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PLENARY MEETINGS

5th Decade

The Plenary meeting is held two times a year in any place decided upon by the Conference. The President shall call an extraordinary meeting when an urgent need arises. The Apostolic Nuncio/Delegate may be invited to meet and address the members at the Plenary Meeting.

5th Decade

This decade saw the erection of the Diocese of Sandakan, the elevation of the Diocese of Kota Kinabalu and the Apostolic Prefecture of Brunei, and the retirement of four bishops and the ordination of their replacements.

In 2000, Archbishop Gregory Yong retired, replaced by Archbishop Nicholas Chia. In 2001, Bishop James Chan retired, subsequently replaced by Bishop Paul Tan. In 2003, Archbishop Anthony Soter Fernandez, replaced by Archbishop Murphy Pakiam, who was elevated from Auxiliary Bishop. In the same year 2003, Archbishop Peter Chung also retired, replaced by Archbishop John Ha, who was also elevated from Auxiliary Bishop.

In 2004, the Apostolic Prefecture of Brunei was elevated to an Apostolic Vicariate, Bishop Cornelius Sim was appointed the first apostolic vicar for Brunei. In 2007, Rev. Fr. Julius Gitom was ordained as the first bishop of the new Diocese of Sandakan.

In 2008, the Diocese of Kota Kinabalu was elevated to Archdiocese, with Keningau and Sandakan as suffragan sees. Bishop John Lee was elevated to Archbishop.

Bishop members during this decade were:

Archbishop Peter Chung, Archbishop Anthony Soter Fernandez, Bishop James Chan, Bishop Anthony Lee, Bishop Antony Selvanayagam, Bishop Dominic Su, Archbishop John Lee, Bishop Cornelius Piong, Archbishop Murphy Pakiam, Bishop Paul Tan, Archbishop John Ha, Bishop Cornelius Sim, Bishop Julius Gitom, Archbishop Nicholas Chia, Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Hii, Coadjutor Archbishop John Wong

The Apostolic Delegates and Nuncios during this decade were:

Archbishop Adriano Bernardini and Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio