Bolly Lapok

Bolly anak Lapok (born 10 August 1952) was the fourth Metropolitan Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church of the Province of South East Asia as well as the Bishop of Kuching.

An ethnic Iban, Bolly was the first Primate of the Province from Sarawak.

Early life and education

Bolly was born into an Iban family in Sebemban, a traditional longhouse village near Simanggang (present-day Sri Aman) in Sarawak. He had his early primary education in the Selanjan and Pantu primary schools, and completed his secondary education up to the Sixth form in the Simanggang Secondary School.

In 1972, Bolly began his theological training at the House of the Epiphany, the theological seminary of the Diocese of Kuching, graduating with a Diploma in Theology in 1974. He proceeded his studies to obtain a Licentiate in Theology as well as a Scholar in Theology in 1977. In 1983, he went to Westhill College (today part of the University of Birmingham), on a scholarship from the United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (USPG), where he majored in Pastoral Theology, Ecumenism and English. In that period, he also went to Rome for studies in Anglican – Roman Catholic ecumenism. On 7 December the same year, he was ordained as the priest for the parish of St. Luke in Simanggang.

On 15 April 2007, Bolly was consecrated as the 13th Bishop of Kuching, succeeding the Rt. Rev'd Datuk Made Katib. In the Extraordinary Provincial Synod Meeting held in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia on 21 to 23 September 2011, he was elected as the Archbishop elect of the Province of South East Asia and was installed on 12 February 2012 at St. Thomas' Cathedral in Kuching, succeeding the Most Rev'd John Chew. He is the first person from Sarawak as well as the second Malaysian to serve in this position (the first one was the Bishop of Sabah, Datuk Yong Ping Chung).

On 18 August 2007, Bolly married Mary Jean Baba in a ceremony held at the Bishop's Chapel. Bolly has a total of four children from his two marriages (three children from his first marriage and one stepchild from the second marriage).