ASIA/MALAYSIA - Erection of the Ecclesiastical Province of Kota Kinabalu and appointment of the first Metropolitan Archbishop

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – On May 23, 2008, the Holy Father Benedict XVI created the new Ecclesiastical Province of Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia), separating it from the Ecclesiastical Province of Kuching. The new Ecclesiastical Province will include the suffragan dioceses of Keningau and Sandakan.
The Holy Father appointed Bishop John Lee Hiong Fun-Yit Yaw of Kota Kinabalu as first Metropolitan Archbishop of Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia). Until now, he has served as Bishop of the same diocese.
Statistics: the new Ecclesiastical Province of Kota Kinabalu is located in the State of Sabah, the area with the largest growing number of Catholics, about 310,000 of a population of nearly 3.5 million inhabitants (8.8%). There is also a large number of Christians belonging to other denominations and because of this representation, the State is commonly known as “Christian Sabah.” The division is as follows: a) Archdiocese of Kuching, which includes the State of Sarawak, will have Sibu and Miri as suffragan dioceses; b) Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu will have Keningau and Sandakan as suffragan diocese. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 3/6/2008)