Posted on by Kit

48 hrs for two BN MPs to apologise for slur on mission schools

The explanation by the Barisan Nasional MP for Parit Sulong Syed Hood Syed Edros defending his proposal to remove the crosses and images in missionary schools has compounded his offence, not only because of his recalcitrance but his totally unapologetic stance.

Syed Hood said he raised the issue to seek clarification from the Education Ministry based on grouses on the ground.

He said: “Times have changed and I think that we cannot allow Malays to look at the crosses and statues without explanation.”

What type of an explanation is this which not only reflects his petty-minded but highly offensive attitude to all fair-minded Malaysians who accept Malaysia as a plural society of diverse races, religions, cultures and languages.

A study of Syed Hood’s offending speech in Parliament on Oct. 29 will show that he was not seeking clarification but making baseless assertions –as recorded in the parliamentary debate on Oct. 29 in the Hansard (pp142-144):

Tuan Syed Hood bin Syed Edros [Parit Sulong]: … Tuan Yang di-Pertua, saya ingin menyentuh satu perkara tentang Kementerian Pelajaran iaitu sekolah-sekolah mubaligh seperti Convent, La Salle, Methodist dan sebagainya. Saya difahamkan Lembaga Pengarah di sekolah-sekolah ini sebahagiannya ditadbir dari gereja-gereja di luar negara seperti di Vatican City. Saya juga difahamkan permohonan untuk membina surau di sebahagian sekolah-sekolah ini terpaksa mendapat kebenaran daripada Lembaga Pengarah yang mana Lembaga Pengarah ini sebahagiannya ditadbir oleh gereja.

Jadi amat memalukanlah, bagi diri saya, tentang pentadbiran sekolah-sekolah ini yang masih lagi dikawal oleh pihak gereja. Begitu juga saya difahamkan tentang iklim sekolah-sekolah tersebut, banyak ibu bapa Islam menghantar anak-anak mereka ke sana, mereka kompelin sebab ada kalanya sekolah dimulakan dengan lagu-lagu gereja. Ini saya tidak tahu benar atau tidak, tetapi ia apa yang saya dapat daripada ibu bapa sendiri tetapi yang jelas di sekolah-sekolah ini terpampang simbol-simbol agama. Saya rasa kecewa di dalam negara Islam, Malaysia ini, kalau saya pergi ke sekolah convent, ada terpampang patung St. Mary di depandepan sekolah convent…

Datuk Haji Mohamad bin Haji Aziz [Sri Gading]: [Bangun]

Tuan Syed Hood bin Syed Edros [Parit Sulong]: Silakan Yang Berhormat bagi Sri Gading.

Timbalan Yang di-Pertua [Datuk Dr. Yusof bin Yacob]: Ya, Yang Berhormat bagi Sri Gading.

Datuk Haji Mohamad bin Haji Aziz [Sri Gading]: Bagi saya sudah tidak terkejut, Yang Berhormat bagi Parit Sulong, cerita ini… [Disampuk] Bukan soal biasa. Soalnya kenapa boleh berlaku seperti ini? Satu. Hari Raya yang lepas, saya diberitahu oleh seorang bapa, waktu Aidilfitri disambut, sekolah jenis-jenis ini tidak ditutup. Terima kasih.

Tuan Syed Hood bin Syed Edros [Parit Sulong]: Bukan sahaja patung, tetapi Ahli-ahli Yang Berhormat pergilah, tengoklah salib Kristian diletakkan di depan-depan sekolah. Saya tidak faham Kementerian Pelajaran, adakah pegawai-pegawai tidak nampak atau memang dasar kita membenarkan perkara ini. Walau bagaimanapun, saya sebagai orang yang bertanggungjawab kepada diri saya, agama, bangsa dan tanah air ini, saya menyatakan pendirian saya bahawa patung-patung ini hendaklah dirobohkan, salib-salib ini hendaklah dimusnahkan dan pengaruhpengaruh gereja di sekolah-sekolah ini hendaklah dihentikan. Begitu juga dana yang dikumpulkan di sekolah-sekolah ini. Adakah kita mendapat laporan? Kalau boleh kementerian mendedahkan dana sekolah-sekolah ini. Saya difahamkan ada sekolah-sekolah ini juga ditaja oleh pihak-pihak gereja. Dana-dananya datang daripada gereja-gereja dan adakah pihak kementerian pantau sumber-sumbernya? Adakah audit-audit dilaksanakan?

Syed Hood made a very clear call for the removal of the crosses, demolition of the Christian statues and an end to church influence in mission schools including alleged control by Vatican, questioning their contribution and loyalty to Malaysia.

The two UMNO MPs are given 48 hours to apologise for their baseless, misleading and offensive statements in Parliament casting adverse reflection on the contribution and loyalty of mission schools to Malaysia or a motion to refer them to committee of privileges will be tabled next week.

93 Replies to “48 hrs for two BN MPs to apologise for slur on mission schools”

  3. Blinds lead the blinds, what’s new? My way out, don’t follow, don’t lead, just be as useless as possible, dejecting participation into this deluded societies which favoring the blinds. Let them be, let them rot, let them learn.

  4. first and foremost, this is not negara Islam.

    Second, this guy is not even malay…but then the saying these days is that, ‘ kalau masuk islam, ertinya masuk melayu’. But thats irrelevant anyway..but it goes to show to what lengths these ‘converts’ would play to the crowd to gain some political mileage.

    third, the Vatican City??…sheesh! too much of Da Vinci Code here..

    fourth, if you want to complain about mission schools bearing crosses and statues and hymns etc…what about the never ending Quranic verses in schools, endless doa selamats and subtle Islamization??…whats good for the goose, surely is good for the gander as well, no?

    fifth, take the cross away…but faith remains..unlike you guys, you pride yourself in appearance rather than substance…you are so insecure that a simple cross could threaten your faith..

    The cross has stood the test of time…indeed, it shall still prevail..not so much the cross, but the faith that goes with it!

  5. They wont apologize. So forget the 48hr wait.

    Chinese schools better watch out! Your canteens serve pork! That will be next on the menu because many malay students now study in chinese schools!

    Ahhh there goes the char siew and lapcheongs etc from school canteens!

  7. There seems to be a systematic effort to upset the non-Malays. Is it in order to “force” more non-malays to elave the couontry?

    Perhaps with a higher malay %, it would be easier to make changes and force things through. Amend the constttion, re-write history etc, not that its not being done already.

    With more eductaed ones leaving there could be less opposition from those who remain.

    So should the non-malays just pack up and leave? Or should we make bn pack up and leave?

  8. Our neigbour Indonesia is holding the 12-day conference of parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) now in Bali! Bali is a resort with big Hindi influences and most of Bali people are Hindus.

    This convention is a very big scale convention involving almost all countries in the world and yet Indonesians do not feel paranoid or uneasy at all in holding it in such a place.

    Only in Malaysia you can find such stupid fanatics creating havocs and tension for its people and country.

  9. “Times have changed and I think that we cannot allow Malays to look at the crosses and statues without explanation.”

    Y”B” Hood,
    Please speak for yourself. The Malays are not stupid like you, hood.
    They can think for themselves and are not easily inflenced by a simple cross.
    Hey ! Why did you not ban broadcasting English football or European football? When Kaka scored a winning goal in World cup, he showed off his jersey bearing this ,”I belong to JESUS”.
    Similarly most of the tiop players like Ronaldhino and most of them do the sign of cross when they score or about to enter the field! Hey! Please ban them for doing it!!!

  10. Tuan Syed Hood bin Syed Edros [Parit Sulong]:

    “..Saya rasa kecewa di dalam negara Islam, Malaysia ini, kalau saya pergi ke sekolah convent, ada terpampang patung St. Mary di depan sekolah convent…”

    What happened to the stance where we’re so called an Islamic country but not in a theocratic sense ratified by so many? Syed Hamid Albar? DPM? PM?

    See, this is the problem when we think that it’s just a bloody label and it won’t affect [deleted].
    We get goons like these uttering points like so, using it in a theocratic manner,
    Slowly indoctrinating us to think that we are truly, an Islamic country in a theocratic sense.
    When we’re not.

    “..Saya difahamkan ada sekolah-sekolah ini juga ditaja oleh pihak-pihak gereja..”

    I’m sorry.
    Wt is wrong with that?
    Influence?
    Our DPM and other various figures went to missionary schools.
    You don’t see them straying away do you?

    He then defended his case with this:
    “Times have changed and I think that we cannot allow Malays to look at the crosses and statues without any explanation.”

    Then give them [deleted] explanation la.
    Geez!
    What about your extravagant mosques and symbols littered everywhere in our country?
    It’s explained(especially in school). Albeit I don’t agree with it. But we don’t go bitchin’ around and say that they have to be demolished?

    Datuk Haji Mohamad bin Haji Aziz [Sri Gading]:
    “..Hari Raya yang lepas, saya diberitahu oleh seorang bapa, waktu Aidilfitri disambut, sekolah jenis-jenis ini tidak ditutup. Terima kasih.”

    Oh me oh my,
    What about UMNO general assembly during Deepavali?
    I don’t know about this, but what about Islamic schools?
    Are they closed during Gawai? Highly doubt it, Semenanjung doesn’t even celebrate Gawai.
    Now why is that?
    Is Gawai not Malaysian enough to celebrate?
    Not enough dayaks or ibans in west Malaysia?
    Does that make it any less Malaysian to celebrate?
    Not surprising if west Malaysians don’t even know what Gawai is.

  12. i can only ask those clown to shut up and stop raising religion issue in Parlimen…can’t they see that this is dividing our country? few person gain cause suffer to thousands!! if u afraid of cross…dont look at ….if Malays dont want to sing in the school…send to Islamic school…it is so easy…why make all the fuss about it? btw like mention, he is not original Malays…just a convertion..a convertion can have such influence..no wonder many those gomen convert…Islam teaching is a good teaching which stated tolerance of other religion …but seem that he is not reading his Islam teaching well enough to notice it..

  13. time have changed???
    they know, but they prefer to think of something else.

    sudah 50 tahun merdeka, kaum kaum lain diketepikan.
    sudah 50 tahun merdeka, kaum kaum lain masih di cop pendatang, sedangkan yang datang kemudian di cop bumiputra.
    sudah 50 tahun merdeka, kaum kaum lain terpaksa membeli rumah dengan harga yang lebih.
    sudah 50 tahun merdeka, kaum kaum lain terpaksa tunduk pada kemahuan BN UMNO.
    sudah 50 tahun merdeka, kaum kaum lain telah di tipu dan di permainkan.

    kaum kaum lain tidak minat dengan kerenah BN UMNO bersama ketuananya, maupun NEP.
    yang buat bising selalu, BN UMNO!
    yang memekik racist, BN UMNO!
    yang buat provocation, BN UMNO!
    yang buat membazir, BN UMNO!
    yang buat cabaran pada kaum kaum lain, BN UMNO!
    yang buat lesap, BN UMNO!
    yang buat tak tahu, BN UMNO!
    yang di buat bodoh, BN MCA, MIC dll….

  15. It is a case of stupid and unthinking intolerance of Muslim MPs.
    What is the problem of having crosses in the school or even on the school badge. Does it not harm anyone? A good reason must be given for crosses to be taken out of school badges and schools.

    For MPs such as these, the action the people must take is not to vote them in the next election. Raise what they have said as election issues in their constituencies where they are standing.

  17. What ever happened to the minds of a number of leaders in this country, for instead of growing in tandem and evolving with worldly develpoments over the past 50 years, theirs have become shrunken via their extreme narrow-mindedness, simplistic thinking, and idiotic untimely outbursts!
    I believe that the evolutionist Charles Darwin would have had a challenging time studying this type of human individual, which is found in the arena of kampong style politics, and concluded that they are indeed a unique species that has stood still as time pased by.

  18. As a Chinese saying goes, 挂羊头，卖狗肉, which means doing something different from what you preach.

    This is very bad, and we actually no much different from Afghanistan’s demolishing Buddhist statues.

  19. Unless it has escape everyone else notices but as of now, there has been NO rebukes from any leaders of UMNO nor from the other component parties that make up “Be End”.

    The quiet majority ???

    By keeping quiet, i take it that the suggestion is ok with them?

    Not doing anything is doing something.

  22. I thought sedition has no protection even in parliament. It appears to me that he is trying to generate a case that these schools are being managed by agents outside the country and that the building of suraus need approval from these agents. Notice too the use of “saya difahamkan” and “saya diberitahu”.
    I am disappointed that the Christian MPs did not stand up and correct the perception.
    Do I hear the de facto minister of law saying that these 2 will be charged under sedition act?

  24. Hello Uncle Kit and All

    Have been reading all these comments about Mother Mary.
    Please refer to the details below about Mother Mary from the Quran

    A key female character in the Quran is Mary, the mother of Jesus and surah 19 is named after her:

    When she was delivered, she said: “O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!” – and God knew best what she brought forth – “And not wise is the male like the female. I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected.” [Qur’an 3:34]

    God sent Gabriel to Mary to give her tidings of a son:

    ‘Behold! the angels said: “O Mary! God giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to God;”‘ [Qur’an 3:45]

    The scripture also states that the conception of Jesus by Mary was miraculous:

    ‘She said: “O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man hath touched me?” He said: “Even so: God createth what He willeth: When He hath decreed a plan, He but saith to it, ‘Be,’ and it is!”‘ [Qur’an 3:47]

    “Mary the daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; and she testified to the truth of the words of her Lord and of His Revelations, and was one of the devout (servants).” [Qur’an 66:12]

    Mary is especially revered by many Muslims, and she is praised much by the Quran:

    “Behold! the angels said: ‘O Mary! God hath chosen thee and purified thee – chosen thee above the women of all nations.'” [Qur’an 3:42]

  25. This bunch of “Katak’s” and Clowns have nothing else more important to do for this country other then ONLY look into religious matters!
    Like posted above..just becoz 1 Muslim student in Chinese school..they gonna ban pork!
    So stupid la..send la your children to govt or some taliban conducted school..or to Kelantan !Oh ya..what about International Schools where the VIP’s children attend?What about University’s in Australia/US/Canada and other places where MARA sends thier students..are they sponsors and run by TALIBAN like U?

  27. YB Lim, isn’t there more pertinent and urgent issues to be raised up in parliament?

    The Cross and images; why do you feel so threatened Mr Syed Hood?

    What has the Cross done to you, to your youths and to society? I am absolutely certain none of the Mat Rempit ended there because of the Cross.

  28. This is why our nation is wasting money doing unnecessary things, when Umnoputras do things and have ideas totally against the principle of a united multiracial and multicultural nation. There is no unity in diversity as Umnoputras are totally against diversity.

    Why waste money, time, and energy to organise ‘National Service’ with the pretence of allowing young people of different races to come together, interact, share, and understand each other? Already we have so many practices that divide our people, from as young as when they are 12 years old.

    As a nation, we are wasting so much of our time and energy on negative issues, one after another. How to move forward? One step forward and two steps back.

    This is December 2007. Just sit back and think about the last 11 months. How many positive ‘feel good’ events or issues you can think of? How many negative ‘fed up’ events or issues you can think of?

    At the rate crosses are eliminated from Malaysia, very soon travel agents will be organising trips to Singapore for some of our residents to see crosses or to celebrate Christmas – a boost to Singapore’s tourism!

  29. Who’s stirring religious sentiments now?

    “Saya difahamkan Lembaga Pengarah di sekolah-sekolah ini sebahagiannya ditadbir dari gereja-gereja di luar negara seperti di Vatican City”

    Oh, please….haven’t they heard of fund raising before? Do these schools need to get funds from the Vatican City? Never have I heard such nonsense coming from a such closed minded person. I’m a proud to say I’m was from a mission school & we didn’t need the Vatican City to keep the school afloat.

    Surprisingly, my school was one of these mission schools in the area highly sought after by parents to send their children, regardless of their religions due to the fact that it was one of the best school around, academically speaking. Well-to-do families sent their children there despite there were some private schools around the area. Definitely, there were no singing of christian hymms, even though there’s a cross outside of the school hall, and never did I hear any conversions to christianity by muslim students by simply looking at the cross! And never did I hear about these students becoming a christian simply because they studied in mission schools!

    It boggles the mind what these leaders were really thinking when they said what they said. Another cheap publicity stunt?

  32. Isn’t it funny that these 2 MPs brought up this matter just about when the christians are about to celebrate Christmas? Well, they have already picked on Hindus just when they were about to celebrate Deepavali…what next, the Buddhists? Beware, never pick on Muslims, cos they are overly “sensitive” :)

    Don’t they have anything else more productive to say in parliment?

    So, in UMNO’s terms, this is what we call “nation building”….

  33. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/12/5/parliament/19669655&sec=parliament

    This article just bugs me way too much. I’m a proud student of St David’s high School. The fact that those two MPs even brought such an issue up is unthinkable. This is a direct violation to our constitution which states that we’re free to practice our own religion so long as we don’t preach to the Malays (Currently studying Pengajian Am in Form 6, so yea, have to know these things).

    If their faith in our government has waivered, if they disagree with our constitution, they should just hand in their resignation! Missionary school’s aren’t fully aided and rely on themselves and the church to finance any undertakings. So by demolishing these statues, these emblems and symbols of the cross and so on, wouldn’t you think it best that the government just buy over ALL the missionary schools and turn them to government schools? This will only show the narrow mindedness of our government and affect the way other countries look at us.

    I love my school, and I know a lot of people from other races, including Malays and Indians who love the school. So what exactly is the problem of having these symbols of religion on school grounds? We are after all under the aid of the church.

    And FYI, in my 5 years there, we’ve never had the cross anywhere on our badges, the only crosses you’ll ever see is in the chapel of the school.

  34. Can someone please inform the investors from Intel/AMD/DELL and a long list of MNCs here in Malaysia, this is how OUR SUPER INTELLIGENT MPs and LAWMAKERS speak in Parliament. Take their business elsewhere, cuase Malaysian lawmakers will destroy and disrespect others religion !

    After all, “If you don’t like it, you can leave!”

    BTW. If I don’t like it, I can VOTE YOU OUT too, brudder.

  38. 2 actions proposed:

    Action from all of us — since UMNO dont like the cross, lets not putting a cross to BN in next election.

    Action for YB LKT — please check whether there is 666 on this joker’s head, I heard only devil hate cross.

  40. This drive, if I could characterize it as such, to help Malays said to be suffering in some unknown ways from the sight of religious icons like crosses etc does not appear to be constitutional as it clearly goes against Article 11 of the Federal COnstitution of 1957.

    It is true no one is being prevented from practicing his or her religion in such cases. But what about the spirit of the Constitution which protects the rights of non-Muslims to practice their own religion?

  41. To the MP from Parit Sulong

    who says “Times have changed and I think that we cannot allow Malays to look at the crosses and statues without any explanation.”

    Times may have changed according to you but our Federal Constitution of 1957 Article 11 has not. Did you explain this to your constituents?

  42. 50 years of islamisation! UMNO had been competing with PAS to see who is more Islam. They had not only remove crosses, they had changed the name of a school at Bandar Hilir, Melaka, from Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus to Infant Jesus Canvent.

  43. It’s time for the opposition parties leaders to “unite” and fight against BN. Please compile all the reasons for not voting BN. Please list out all of the reasons for us to spread through our own network of friends and colleagues. Be quick.

  44. What 48 hours? saylah 2 days. You think me scarred? what can you do? in 48 hours so many things will happened and you will be busy with other issues.

    My beloved leader will select me to stand another election so why worry? No issuelah..don’t stir religious sentiment!

    wink wink..

    p.s. do you think I got the qualification to be a BN MP?

  47. These are the characters equipped with’x-ray’ eyes, especially when they see the female form. The images sent through these eyes have only pictures they had already perceived; they would not see reality because their brains whatever their contents, can see only what they have been dreaming day-in and day-out. So don’t be surprised by all the utterances that come out of the spouts. They are certainly incoherent to all normal thinking people. Don’t lose sleep over such trivial minds. The more such minds continue to be ‘owned’ by them, the faster they become irrelevant in the ‘flat’ world. Leave them to their ‘semi-round’ shell so that they can hibernate not only in winter but throgh all the moons that come by.

  48. Shame on them, But as usual they don’t know what is shame. Saying things like this will only breed hatred among Malaysian. We must really VOTE THEM OUT! No Matter what it takes. We cant afford to let our children to suffer all the pains made by the BN’s Crooks. Guys, the TIME has arrived to use your vote wisely. Malaysia still has hope. never give up Keep up the good fight! Uncle Lim can do it, Lim goh tong can do it, Kevin rudd Can do it why not us?

  51. The issue involving the many Hindu temples scattered all over the rubber estates and private land represents a serious problem to both – the devotees who regard any demolition of the temples as desecration, and to the owners of such lands who rightly believe that they have rights, that there are laws which have to be complied with.

    Unfortunately for those who had been allowed to set up shrines during colonial times because it suited the interest of the plantation owners then, ownership of many of these estates has passed hands to government-linked organizations if not the government itself – through the process of land acquisition under the Land Acquisition Act so that roads and other public amenities could be built. As is always the case in such cases whenever there is a conflict between private and public interest, it has to weigh in favor of public interest. There can be no dispute to that.

    What is disputed however is the government’s handling of issues involving houses of worship of non-Muslims generally – and, specifically those facing dislocation because the structures were illegal to begin with and had been built on land which today would also have to be gazetted for it to be legal. It need not be overemphasized that the practice of having it gazetted is for planning purposes and not for the purpose of restricting the right of non-Muslims to practice their religion – a right guaranteed by our Federal Constitution of 1957 under Article 11.

    The growing Islamization of a country long regarded exemplary among Muslin countries, and the world because of the brand of moderate Islam it practices, should have put the non-Muslim and non-Malay minorities on notice that the UMNO dominated government no longer regards the ‘soft’ approach as being tenable because as one MP from Parit Sulong puts it, “We cannot allow Malays to look at the crosses and statues without any explanation,” that many of them are demanding to know why they need to put up with the un-Islamic presence of structures in a country two of their Prime Ministers have repeatedly told them is an Islamic country.

    I do not believe this time though that it is politically motivated. PAS is not about to take over the country and the Opposition cannot agree on key issues. Their ability to form a working coalition and then run a government is still very much untried and untested. I believe there is a real change in attitudes – though not the law.

    It is not altogether irrelevant to ask whether events of September 11 have something to do with it, and whether the law is not being used to legitimize ad hoc demolition of temples and houses of worship which are non-Muslim seemingly to accommodate the wider public interest.

    Or simply because it is the inevitable consequence of the failure of leadership.

    One could only hope or even pray that it is the latter.

  52. The MP for Parit Sulong said, “Times have changed and I think that we cannot allow Malays to look at the crosses and statues without explanation.” That is an outrageously foolish and unacceptable answer. It proves that the MP for Parit Sulong is not just shallow-minded, but has lack of tolerance and respect for other people’s religion and tradition. What appals me is that if the Ministry of Education has no problem about it, why should anyone else bother?

    “Times have changed and I think that we cannot allow Malays to look at the crosses and statues without explanation.” Likewise, can we say that we cannot allow the non-Malays to look at the crescent moon, the dome and the minarets without explanation? What a display of ignorance some of the MPs are showing!

    We don’t even know if the country is an Islamic or secular country. Many politicians claim this is a secular country, but personally, I think otherwise. More and more regulations and projects seem to me are gearing up towards turning Malaysia into an Islamic country. So, other religions are neglected huh?

    Don’t bother defending yourself, Tuan Syed Hood! The more you defend, the worse your predicament. You are not garnering any respect or reverence, but humiliation and hatred.

    But, since you’ve even bothered to make such comments and defensive statements, I guess you couldn’t be bothered less.

  54. I have just read Raja Petra’s article: http://www.malaysia-today.net/nuc2006/index.php?itemid=833

    I would agree with him. There is more than meets the eye. We have to share this with a lot of our friends, muslims and non-muslims.

    What kind of psychology game play the government is doing on us. This is herd mentality. Social psychology at play.

    If we play to their game plan – all will be lost. All of us shall be ending up fighting each other and mistrust each other.

  55. I’m a student(Upper Six) from Methodist Boys’ Secondary School,Kuala Lumpur.Just read in The Sun 5 December 2007 where the name of my school appeared,so I would like to share something in common with this topic.Let me get it started with my school’s history(it’s for you Tuan Syed Hood bin Syed Edros [Parit Sulong])

    “If I were asked…wherein lies your greatness,I would answer by saying you have set a great example for all Malaya,in a city where the great races of Asian – the Malays, the Chinese and the Indians – can study together, can play together ,can worship God together in racial harmony” Rev Preston L Peach,1958.(Taken from MBS Centenary Commemorative Book)

    Preston L Peach was my school’s principal from 1914 to 1948(in some years between the years stated above he left and came in back as principal),BUT it doesn’t matter who really studys in a missionary school,as long as all the children from various races can grow up and learn in a school together.

    My school,MBSKL used to have a badge with a CROSS below the words of MBS,which when it was removed,the differences of the old badge and the current badge of MBS is really OBVIOUS!MBS started to use the CROSS before 31 Aug 1957,which I believe(as an Archive Authority vice-president) the usage of the CROSS in MBS badge was in 1930s.BUT in 1980,the CROSS was removed from the badge,due to Govenment’s decision in which where Malaysia is developing into an Islamic state.The withdrawal of MBS CROSS is like the withdrawal of the entire school’s history from the MBS!Many Old Boys of MBS expressed unhappiness towards the withdrawal.AND OVERALL,WE LOST AN IDENTITY!Although I’m not a Christian,BUT I’m MBS history lover.My father studied in MBS in the 1960s and represented the school in cycling.His school badge and his MBS Cycling Club T Shirt was with the CROSS that I’m still keeping it today to remember him(departed on 1 November 2007).My grandfather,Cheong Yew Mun,relative of the late well known philanthropist Mr Cheong Yoke Choy(who donated to MBS too in 1910s) was a student in MBS too in the 30s.All of us have gone through the doors of MBS,but I’m the unlucky one who gone through the school with having a view on the MBS CROSS(the school is without the CROSS now).

    We are so upset that the CROSS isn’t with the school anymore.AND there’s a Member of Parliament called Tuan Syed Hood bin Syed Edros raised up this matter again to bring us nuisance.I really wonder how the people of Parit Sulong elected him to bring up this sensitive issue in the Parliament?A graduate from International Islamic University in law?Getting the trust of the people of Parit Sulong to get into the Parliament just to raise up this issue?With the backing of your law knowledge from International Islamic University?Vatican City controls the Roman Catholic and doesn’t control Protestant(MBS),Although I’m not a Christian,BUT I still know the common knowledge.Where else,the elected MP for Parit Sulong knows nothing except talking crap(not just simple crap,it’s baseless crap)And MBS built the surau just for the Malays as MBS really understand the needs of Malay students in MBS,where else some MP for Parit Sulong knows nothing.My school assembly doesn’t start with Christian hymms.We start with Negaraku(because we are still patriotic to the country eventhough it’s a majority Muslims country)The Malay parents who sent their children to the missionary school SHOULD ALREADY EXPECT THAT if it’s a missionary school,everything conducted there will be based on missionary standards.They CANNOT EXPECT 1000 students,900 of them who aren’t Muslims followed the Muslims to “baca doa” during assembly.Then the part in the Federal Constitution which stated there everyone in Malaysia have their rights to embrace any religions should be removed beacuse it’s giving us FALSE HOPE!AND MBS got the funds to build buildings from the public,not from the Government!Hereby I sincerely ask,Mr Lim Kit Siang,I hope this comment really helps your debate in the Dewan Rakyat.DEFEND THE RIGHTS OF THE NON MUSLIMS IN THE COUNTRY!

  56. “the bloggers and opposition are playing up this issue. the opposition is out for a cheap publicity” lucia
    _______________________________________________________
    Sound very familiar. O yes, I remember this is from a CD played at every MCA or Gerakan meeting.

  58. Many Muslims hold the same view as these 2 MPs.

    Decades of Islamic extremism and fundamentalism are doing enormous permanent and long term damage to a peaceful multi religious country.

    This is direct result of decades of unchecked and uncontrolled religious extremism and damaging politics of religion…..there is no quick fix.

  59. “The two UMNO MPs are given 48 hours to apologise for their baseless, misleading and offensive statements in Parliament casting adverse reflection on the contribution and loyalty of mission schools to Malaysia or a motion to refer them to committee of privileges will be tabled next week”

    Some Machiavellian force is at work. They have chosen these 2 MPs whose terms as MP will not be ‘renewed’ to bell the cat, to speak on a subject that will incense the non-Malays, thereby trying to “unite the malays (RPK’s thesis). Whatever it is, this government is guilty of neglect and the unbridled spawning of contentious and disruptive issues particularly by the camp that is ‘anti-PM’ like Rustam Ali??? Why? It seems more like an attempt to destabilise the government under AAB. The ends justify the means. The surest way seems to be to create racial and religious strife. The loss of a substantial % of electotral votes will stir dissent in UMNO and they will go for the jugular & ask for Pak Lah’s scalp. The reverse effect can also happen: to create fear and anxiety as a result of such an impending change, causing the people to vote for Pak ALh instead of ‘voting in Najib’ (presumably the ‘greater evil’) by default if Pak Lah is dethroned!

    WHatever it is, there is more than meets the eye. It’s insidious, contemptible and unconscionable. It seems the nation and the peoples’ peace is being parlayed and sacrificed on the altar of ambition by irreponsible and mad political nuts.

    These are other reasons why Malaysia is unquestioningly fourth-world; too much damned politiccking by hateful and malevolent barbarians who would ‘murder their fathers’ for the throne.

  60. Whatever it may be, it’s high time that after 50 years the opposition must be given a chance to crack the whip. UMNO and BN has become a monster of uncontrollable proportions that will cause MAlaysia to implode.

    Vote PKR, DAP and PAS in the next GE.

  61. “What kind of psychology game play the government is doing on us. This is herd mentality. Social psychology at play.” Jonny

    I cannot say I disagree with Petra’s post-mortem analysis of the situation. I think the HINDRAF demonstration is what the fractured UMNO leadership needed to unite the factions – the ‘pro-Abdullah’ faction and the ‘pro-Najib’ faction and, of course, the fence sitters waiting in the wings to find which way the wind blows before they commit ink to paper. If ever the Opposition had a single political strategy, letting the HINDRAF organizers go it alone, is a colossal mistake which probably cost the Opposition the elections and frustrate voters who now think voting would be an exercise in futility and may take time off to go fishing come elections.

    Politics is all about perception and the perception among the Malays, right or wrong, post-HINDRAF is that it was an anti-Malay rally meant to send a message not just to the UMNO leadership but the Malay community be they supporters of PKR, Parti Socialis Rakyat or PAS. Anybody watching the demonstration on TV see men in blue being almost exclusively Malays and those ‘rioting’ being Indians. The Hang Tuah in the average Malay ever the loyal follower rather than the Hang Jebat, the rebel without a cause emerges and guess what? Hang Tuah wins.

    The Anwar factor? Anwar is long DOA (dead on arrival) and as a factor could be discounted. He is a veteran politician and a charismatic leader – no doubt about it. He also suffers from a split personality – ever ready to take the left turn as much as the right whenever it suits him rather than drive the straight road. He is the Hillary Clinton of Malaysia flip-flopping in his Made-in-Malaysia Japanese slippers.

    Like Raja Petra said UMNO now does not need to do a May !3th but just the thought of it rather than the threat, would be enough to send Malays deserting their opposition bases and making a bee line back to UMNO.

    MANY HAPPY RETURNS.

  62. Malay community had always been very political and politics is a way of life.

    In view of the many problems facing the country eg. corruption, gross excesses and abuses, crime, widening gap between rich and poor , brain drain, discrimination and etc., the well infomed people need to know whether people from all races is coming forward to resolve the problems and place national interests first.

  63. Because there are Muslims in the Catholic and Methodist Schools we have to destroy Statues of our Idols?!! What monstorsity act is this!! The amount of anger of this act instilled in the population will not be unnoticed!!

    And also, because there are Muslims, air hostresses have to change their uniforms?! We can cearly see how tyrannicle this country has become!!

    Our vote must not go invain for this election, we will bring them the message!!!

  64. These are plain UMNO plot to cause disunity among Malaysian. Thus, causing votes to swing and simple play aroung the results.
    Every time when GE is around the corner , these kind of remarks will appear ..
    You know la .. they need the Malays votes ..
    And the best thing, this trick always work into their favours…
    Ketuanan subject are power tools especially in the rural areas..
    That’s why most of the BN key MPs played their bets out there.

  65. Irrespective of the narrow, divisive and damaging politics of BN UMNO to win election, it is utmost important for well informed people of all races and religions to put politics aside and vote for what is good in the national interest for their future generations and the country.

  66. YB Lim, just excuse me before this thing distract our focus.

    The DAP ADUN in Kuching is raising many hot issues in the local assembly. Some of these issues were the favourite of SUPP in their long forgotten days, but just like MCA, the SUPP is not better than “…sit, boy, sit…good boy.” (Sound like MCA)

    Kuching is just like KL now. Frustration at the ground level. Don’t be surprised if more sensitive issues are raised by UMNO to draw the collective support of their traditional voters. For DAP, please keep your cool, don’t fall into their trap.

  67. Whatever they say is not seditious but whatever others say is not only seditious but also lies.This is the very sad and bleak state we are in caused by the arrogance and the highhandedness of the Umoputras.If the two idiots do not withdraw and apologise for what they said,the government should stop labelling Malaysia as a multireligious country and truly Asia.They should instead call themselves ala taliban and admit they are hypocritical.

  68. Must be the holy Jihad time again. The question is – how close is the BN members to the Taliban ? Afterall, they did blow up historical sites that they did not like and our UNMO ministers are sounding like the Taliban. Remember, they did kill Malaysian in 9/11

  69. Today the narrow-minded Umnoputras are after crosses and statues in the Christian faith, tomorrow they will be after statues of other religious faiths, like the Hindu, Buddhist, etc. Beware, the statues up in Air Itam hills, Penang!

    Why and when did Malaysians allow such narrow-mindedness go down the slippery slope of religious fanatism? We used to be a nation proud to be known for its religious and cultural diversities and tolerance.

  70. Religious tolerance in Malaysia is about kafirs tolerating everything about Islam but for Muslims not to tolerate other religions. Non-Muslims tolerate just about everything from loud speaker blaring Islamic prayers, bending backwards to make sure food is halal…but the other side couln’d tolerate the sight of a cross?

  72. I had publish this commenteries on other blog and I humbly seek your kind permission to publish it here if YB Kit deemed fit an uninflamatory as this is nothing new.

    I condemned any hate agitation by all sides of creed. But remember, Salman Rushdie’s “The Satanic Verses”, every sprinkle of mud on the globe Moslems stepped on, they rose in unision in ‘fatwa’ or mere protest (for the moderates) recriminating the call by one Iranian radical Islamic Fundamentalists for Salman’s head. Another anology was the Danish cartoonist who depicted a caricatureof Muhammad (the highest Prophet in Quran) as a murderous entity sanctioning the killnigs of infidels and promissing of 72 virgins. The cartoonists even went to hiding under bounty death threats.

    But when one Iranian President spouted “Isreal must be wiped off the map”, no Moslems life went under any threats. Other religion other than Islam are mostly matured enough to takecriticisms even mockeries and insults within the framework of civilized debate. The emblems of Christians, Jesus Christ were even mocked from time to time even from singer like Madonna and u never hear a Christian called an end to the singer’s life.

    And Dan Brown’s controversial movie “Da Vinci Code” based on a highly controversial novel in debunking Jesus Christ as “Son Of GOD” according to the canonicality of Christian beliefs as recorded in the Bible, the Vatican sprung up in condemnation against the movie and Dan Brown, but no life threats were uttered on Mr. Brown’s safety.

    When the moderates are silent as the extremist are at work against other creed, it denotes of what Eric Hofer wrote “Power corrupts the few, weakness corrupts the many”. This applies to race as well wherever merited any mention.

  73. As I sad, Why the “deafening silence” from AAB (Prime Minister)? Isn’t this the very reason why your damage control is taking so much of your time? Are you, Prime Minister in agreement with Mr Syed Hood?

    And Mr Najib (Deputy Prime Minister), why did you call Mr Devamany but not Mr Syed? How had Devamany’s (MIC) comments be more harmful than Mr Syed’s (UMNO)?

    Why is the silence from the “bodoh, bodoh..” minister? Why the silence from Inf. Minister after spreading all his hatred to students in Egypt?

  74. THIS IS TOOOOOOO MUCH! Umno MPs had gone overboard!. Rakyat ( Malays, Chinese, Indians, Sabah/Sarawak ppl ) live together without much problem. Most rakyat are not happy with the current gov. Umno wants to divert rakyat attentions to racial problems and create “ketakutan”. This is only way for them to win and remain in power. If they label HINDRAF as racist, then what we have to label UMNO???

    I belief in my religion, thats why I love and respect other religions. If you are true follower of a religion then start love all human and respect all religion. NO RELIGION ASK YOU TO KILL ANOTHER HUMAN BECAUSE EVERYBODY ARE GOD’S CHILDREN.
    AND REMEMBER GOD IS WATCHING WHAT YOU ARE DOING. YOU WILL SUFFER FOR YOUR SINS

  76. Excuse me, can someone tell me, none of the local City Councils, MPs, Ministers, DPM & PM plus their families not being to overseas for conferences, meetings and holidays before??? The high profile government officers, Ministers, DPM & PM never went to Western Countries, where Christianity is the country’s official religion??? Or they are selective “Cross-Blinded” and can’t see any Cross and/or Churches while in overseas? Something wrong with their eye vision??

    If they are so worry about the Cross, why building a sport complex in London, where you can see Cross and Churches everywhere? If that the case, why not build the sport complex in Turkey where 99% of the population is Muslim!

  77. Well can the learned UMNO BN MPs please enlighten the rest of us what do they pray to in Kaaba in Mecca?
    They should do soul searching before opening their gap and causing problems.
    As whats in air now, it looks like they, UMNO, have “tiada modal” ideas on how to rule this country wisely. They’re trying the old tested method of divide & rule.

  78. These fellas have nothing else to voice, no substance and no more facts. They are there just to mark attendance and get their allowances. They have consciously overlooked over their backyards and backsides. Just take a look at the programme 360 degrees, and EXPOSE’ and leave you to draw your own conclusions if you are following these programmes.

    You got mat rempits, punks, drug addicts, illicit sex, incests, babies thrown away by unwed mothers, bosias etc and where do they come from and from which category.

    Why go cross=swords with the cross when their own religion and if they have professed it, is in dire straits and at stake. They should be looking at themselves at the mirror and cleaning up their own backyard before cleaning up other people’s backyard.

    Have they so soon forgotten the PM’s speech about the government being tolerant to all other religions and cultures or have they taken the PM’s speech as just a SOUND OF MUSIC.

    Hey you Robin Hood, hooded guys talk sense and I wonder whether both of you have studied the Quran and the Hadith and our Prophet’s tolerance to other religions and practices and cultures.

    READ THE HOLY QURAN AND THE HADITH and Mengucap HOOOOi before it is too late.

    I remember a Muslim guy who used to talk arrogantly like these two hooded guys but He lasted only a month when he came down with cancer of the prostrate and lungs and suffered a painful and excruciating death.

    Pay attention to the social ills of today affecting our own younger generation which is a volatile volcano and if it erupts GOD HELP US ALL. AIDS FOR THAT MATTER.

  80. What wrong with Malaysia? Why some have to suffer to made other happy?, why some have to lose so that the other win? It seem like it is either you die or I will, to eat or be eaten, is this the way we should live? A survival game? Ultimately only one can win this race? Hmmm we can choose to survive as a whole, we can choose to enrich everybody, government is bad, MP is bad, rotten and smelly from years of neglect, time for change, change gomen, change MP, change the system that choose the leader, change is painful, change is disruptive, just like the fire before the rebirth, rakyat choose the leader, leader change the way for better, demonstrate people power, ask for changes, insist on changes, advocate for changes, it now or never, give me freedom or give me death, be sure and firm to want changes, this round the 12th election let the people speak! Leave the old and bad for the better. Come what MAY.

  81. Long term solution, I have begin a R&D in to a LCD Glasses that can either digitally blank out or convert any cross symbol to the desire symbol the user require to see, the system is quite cheap, initial testing report back that users are happy that their faith is heal although some them die of a horrible accident due to temporary lost of sight but all of them are in heaven now, the result justify the mean anyway.lol ehh oh ya I need more volunteer to complete my R&D, any takers?.

  82. We are witnessing history in the making, where the transformation of what started by TDM, when he unilaterally declared Malaysia is an Islamic State. Now the process has progressed further in this country where it is being hijacked by extremist (more like Taliban) in UMNO.
    Try making such remark but interchange the words Crescent for Cross, we will see the whole Moslem’s world will riot and take to the street to express their anger and calling for someone head to roll.
    No wonder, the rest of the world look down on these type of Moslem – the type depicted by UMNO.

  83. I understand why these 2 MPs want crosses & statues of saints be removed. It’s because malays are such weak muslims that even looking at these religious symbols will cause them to convert from islam.

  84. “Times have changed and I think that we cannot allow Malays to look at the crosses and statues without explanation.”

    Dulu, u boleh tengok Jogek.
    Sekarang u tak boleh tengok salib Kristian. Lain kali u tak boleh tengok Buddha. Betul? Apa lagi?
    What the faxyk! Then don’t proclaim Malaysia, Truly Asia!
    What a shame. What hypocrite bigots! Claim yourself as tolerant?

  85. Hi all, every time the GE comes near there bound to be racial slur and religions issues cropped out from the ruling MPs. Don’t you think there is a conpiracy thoery going on here ? UMNO is trying to lure the malays back to their fold using these issues. Don’t fool by them again !

  86. Dear Malaysians!!
    Destroying Temples, Removal of Crosses from Missionary Schools, Hospitals & Churches, Body snatching, Morality Police & Snoop squads—–sounds Familiar???Welcome to MALAYSIA-THE LAND OF THE NEW TALIBANS!!!Our PM is the new HADHARI MULLAH of the UMNO-TALIBANS.
    Malaysians of all faiths must REJECT the TALI-BN-ISING of the Country in the coming Elections.
    Vote Out the UMNO TALIBANS for the future of our next generation!!!

  87. I thought only devil afraid of crosses….but now ….seems like…….

    There are stories that vampire(or ‘pontianak’ ) would appear when there is a full moon…. maybe a crescent will do too……….

  88. this is utter nonsense!!!i’ve studied in a missionary school my whole life.so what if there r crosses here n thr?MY muslim friends certainly do not seem to mind.THEY APPLIED to a missionary school.they should know what to expect.after all, convent schools have been in msia for ages..besides,they haf a choice of whr they would like to study.the government decides which student goes where.so IF it’s suh a big deal, why dump the student in a convent school in d 1st place??there r MANY christian students waiting to get into a missionary school but can’t.our government representatives certainly seem very BACKWARD in their thinking!

  89. Religions in Malaysia are pretty much “ceremonial”, external things that are shown to others. Not only one religion but most of them. Prayer is read aloud so that others hear it, including the use of big loudspeakers, burning big joss sticks, building house of worship, and the list is endless. Each religion is trying to “out do” one another. There is nothing much being emphasized on the “internal” part of religion… kind of sad.
    When you say that, hey, if the religion is so good, why there are so many cases of incest, rape, bohsia, etc.. Oh, that’s the people’s problem not the religion. To me, if the religion cannot change people’s mind on morality, it is basically useless. Morality law can be enforced, of course, but anyone can just draft such law. However, a “true” religion should be one that can influence people to uphold morality, not forcing it down the throat.
    A religion that is immediately “weakened” with the sight of cross or statues, hymms, is just a religion having identity crisis, and suffering from inferiority complex. So, the followers always feel the needs to do something to “uplift” its image. Two ways, first by doing something within the religion itself, for instance, buiding house of worships bigger that others, second by intidimating other religions. This is a very common human behaviour. See, when they build a house of worship bigger than others, it is always taking other religion as a reference. So basically, these people are living under the shadow of other religions. Again, ask yourself, your iman can be easily shaken by a mere mention of other religion, then please continue to burrow your head in the sand.
    By the way, St. Mary is also Siti Mariam … menghina dan memperlekehkan bonda (ibu) kepada nabi ?

  90. Not so long ago (well, quite long ago for some), mission schools were established for missionary purposes with education as the vehicle. This is a fact. (Ref: Gospel of Matthew 28.19-20).

    However, in my 14 years experience in the mission school as a student, the Christian faith was not forced unto anybody.

    Then came the effort to nationalise the school (sekolah kebangsaan). Gradually all the schools were transformed to be like national schools and missionary purposes were no longer on the agenda. Today, my school is no longer recognisable.

    Therefore, wherein lies the threat to Muslim students? It by looking at statues, they can get converted, it only shows the shallowness of their Muslim foundation.

  92. Does anyone know that every 20th American president died at the White House? Check the history and see.

    This is because the US government has not been fair to the native Red Indians and the Red Indians cursed the US government.

    The power of curse and prayers are so powerful that it could bring a nation down.

    Saddam Hussein was cursing Israel and the Jewish. In the end he was hanged and the country of Iraq now in chao. The reason is anti semitic would bring curse from the God. As recorded in Bible that God has blessed all decendents of Abraham (Jewish).

    Seek justice and direction from the God peacefully is just enough and powerful.

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