There is no immediate need to have a formal inter-ethnic or inter-religion committee or council, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dr Koh Tsu Koon.

Instead, what was preferred was an informal setting to promote inter-religious harmony, he said.

NONE He said, inter-ethnic and inter-faith dialogues and discussions would be best carried out in a manner where everyone was comfortable, rather than make it an official rigid structure where everyone felt pressured to have their own position stated clearly.

"Even if we have a formal structure, we may not call it interfaith council or by whatever rigid term. We may call it a task force to promote understanding," added Koh.

He was speaking to reporters after delivering his New Year message to the National Unity and Integration Department staff in Putrajaya today.

Koh said, the government was however, reviewing and re-organising existing inter-faith committees and councils which had existed over the years.

More Rukun Tetangga

Meanwhile, he said, 500 Rukun Tetangga (RT) sectors were set up last year, about 300 more than the target.

This brings the total number of RT secors nationwide to 4,506, with 125,000 members.

Koh said the government had targeted setting up RT sectors in 70 percent of the urban and outskirt areas, as compared to 50 percent now, under the 10th Malaysia Plan.

- Bernama