VATICAN CITY (UCAN) -- Pope John Paul II has established the Apostolic Prefecture of Brunei, separating it from the Diocese of Miri, in Malaysia, to form an independent ecclesiastical unit.

Father Cornelius Sim, 46, a citizen of Brunei and former Miri vicar general, has been appointed the first apostolic prefect of the new ecclesiastical territory. According to Church sources, his installation will take place before the Synod for Asia, which is scheduled to begin after Easter 1998.

The State of Brunei Darussalam, bounded by the South China Sea and the East Malaysian state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo, gained political independence in 1984 as an Islamic Malay monarchy ruled by a sultan.

Its 6,000-square-kilometer territory is home to some 300,000 inhabitants, of whom about 65 percent are Muslims. Islam is the state religion. Buddhists and Christians of various denominations also live in the oil-rich sultanate.

The country's Catholic community includes 3,500 native Bruneians and 27,000 migrant workers. Their spiritual needs are served by two priests and four catechists, who run three parishes and two pastoral centers.

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