Kudat may finally get to construct the Goddess of the Sea statue (Mazu) but it will not be located on the earlier proposed site, says Sabah’s Resource Development and Information Technology Minister Dr Yee Moh Chai.

The state government has, in principle, approved an application by Hainan Federation of Sabah and Labuan to construct Mazu on an unspecified piece of land in Kudat, Yee added.

goddess of mercy 230409 photo file "Chinese leaders in Sabah have basically agreed to the construction of the statue in Kudat." But he did not say whether Sabah’s ex-chief minister Chong Kah Kiat was among these leaders.

Yee disclosed that four Chinese leaders - Deputy Chief Minister Raymond Tan, Youth and Sports Minister Peter Pang, Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Edward Khoo and Yee himself - have been instructed by Chief Minister Musa Aman "to oversee the construction of the statue and ensure that it goes smoothly".

There are no immediate details on who will finance the construction of Mazu and how much it would cost. The Hainan application came as a complete surprise.

Chong's project is a different one from that now approved by the state government. His court battle continues.

In short, there could now be two Mazu statues.

Sore point

The proposed construction of the original Mazu had pitted ex-CM Chong against his successor Musa Aman, following the state government’s move to revoke its earlier decision to allow Chong to construct Mazu.

Chong has since taken the matter to court, alleging abuse of power. Chong’s Kudat Thean Hou Charitable Foundation was supposed to undertake the project, supported by the Kudat Moral Uplifting Society.

President of FT Hainan Association John Lim Yu Sin welcomed the announcement by Yee.

"This statute is not only for the Hainanese community but for all believers who reside in Kudat and visitors to the area."

Lim didn’t disclose details of the new site.

Prime Minister Mohd Najib Abdul Razak, on his lightning trip to Sabah this week, had hinted at the possibility of an out-of-court settlement with Chong.

"The door is always open to sit down and talk about the project proposed by the Kudat Thean Hou Charitable Foundation," Najib said.

It appears that the confirmation on the Mazu project does not change the picture on this controversial issue.

A spokesman for Ansari & Co, the legal firm handling Chong’s suit against the state government, confirmed that their client would proceed with his action in court.

Chong is also seeking a declaration that a 'fatwa' issued by the state mufti on July 7, 2006 - against the construction of the Mazu statute - was unconstitutional as it infringed upon Article 11 of the federal constitution.

Counsel Ansari Abdullah was not immediately available for comment.