Malaysia’s Archbishop Poh receives ‘Dato’ title

The Sarawak government has conferred the Darjah Panglima Setia Bintang Sarawak (PSBS) award to Kuching Archbishop Simon Poh, which carries the title of ‘dato.”

The datoship is Malaysia’s highest state title given to individuals who have contributed greatly to the nation.

Archbishop Poh, along with other state award recipients, received the title during the 78th birthday celebration of Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, the state ruler of Sarawak, on October 11.

In his acceptance message, the prelate highlighted the Catholic Church’s joint efforts with the government to provide children across Sarawak with access to education.

“Over the years, 62 Catholic Mission Schools throughout Sarawak have given thousands of children access to education; in the cities, towns, and especially in communities located in the interior of Sarawak,” he said.

The archbishop also emphasized how they contributed to community safety during the COVID-19 pandemic through the Association of Churches in Sarawak (ACS) and collaboration with the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee.

Moreover, Archbishop Poh noted their work with the Unit for Other Religions (UNIFOR) and the Islamic Information Centre (IIC).
“We have built trust and friendship among religious leaders to promote interfaith forums and inter-church dialogues for harmony and mutual understanding,” he shared.

Expressing his solidarity with the two other bishops in Sarawak, Joseph Hii of Sibu and Richard Ng of Miri, Archbishop Poh thanked the Sarawak government for honoring the Catholic Church.

“We continue the task of nation building and promotion of harmony, mutual respect, and acceptance, as the daily way of life in Sarawak,” he said, Furthermore, Archbishop Poh invited all Catholics and Christians to “continue the good work of mercy
and community building” towards the common good of Sarawak and the entire Malaysian nation.