KOTA KINABALU, Malaysia (UCAN) -- Mill Hill Father Ivan Fang's arrival in Brunei will double the population of Catholic clergy in the Muslim sultanate on Borneo Island.

Father Fang will join Father Cornelius Sim in serving the approximately 8,000 Catholics in "Brunei Darussalam" (abode of peace). Both are Brunei citizens.

The country has three Catholic parishes and four Catholic schools. Three religious sisters live at St. Angela's Convent in Seria. Ecclesiastically Brunei is part of the Diocese of Miri. The see of that diocese is in the state of Sarawak, Malaysia.

Father Sim has been the only priest in Brunei since January 1991 when Father Peter Chaing, a Malaysian citizen, and Mill Hill Father Joseph McClory, a veteran missioner with 30 years experience in Brunei and Sarawak, were denied extensions to their residence visas and asked to leave.

The two had served for years in Brunei on month-to-month permits.

Father Fang, 32, was ordained a priest in 1985 after completing seminary studies with the Mill Hill fathers at the London Missionary Institute.

After his ordination he worked in the Diocese of Hyderabad, southern Pakistan. He left Hyderabad Oct. 3 for a holiday in London. He is expected to arrive in Brunei in November.

During a farewell celebration for Father Fang at the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier, Bishop Joseph Coutts of Hyderabad praised the priest for his work on local development projects and in the youth apostolate.

Father Fang was instrumental in founding a parish computer center to provide student training in basic computer skills. The computer center, funded in part by Caritas-Pakistan, opened shortly before Father Fang left for his new assignment.

-- Brunei is ruled by Sultan Muda Hassanal Bolkiah. The country was granted full independence from Britain on Dec. 31, 1983. On Jan. 1, 1984, the sultan proclaimed Brunei "a sovereign, independent, democratic and Malay Muslim monarchy according to Sunni belief."

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah is prime minister and defense minister. Various family members hold posts in the 12 member cabinet. Under the "3M" concept, the government is calling on people to be loyal to their ruler, practice Islam and live in adherence to the characteristics of "true Brunei Malays."

Catholic schools in Brunei date back to 1929. They were government supported until 1957, but have operated independently since then.

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