyone who was willing to chip in.

He took the opportunity to thank Sabah MCA Wanita chief, Datuk Dr Pamela Yong and Likas MCA community leader, Dr Chang Kee Ying, who managed to secure a RM150,000 grant from the Ministry of National Unity.

Yong called upon Malaysians to help save this 117-year-old chapel, as there is still a long way to go to preserve its beauty and history.

"Please do contact the seminary if you would like to personally contribute to help them repair the surrounding ground damages caused by the recent landslides," she said.

"Sabahans showed our indomitable spirit when we came together following the 2015 Ranau earthquake," she said.

Yong urged Sabahans to once again join hands for a good cause, as mutual respect and harmony are the hallmarks of Sabah’s multiethnic and multi-religious makeup.

More than 1,000 students from Malaysia and across South-east Asia pursue theological studies at the STS whose facilities include an administration and teaching block, a chapel, lecturers’ apartments, students’ hostel, and a computerised library.

A wide range of academic and practical courses is offered in Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin and English.

The Seminary is interdenominational and is supported by a broad base of churches both in Malaysia and abroad.