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In just 9 months, Najib’s 1Malaysia slogan facing most critical test – all top political party leaders must condemn the spate of church attacks in the wake of the “Allah controversy” and ensure no further escalation

What many Malaysians had feared would happen and which the Prime Minister and Home Minister had discounted with their far-from-responsible stances – the exploitation of the “Allah” controversy by irresponsible and extremist elements – have unfortunately come to pass.

All top political party leaders should take a common stand to condemn in the strongest possible terms the spate of church attacks in the wake of the “Allah” controversy and ensure that there is no further escalation.

As Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak should immediately impress on the Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to take all urgent and necessary measures to protect the good name of the country or be held responsible for any undesirable consequences.

In just nine months, Najib’s 1Malaysia slogan is facing its most critical test as its very credibility is at stake.

Malaysia also cannot afford further adverse international publicity over the “Allah” controversy, which would only aggravate Malaysia’s declining international competitiveness if there is escalation of deplorable incidents by irresponsible and extremist elements like the spate of church attacks.

101 Replies to “In just 9 months, Najib’s 1Malaysia slogan facing most critical test – all top political party leaders must condemn the spate of church attacks in the wake of the “Allah controversy” and ensure no further escalation”

  2. Malaysia is turning into Pakistan faster than I thought. Najib, Hishamuddin, Syed Hamid Albar, & Khir Toyo should be held responsible for this atrocity.

    Dear people of Sabah & Sarawak!

    WAKE UP! Stop supporting damn evil regime UMNO! What is your pro-UMNO leaders are saying about this matter? Why are they silence?

    [deleted]

    Support Pakatan Rakyat!

    After banning “Allah” from the Church, they will stop PAS from using the word “Islam.” They have tried to do that in the past but did not succeed. This time they will succeed. I am glad PAS is wise enough not to fall into UMNO’s dirty tricks.

  4. Obama took the blame for shortcomings that led to a failed Christmas Day bombing plot, saying “the buck stops with me.”

    Which bolehland minister is willing to take the blame for the spate of church attacks?

  6. It’s sad & unfortunate that those irresponsible and extremist elements had chosen to target churches in the Klang Valley area where it is unlikely that church services are conducted in Bahasa Malaysia.
    Hopefully, there are no such irresponsible and extremist elements in Sabah & Sarawak where church services are conducted in Bahasa Malaysia for the past 130 years (as according to a government minister from Sabah).

  8. Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak shares the view of his Home Minister cousin Hishammuddin Hussein that Muslims are free to protest and express their views against a court decision allowing the Catholic weekly Herald to use “Allah” as God’s name. – 7 Jan 2010.

    Attack on the Metro Tabernacle church, part of a Pentecostal group called The Assemblies of God, gutted its administrative office on the ground floor. A Catholic church in Petaling Jaya also came under attack but the homemade device failed to explode. – Early Morning 8 Jan 2010.

    Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has condemned the attacks on the three churches in the Klang Valley. – Afternoon 8 Jan 2010.

    ————————————–

    WTF, Najib, don’t you think it’s too late?

  9. Those involved in the burning of churches in Klang valley are obviously not Muslims.

    I don’t think Islam teaches them to burn churches!

    And, knock, knock, MCA & Gerakan, any body home?

  10. As someone pointed out, no matter what they do to the Church, the christians are not going to react strongly.

    That is not the worry.

    But if it can happen to church, it can happen to temples. If it can happen in religious places, it can happen to other places too such as schools. community places etc. THAT will explode and beyond control..

  14. I am disappointed in Kerismuddin. He could have taken a much stronger stance than to just say that it is OK to demonstrate against infidels using the “A” word but the demonstrators must obey the law. This is a veiled approval for demonstrations against the church.

    This country has gone to the dogs, and there will be no further significant foreign investments here. Goodbye and good riddance, Barisan.

  15. /// #3 by k1980 on Friday, 8 January 2010 – 1:06 pm

    Obama took the blame for shortcomings that led to a failed Christmas Day bombing plot, saying “the buck stops with me.”

    Which bolehland minister is willing to take the blame for the spate of church attacks? ///

    k1980 – you don’t want to encourage “the buck stops with me” practice. It is already been practised by most of the ministers. The bucks stop with them – or more correctly, stop at their bank account – millions and billions of bucks.

  16. ///There are so many terrorists in this country.///- pulau_sibu #6

    Exactly, best way now is to blame some terrorists network like (say)regional Islamic militant group Jemaah Islam, the major suspects in the Bali bombing case!

    The PM was reported by The MalaysiaInsider’s reporter Neville Spykerman to have “strongly denied Umno should be blamed for raising the mercury in the “Allah” issue which climaxed with today’s attacks on three churches.”

    However it should be remembered that for 50 years since independence it was not an issue that the Herald used the common word – not until 2007 when the then Home Affairs Minister Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar ordered the Catholic Church to stop using the word in its weekly paper. By cause and effect, the seeds of controversy were sown since then in 2007, when Hamid’s position must be atributable to that of collective decision of the government/cabinet, which even today takes the position of appealing against Justice Lau Bee Lan’s decision! And then when it comes to some group wanting to protest against that decision by demonstrations, the stand was taken that “the government cannot stop Muslim groups from expressing their concern about the use of the word” at confined area of the mosque, which rightly or wrongly, conveyed, in popular perception, a more tolerant approach (looked indefensible in the light of overnight torching of the Churches)than (say) other protests from our NGOs and Opposition. We’re talking about perception of double standards here and people remember that certain mobs always prevail and have their way as in the case the Bar Council’s forum on discussing Article 11 when the mob/illegal assembly of a mere 300 were allowed protest, with their spokesmen allowed to trespass into the forum to castigate the members of the forum and the forum, legitimised by permit and hence a legal assembly, required to shop in appeasement of the mob, an illegal assembly, all in the name of national security! The article 11 forum was legal with permit and was to be conducted inside the premises. (It may be asked if the govt could not also do anything if Christians were to protest/demontrate inside the churches’ compound against the then Home Minister’s decision?)

    Rightly or wrongly it gives the impression that the ruling party is acquiescing with mob’s demands (on selective basis) if it serves its political purposes.

    Against such backdrop, can we criticise Tengku Razaleigh as being lopsided if he blamed HIS OWN party members for pursuing “racial issues more stridently” to “shore up their base” after the electoral debacle of 8th March 2008 in his speech delivered at the ISEAS Regional Outlook Forum 2010 at the Shangri-la Hotel, Singapore on Jan 7? Or newly-appointed senator S Ramakrishnan’s blaming Umno for “politicising the use of ‘the word’ not in sync with the concept of 1Malaysia driving foreign investors away (Report by M Krishnamoorthy of Malaysiakini Jan 8)?

  17. ///Obama took the blame for shortcomings that led to a failed Christmas Day bombing plot, saying “the buck stops with me.” Which bolehland minister is willing to take the blame for the spate of church attacks? /// -TheWrathOfGrapes

    In Bolehland it is also “the buck stops with me” when the buck is that reference to $$$$!

  20. Jeffrey, too nice and too mild, may as well don’t say it. In some ways you are like the ministers, want it both ways.

    I understand Cabinet acts collectively. But I read somewhere that they have disagreements within over this issue. When are those disagreeing going to resign. Can we for once see the honourable thing done in this country? Can we really blame the state of our country the last 50 years on UMNO alone? We simply have too many mother sellers.

  22. //…may as well don’t say it. In some ways you are like the ministers, want it both ways// – LimKamPut

    What is “it” in relation to “both ways”?

    Perhaps I can’t, unlike you, write faster than you can think – and hence you do it “one way”!

  23. “….adverse international publicity over the “Allah” controversy, which would only aggravate Malaysia’s declining international competitiveness….”

    This stupid, moronic attacks has driven the final nail into FDI decline into Malaysia. The blatant, extremist religious intolerance will frighten away intending investors from the West who are mainly Christian countries. And if these idiots think that emerging Asian giants like China or India will take their place, think again. China is already aware of the “pai wah” policies of the UMNO dominated Govt. while India has enough bad experience with Islamic terrorists to want to stretch their luck in Malaysia.

    For political expediency, the “kissing cousins” had not discouraged the Muslims to demonstrate over the Allah issue. This sent the wrong message to hotheads that the Govt. is encouraging them to intimidate non Muslims, in particular, the Christians. Hence the burning. If this is not nipped in the bud and fast, we could have a repeat of the violent Kerling incident that happened not too long ago when Indians laid an ambush for extremist destroying Indian temples.

  24. “No high level umno people involved. The bomb created itself and then went off by itself”, declared the Home Min.

    So you see sabahans and sarawakians, umno is making a monkey of your people and of your solid suppport for BN.

  27. Harakah:

    Najib buka jalan demonstrasi bantah hina Allah

    Abdul Aziz Mustafa
    KUALA LUMPUR, 7 Jan: Tindakan kerajaan membenarkan demonstrasi perkauman membantah penggunaan kalimah Allah bagi agama lain membuka jalan kepada demonstrasi membantah tindakan menghina Allah, kata Naib Presiden PAS, Salahuddin Ayub.

    “Jika Perdana Menteri (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) dan Menteri Dalam Negeri (Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein) menyatakan perhimpunan perkauman yang mereka restui tidak boleh dihalang, kita ingin tegaskan bahawa adalah haram jika mereka menghalang demonstrasi umat Islam membantah tindakan menghina undang-undang Allah,” kata beliau mengulas kenyataan Najib bahawa perhimpunan membantah penggunaan kalimah Allah oleh penerbitan agama lain tidak boleh dihalang.

    Bagi membuktikan bahawa perhimpunan yang akan diadakan itu bersifat perkauman, Salahuddin merujuk kepada kenyataan bekas Naib Presiden Umno, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah yang menyifatkan kontroversi mengenai penggunaan kalimah Allah oleh majalah Herald The Catholic Weekly kelihatan “lebih kepada sentimen perkauman berbanding agama”.

    Mengenai tindakan menghina Allah yang dinyatakannya, Ahli Parlimen Kubang Kerian itu membangkitkan kenyataan Najib sebelum ini yang terang-terang menghina Allah.

    “Pada 20 April 1983, Najib dilaporkan mendakwa bahawa negara akan huru-hara sekiranya undang-undang Islam dilaksanakan,” katanya.

    Pada 20 April 1992 pula, kata Salahuddin lagi, Najib dilaporkan membuat kenyataan menghina Allah seperti berikut:

    “Kerajaan Kelantan harus dipertanggungjawabkan jika berlaku huru-hara, ketidakstabilan politik, perpecahan di kalangan umat Islam dan kegelisahan rakyat apabila hukum hudud dilaksanakan di negeri itu.

    “Rakyat harus menyoal perlaksanaan hukum itu menguntungkan atau menyebabkan perpecahan, pertentangan dan ketidakstabilan politik.

    “Tidak semua negara Islam mengamalkan hukum hudud bahkan ada negara Islam lebih makmur tanpa hukum itu”.

    Salahuddin meminta Najib bersumpah dengan kalimah sumpah yang diajarkan oleh Islam bahawa beliau tidak pernah membuat kenyataan sedemikian.

    “Jika beliau enggan berbuat demikian, akan ada pihak yang akan menggerakkan perhimpunan, solat hajat dan munajat kepada Allah bagi mengadukan penghinaan terhadap-Nya itu.

    “Najib kini adalah Perdana Menteri. Adalah satu penderhakaan kepada Allah jika negara ini dibiarkan mempunyai Perdana Menteri yang menghina Allah kerana undang-undang Islam adalah ciptaan dan ketetapan Allah,” tegas beliau.

    Menurut beliau, demonstrasi membantah perbuatan menghina Allah itu akan membuktikan belang sebenar Najib dan Hishammuddin.

    “Kita yakin ramai yang sudah lama mahu mengadakan demonstrasi membantah kenyataan Najib yang menghina Allah itu dan benci kepada perhimpunan kerana sentimen perkauman seperti yang disebutkan oleh Tengku Razaleigh,” katanya.

    “Mereka akan gerakkan perhimpunan itu walaupun kita tahu sikap double standard adalah pegangan hidup kerajaan yang dikuasai Umno,”tegas beliau.

    Salahuddin mengajak rakyat sama-sama melihat bagaimana dolak-dalik kerajaan Najib apabila perhimpunan membantah perbuatan menghina Allah itu diadakan.

    “Sama-sama kita lihat gelagat mereka nanti setelah mereka menyatakan perhimpunan perkauman yang mereka restui itu tidak boleh dihalang,” katanya.

    Seems like Najib is “MELUDAH KE LANGIT AND KENA MUKANYA SENDIRI”

  28. Najis and Kerismudin are playing with fire when they allowed small fire to burn while assuming that small fire would not get bigger or out of controlled as long as IGP Musa is around!!!
    True Muslims & Christians should pray for peace over our beloved country so that the devil will not take the oppotunity to destroy us all!!!

  30. Religious conflicts and the ensuing instability will ruin Najib’s aspiration of making Malaysia a high-income country. Who would want to invest in an unstable country?

    The government has yet to prove to foreign investors that Malaysia is a stable country for investment.

  34. Will the countries below disallow Bolehland from using the following words?

    * aksi – action (from Dutch actie)
    * almari – cupboard (from Portuguese armário)
    * anggur – grape (from Persian ?????/angur)
    * bahasa – language (from Sanskrit bh?sh?)
    * bandar – town (from Persian ????/bandr)
    * bangku – stool (from Portuguese banco)
    * bendera – flag (from Portuguese bandeira)
    * bihun – rice vermicelli (from Hokkien bi-hun)
    * biola – violin (from Portuguese viola)
    * bomba – fire brigade (from Portuguese bomba, “pump”, or bombeiro, “fireman”, lit. “pumper”)
    * boneka – doll (from Portuguese boneca)
    * buat – do (from Sanskrit wuat)
    * buku – book (from English)
    * bumi – earth (from Sanskrit bhumi)
    * cawan – cup (from Mandarin cháw?n)
    * dakwah – sermon (from Arabic da3wah)
    * dewan – hall (from Persian ?????/diwan)
    * duka – sadness (from Sanskrit duhkha)
    * dunia – world (from Arabic duny?)
    * falsafah – philosophy (from Arabic falsafah)
    * gandum – wheat (from Persian ????Gandm)
    * garfu – fork (from Portuguese garfo)
    * gereja – church (from Portuguese igreja)
    * gratis – for free (from Portuguese)
    * guru – teacher (from Sanskrit)
    * had – limit (from Arabic hadd)
    * huruf – word character/letter (from Arabic ?ur?f)
    * ini – this (from Persian ???)
    * jawab – to answer (from Arabic jaw?b)
    * jendela – window (from Portuguese janela)
    * Khamis – Thursday (Arabic al-khamis)
    * kamus – dictionary (from Arabic q?m?s)
    * kapal – ship (from Tamil kappal)
    * katil – bed (from Tamil kattil)
    * kaunter – counter or desk (from English)
    * keju – cheese (from Portuguese queijo)
    * kemeja – shirt (from Portuguese camisa)
    * kepala – head (from Sanskrit kapala “skull”)
    * kereta – carriage, car (from Portuguese carreta)
    * komputer – computer (from English)
    * kongsi – share (from Hokkien kong-si ??)
    * kuda – horse (from Hindustani kudh)
    * kurma – date (from Persian ????/Khurma)
    * limau – lemon/orange (from Portuguese limão “lemon”)
    * maaf – sorry (from Hindustani m?f “forgiveness”)/(from Arabic Ma3fu
    * maha – great (from Sanskrit)
    * makmal – laboratory Arabic
    * mangga – mango (from Portuguese manga)
    * manusia – human being (from Sanskrit manu?ya)
    * mentega – butter (from Portuguese manteiga)
    * mee/mi – noodles (from Hokkien mi?)
    * meja – table (from Portuguese mesa)
    * misai – moustache (from Tamil meesai)
    * miskin – poor (from Arabic miskiin)
    * muflis – bankrupt (from Arabic muflis)
    * nujum – astrologer (from Arabic al-nujum)
    * nanas/nenas – pineapple (from Portuguese or Arabic ananás)
    * paderi – priest (Christian) (from Portuguese padre)
    * pau – bun (from Hokkien pau ?)
    * pesta – party (from Portuguese festa)
    * pita – tape (from Portuguese fita)
    * putera – prince (from Sanskrit putra “son”)
    * raja – king (from Sanskrit r?ja)
    * roda – wheel (from Portuguese roda)
    * roti – bread (from Sanskrit ro?i)
    * sabun – soap (from Arabic) sàbuun
    * sains – science (from English)
    * sekolah – school (from Portuguese escola)
    * sengsara – suffering (from Sanskrit sa?sara)
    * sepatu – shoe (from Portuguese sapato)
    * soldadu – soldier (from Portuguese soldado)
    * syariah – Islamic law (from Arabic sh?ri`ah)
    * syukur – thankful (from Arabic shukr)
    * sistem – system (from English)
    * suka – happiness (from Sanskrit sukha)
    * tangki – tank (from Portuguese tanque)
    * tauhu – beancurd (from Hokkien tao-hu)
    * tarikh – date (from Arabic t?r?kh)
    * teh – tea (from Hokkien t?)
    * teko – teapot (from Hokkien t?-ko)
    * tuala – towel (from Portuguese toalha)
    * tukar – to exchange (from Portuguese trocar)
    * unta – camel (from Hindustani ?n?)
    * utara – north (from Sanskrit uttara)
    * waktu – time (from Arabic waqt)
    * zirafah – giraffe (from Arabic zir?fah)

  36. ///Perception of double standards? Jeffrey, comeon, you know better please don’t confuse and mislead./// – LimKamput

    It shows you are small minded in challenging the word “perception” and narrow in interpreting what has been said.

    We are talking, in context, about our politicians’ management of popular public perception – which has all along been their objective and forte – from their standpoint of political capital or loss in, on one hand in espousing 1 Malaysia, and on the other, managing the fall out from the Herald controversy (groups wanting to protest after the torching of some churches). We are discussing whether based on what they said publicly their positions are credible/consistent from viewpoint of public perception in the backdrop of what happened in the past in Article 11 forum case.

    I am not talking here about public perception in context of their intended management of public perception. [I am not talking in absolute terms about philosophical reality whether they are double standards or not. Who needs that to be debated/discussed (as if readers here don’t know?]

    I am not confusing or misleading anyone here : you are, by your own confusion and inability to understand context of what has been posted, zeroing on word like “perception” and (as usual) imputing motives that are wholly wrong and out of context.

  37. It’s another ‘1BlackMalaysia’ day for Bolehland!

    Can the so-called ‘1Malaysia’ withstand the test of time and events!

    It’s time for the government to act and act fast!

  39. We all knew this would happen!

    What is there for Najib to sandiwara – ‘angrily deny’ when the past few days every blog, every politician worth their salt on both sides of the divide had been warning him and his cousin Hishamuddin Hussein Onn not to instigate and fan the fire of anger, knowing too well it would definitely turn rowdy. They started the mess who else?

    Both these cousins must take full responsibility for what just happened – they must resign otherwise be arrested for threat to internal security of nation and lives of Christian Malaysians, for instigating rowdy protests.

    I dare the IGP to put them both under arrest. Why not, no one is above the law not even the sultans, right?

    It’s about time the IGP redeem himself than to be cursed by Malaysians when his time to go as they did to the late evil disgraceful unjust judge.

  40. To LimKamPut: As I said you write faster than you can think, and even then nit-picking on what other said that you might find fault before even understanding in full measure and context what has been said in the first place.

  41. In posting #32 2nd last para it should be “I am talking here about public perception in context of their intended management of public perception” without the word “not”, a typographical error..

  42. K1980, these sakais have nothing of their own. If the white man and the ‘pendatangs’ did not come to this country they will still be running around with banana leaves around their waist.

    … musa says he does not know what the motive for the fires but has ordered his men
    as from 6pm, what a silly and stupid statement.

  43. Aiyah The 2 cousin brothers said its ok for Muslims to protest freely but then their UMNO goons quickly went a step ahead and burnt churches. All to make it looks like muslims had done it. A classic attempt to divide the people by religion ( after trying so hard through race).
    They just don’t care about national developement & economic progress.
    Filthy Prime minister & home minister!

  44. the government cannot stop Muslim groups from expressing their concern about the use of the word” at confined area of the mosque, which rightly or wrongly, conveyed, in popular perception, a more tolerant approach (looked indefensible in the light of overnight torching of the Churches)than (say) other protests from our NGOs and Opposition. //

    which rightly or wrong? Again you know better than that.

    Rightly or wrongly it gives the impression that the ruling party is acquiescing with mob’s demands (on selective basis) if it serves its political purposes. //

    rightly or wrong again? An impression? Comeon, be a man.

    can we criticise Tengku Razaleigh as being lopsided if …//

    Do you have words or phases stronger than that?

  45. Frankly speaking ,pulau sibu and jeffrey, there are no terrorists in the country .The terrorists you guys are referring to were nothing but umnoputra’s ninjas who were sent to create troubles and turmoils to stirring away Umno/Bn’s blues. Umno has no option to lose therefore to win they would used whatever means it takes.

  47. As I have said before, UMNO is bankrupt and will stop at nothing to stay in power. Najib and UMNO is solely responsible for these incidents “encouraging” the extremists. He cannot run or hide from responsibility on this. Let the world know what kind of deceiving, devious PM exists in Malaysia. Does anyone who is responsible not seek to reconcile instead of to divide. He is like a snake speaking with a fork tongue and slithers and slimes around. Rather than encouraging unity, UMNO continues to propagate the politics of division and hate. That is why nobody believes in 1Malaysia except paying lip service and using the slogan for their own ends.

    Be calm and on guard so that he does not use this an excuse to impose Emergency rule. As said, UMNO will do whatever it takes to stay in power. It is fighting desperately against the destiny of history that will confine them to the rubbish bin. The clock is ticking for Najib and UMNO’s demise.

  52. I responded to Tun Mahathir’s blog post. But I’m not sure if it will pass moderation. In any case, I ll put it here:

    “Tun,

    I respect you but today I am appalled by the LACK OF RESEARCH that you have done or perhaps you simply PICKED AND CHOSE what suited your point? A simple search on the word “Allah” prompts results that throw into question whether or not the word “Allah” is solely owned by the Muslim faith. An easy example: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allah

    If I had more free time in my hands I’d go to primary sources but for now secondary sources like wiki will do. And in fact they appear enough since all the arguments I have heard so far from the other side ARE SPECULATIVE AND UNSUBSTANTIATED.

    “Allah” is associated with Islam but it is not appropriated by it. At what point does simple association become acquisition? More than that, Muslims will surely agree that there are more that one name for the God of Islam. And the Arabs themselves do not contend that there is a restriction on the word (Mind you, I stress WORD, and away from the Almighty Himself) itself. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Christians – READ THE LAST PARAGRAPH TITLED DOCTRINE) (Again, SIMPLE SEARCHES. so what is wrong with you)

    Indeed, the word “Allah” was used PRE-ISLAM although obviously the MUSLIM GOD ALLAH is different. It is the SUBSTANCE not the mere mention of WHAT NOW SEEMS TO BE A COMMON AND GENERIC ARAB TERM that makes Islam what it is.

    A lot of Muslims here consider this a sensitive issue. It seems that it is sensitive only because YOU are sensitive and I dare say alot of you are ignorant. When the top says something you listen and obey without even taking time to identify the truth? It seems that in Malaysia trust begets laziness. This is why there are so few Malaysian born-bred-educated academics worth mentioning. No one bothers to check anything. The irony is that Islam places an emphasis on knowledge.

    I embrace God and therefore I have no fear of what comes from the outside. Are you embracing God? Or are you embracing FEAR?”

    Way to go to UMNO for alienating Christians. They must have forgotten that Sarawak has a sizable Christian (BUMI) community and that they’re the ones propping the federal govt up.

  53. The church bombing news had spread internationally. Imagine the enormous damage that has been done to the country’s economy (esp on foreign investments).

    @@http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8447450.stm

    This is the statement from the above website:

    “The government relies on the Malay Muslim vote, and will let Muslims march from mosques to churches on Friday.”

  54. Najib had made a big mistake in the “Allxh” controversy. Since Najib himself was not really having a high score on the degree of religiosity, he could have taken a much tougher stance on 7 Jan 2010 about the illegal assemblies which were called up by several Islamic organizations to be held in the National Mosque at Kuala Lumpur on 8 Jan 2010 after prayers session for doing demonstration and protest against the Catholic Church over the “Allxh” usage issue.

    Why must the Prime Minister Najib and the Home Minister Hishammuddin attempt to soften their political stance when confronting an interested group of Islamic Faith which tried to create troubles to disrupt the peaceful and tranquil situation of Kuala Lumpur? Would the chaotic and anarchical situation which might possibly be caused by the emotional demonstration and irrational protest bring any good thing or personal gain to Najib and Hishammuddin? Do Najib and Hishammuddin forget about the fact that they are still the power-that-be till todate? By saying on 7 Jan 2010 that the Government had no control over the people who tried to gather in the mosques for doing demonstration and protest, Najib had indeed postured himself as a weak and useless national head of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government. What was it so good for Najib and Hishammuddin to implicitly suggest their quiet consent for the starting of an anarchical situation with violent attack on the innocent by some irresponsible persons?

    And today Hishammuddin posed an intimidation to the public that he would not hesitate to invoke the draconian ISA to arrest those so-called trouble-makers who might want to try holding illegal assembly for doing demonstration and protest against the other religious group. Why must Hishammuddin come out with the lousy idea of invoking the draconian law to arrest some alleged law-breakers without going through a fair trial in court when there is availability of other legitimate law permitting him to detain the alleged offenders in accordance with the due process of law? Hishammuddin, like his late father Tun Hussein Onn, is a trained legal practitioner. He must learn how to honour the due process of law and not to irrationally consider invoking the draconian ISA to arrest the civilians since the ISA was a law made specifically for serving the purpose of anti-terrorism and preservation of national security! The ISA should be taken as a last resort that is to be invoked only when there is genuine threat being posed by some armed terrorists whom have posed obvious threat to the national security of Malaysia. The ISA should not be abused by the Home Minister for detaining the Opposition politicians due to the self-interested intent of the power-that-be for curbing the dissenting voices or dissident voices!

  55. Today is indeed a sad day for Malaysians.

    After 52 years of independence, we still can’t live together with 1Malaysia spirit.

    There is still differentiation of races, religion, colour, etc.

    I am saddened by the state of affairs in this country and enough is enough ! God please intervene and save Malaysia from destruction.

    Wake up and do not dance with the tunes of the evil plans and schemes from certain quarters. Our PM and his team has been promoting 1Malaysia and just a simple term, Allah, people are so narrow minded to fight and destroy in the name of God.

    If we are true believer of God, we should adhere to His teachings that is to love one another as we are created by God.

    I hope BN would not turn out to be Binasa Negara !

  56. Its so obvious UMNO and its cohorts NGO are playing devils and angels in this Allah issue. Everybody knows that UMNO headed by Botak Hamid started the whole issue when he ban the use of Allah by christian catholic even though the non muslims in Sabah and Sarawak used it for decades. Then UMNO and its cohort NGO fan the issue to gain support from the malays. They allow the demonstration even though they know fully well that it can lead to urgly incident. Now when churches were burnt they played Angel condemning the act. They think they can blind the eyes of the malaysian again.

  57. What has really happen to this country? Why are we still elect all these irresponsible leader to lead this country that should have a greater future compared to one that we have now? A country with many resources ended up worst than our neighboring countries.

    To the readers here n people out there, please do something to prevent it from getting worse. Please get rid all the corrupted leaders that we have now. It time we have a political changers in this beloved country that we called Malaysia.

    Vote for changes, vote for Pakatan Rakyat in the next election.

  58. Once ppl started 2 bomb churches, susah lah
    D trend is bound 2 continue, O 1M’sia
    Pray hard to Al.lah n g.od 4 protection n mercy
    What’s d matter with kristian cabinet members
    No voice ah while d churches of your g.od burn, ashes 2 ashes dust 2 dust
    Maybe good kristians, 1 church burnt, give another 2 b burnt

  60. In the Old Testament of the Holy Bible, there is a verse saying that God is the flare of revolving consuming fire! Just try to recall our memory on the 911 attack on New York’s World Trade Centre in September 2001 and note that the towering inferno was the reflection of the wrath of God.

    To most Christians, it should be the time now for us to say prayers in order to ask God to have mercy on all Malaysians. We don’t want Malaysia to be turned into a war zone like Western Bank of Jordan River or Beirut of Lebanon. Perhaps we should pray hard to ask God to intercede and deliver us to the realm of eternal Peace and Harmony. Perhaps it is also time now for us to try to understand why all these while DAP has insisted on a political stance of Secular State for all Malaysians. A belief in the Secular State seems like the only viable way which will lead all Malaysians, regardless of their religious backgrounds, to the smooth path for setting aside our self-righteousness and anger and come together for the common good not only of ourselves, but of all mankind.

    Please read the following poem and tell ourselves assertively that we will never allow the sorry state of “GOD eats GOD” be happened in the peaceful land which we live on, that is, Malaysia — a nation we love.

    GOD eats GOD
    MY GOD IS BETTER THAN YOUR GOD
    MY GOD IS BIGGER THAN YOUR GOD

    the bullet has no eye for beauty
    it does its duty
    the bomb has no respect for art
    it does its part

    from London to Dresden
    from Saigon to Tehran
    MY GOD IS BETTER THAN YOUR GOD
    from the Vatican to Jerusalem
    from the Taliban to the Pentagon
    MY GOD IS BIGGER THAN YOUR GOD

    this ain’t about who’s right or wrong
    so figure out whose side you’re on
    this ain’t about who’s wrong or right
    just pick a side and join the FIGHT!
    MIGHT is RIGHT

    if you don’t agree with me
    you must be the enemy
    if you don’t see what i see
    you must be the enemy

    GOD EATS GOD
    from Belfast to Belgrade
    GOD EATS GOD
    from Beruit to Baghdad

    MY GOD IS BETTER THAN YOUR GOD
    MY GOD IS BIGGER THAN YOUR GOD

    i have a dream
    no being is supreme
    i have a vision
    a world without religion

    every day i hope and pray
    all these gods will go away

    DOG eats DOGMA
    from Kuta to Kenya
    DOG eats DOGMA
    from Mecca to Hiroshima

  62. Tonberry :
    wow, so many international news agency, from bbc to al-jazeera have given prominent coverage of this attack by those Muslim fanatics. Really Malaysia Boleh. Saved a lot of advertising fees for our Tourism Board.
    http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2010/01/20101871816435228.html

    Seen from another angle, it is good news for Pakatan. Looks like Najib is inheriting members with past attitudes that have been nurtured by UMNO these last few decades and no matter how much Najib tries, 1Malaysia is falling onto deaf ears. It’s already 2010 and time waits for no man. I think he’s gonna be thrashed this coming election.

  63. “In just nine months, Najib’s 1Malaysia slogan is facing its most critical test as its very credibility is at stake.” – YB LKS

    Respectfully I would disagree. Najib’s 1Malaysia is NOT facing its most critical test.

    How can Najib & his ilk ever convince, let alone inspire people of such grandiose objectives of national unity and integration when controversies and misfeasances galore (viz 2Perak farce, TBH saga, BTN stink…) have embarassed and rocked this BN regime time and again.

    This ill-concieved notion or hollow slogan of 1Malaysia is already DEAD after nine months; in fact it’s STILLBORN. There is no more credibility at stake. Najib himself and his whole BN mob is at stake.

    How I wish I can say they are on the stake.

  64. wearing black shirt will put under ISA, demonstrating someone’s feeling of unhappiness is encouraging, what a philosophy of ‘demo-crazy’ in this country!! Mongolian killed, 2 goats to pay, 3 churches burnt, 3 sheeps to pray! Amen!

  66. We have all kinds of news agencies carrying out the news of churches being burned in Malaysia, not only in the English medium but in also other language mediums. For example, the following is from the national German news (in German) together with its string of comments. Well done, Malaysia!!!

    http://www.tageschau.de/ausland/malaysia114.html

    I may even post in this German news to let the others know how Najib has to bear responsibility for stirring the pot on this. I think the UMNO people instigating this should stop to think for a moment what kind of image they are perpetuating or reinforcing in the views of others when they see or read this type of “amok” behavior. On second thought, forget this is silly rationale thought above about thinking as the UMNO bankrupts will not stop at anything to stay in power.

  67. k1980 :
    Christians in Egypt, Indonesia, Syria, Lebanon ect can worship using the word “Al*ah”. Why can’t in Bolehland beginning 2007?

    Elementary, Mr Watson. Because we are more “takwa” than them, LOL. I-slam teaches tolerance but we are so tolerant until we overshot and become intolerant. We won’t hesitate to kill people like we kill chicken because we follow I-slam philosophy very closely, not like them. In fact, the more religious one becomes, the more intolerant one behaves. So much for religion.

  68. Perhaps this is a tough trying time for those Malaysians who really love God.

    1 Pet 2:20-23 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.

    Trusting God means being willing to suffer, even unjustly, when the greater good of honouring God is at stake.

    Therefore, what is most appropriate thing for the Church members to do now is to pray hard to ask God to intercede so that the arson criminals can be detected and arrested and be convicted and punished by the relevant authority which has been appointed by God!

  69. Secret prisons in Bolehland

    He was fearful, he said, that if his conversion became public the religious authorities would come after him, and he could be sentenced to a religious rehabilitation camp.

    One such place, hidden in the forest at Ulu Yam Baru, 20 miles outside the capital, is ringed like a prison by barbed wire, with dormitories protected by a second ring of barbed wire. Outside a sign says, “House of Faith,” and inside the inmates spend much of their time studying Islam.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/24/world/asia/24malaysia.html?_r=1&fta=y

  70. Onlooker Politics on Friday, 8 January 2010 – 9:33 pm
    ………”the arson criminals can be detected and arrested and be convicted and punished by the relevant authority which has been appointed by God!
    ——————
    I’m all for Christians to remain calm knowig that our war is not against flesh & blood. We can only prove that we love God by loving others irrespective of race & religions!

    But I’m not sure how these so called criminals can be detected & caught & punished when they are the very UMNO goons sent out to do the dirty job and hoping that the Christian community will put the blame on Muslims, in particualr, PAS. Remember the cow head?

  71. Azmi Sharom, a columnist and law professor at Universiti Malaya, told Al Jazeera that “the unrest is not surprising because of the fact that the government has been pandering to these kinds of people for a long time”.

    There is no doubt that UmnoUtusans have to answer for the destruction happened.
    The people cannot allow more serious things to happen again

  72. It started with the intrusion of these UmnoUtusans into a legal seminar and they got away with it.

    Then they had the infamous cow-head demonstration with impunity.

    Now the churches are torched.

    What next , UmnoUtusans ?

  73. Mr gofortruth,
    A true God-fearing person will always have faith in God and believe that faith can bring forth the miracle of Divine Intervention!

    Therefore, a God-fearing will surrender all his/her anxieties to God!

  76. Mr gofortruth,
    However, to have faith in God does not mean that one must follow the pacifism which was the attitude being adopted by the Christian Church during Nazi rule in the Germany. History proved that pacifism would not solve the basic problem of religious intolerance to a large extent but instead it encouraged more crimes like massive scale gas poisoning on the Jews by Nazi devils during World War II.

    Therefore, we must also be careful enough not to indulge ourselves into pacifism even though it is also important for us to place high value on religious tolerance!

  78. Got the all clear again.
    if anyone should bear some responsibility for the arson, it is not UMNO but both the Home Minister and PM who did precious little to reduce the tension – the perception is that they wanted the protests at mosques to continue.
    In most developed countries, either the IGP or the Home Minister would resign.

    reCaptchas are irritating

  79. 1Malaysia has been a failure since the beginning because of one simple reason – Najib is insincere about it. Interracial and interreligious harmony are not his real objectives. 1Malaysia is an empty and shameless political gimmick to pull wool over the rakyat’s eyes, to paint a false picture to the rakyat and international community that everything is allright in Malaysia. It’s all an empty shell with no substance. Najib’s 1Malaysia has become a worldwide joke today. Najib, please resign and go for another boat cruise with Rosy. You’ll never know she might get lucky again.

    As for Archbishop Murphy Pakiam, please resign for failing to see the larger picture and the local context of this “Allah” debacle. As a religious leader, you have failed to show the maturity, patience, wisdom, and humility to bring this issue to a peaceful settlement. Instead you have worsened the racial and religious polarization and put the life of many innocent Christians in Malaysia in danger and fear. Are you a peacemaker or troublemaker

  80. It is not just the exclusive rights of developed countries. In most countries, it takes far less than any of these controversies for responsible and honourable ministers to step down or be sacked.

    Here, the long line of UMNO/BN Ministers have acquired Mugabe’s skill of repeatedly adding another layer of skin.

  82. If this ‘1 Malaysia’ sloganeering is to have a chance of finally gaining some iota of credibility, the Pekan MP should

    1) not tolerate any further any racist remarks from ‘one or two UMNO leaders’ or more, by taking really stern action, which includes expulsion, against such a person or persons, and so proving once and for all that UMNO is not racist, instead of just telling the people to ‘only just’ ignore such remarks. This should also include a more justified action against that certain UMNO ‘celebrity’ leader at Bukit Bendera.

    2) allow the bumiputra Christian communities of Sabah and Sarawak to continue practising their religion in the same manner as their community has always done peacefully for more than a century, dating back to when before the two Borneo states joined the Federation of Malaysia.

    3) take to task his cousin’s predecessor, the former Home Minister, for unnecessarily interfering with the peaceful, more than a century long, religious practices of the Sabah and Sarawak bumiputra Christian communities, indirectly putting the blame on a publication by the Catholic Church.

    So, what will it be?
    Salam or selam 1 Malaysia?

  84. Really, I have a feeling that Najib and gang do not understand the ramifications of their doings. By telling everybody that he cannot as Prime Minister stop people from protesting actually suggests to them go ahead to protest because the Government is unable or unwilling to do anything about it. He could have easily told the nation that if anyone starts creating mischief like church buring that person will be charged for sedition and send to Kamunting. This could have effectively controlled the whole situation. It is clear that he wants this to fester hoping to gain some political mileage. He is dead wrong. Does he know how many Catholics there are in the world. How much of collective wealth they control and what is going to happen to the country when they decide to pull their investments out of Malaysia. What if they are agitated enough to start attacking the Malaysian currency. Your ringgit will very soon be on par with the rupiah. Yes go and let them burn some more churches. See what will happen.

  85. While browsing another website, I came across a comment and the link to “The Lucifer Effect”:

    http://www.lucifereffect.com/

    “In this book, I summarize more than 30 years of research on factors that can create a “perfect storm” which leads good people to engage in evil actions. This transformation of human character is what I call the “Lucifer Effect,” named after God’s favorite angel, Lucifer, who fell from grace and ultimately became Satan.”

    Philip Zimbardo
    Professor Emeritus
    Stanford University

    According to him, the antidote is heroism:

    http://www.lucifereffect.com/heroism.htm

    “In celebrating heroism, I challenge the traditional view of heroes as extraordinary people, as super-special agents of noble deeds. In doing so, I distinguish between those rare people whose whole lives are centered around sacrifice for the good of society or for the well being of their fellows, chronic heroes, and those ordinary folks who are moved to an heroic deed in a specific situation at a particular time.”

    “I argue in Lucifer and recent essays, that follow here, it is vital for every society to have its institutions teach heroism, building into such teachings the importance of mentally rehearsing taking heroic action—thus to be ready to act when called to service for a moral cause or just to help a victim in distress.”

    Malaysia is at the crossroad between a path of decay, self- destruction and another of evolution to the next level. Malaysians can determine which path and they can make a difference.

  87. In land they are already quarrel, argue and fight.

    Do you think they will quarrel, argue and fight too if they enter heaven?

    Do you think those quarrel, argue and fight will turn the heaven upside down if they enter heaven?

  88. #3 by aiD_kamikuP on Friday, 8 January 2010 – 9:08 pm

    How can Najib & his ilk ever convince, let alone inspire people of such grandiose objectives of national unity and integration when controversies and misfeasances galore (viz 2Perak farce, TBH saga, BTN stink…) have embarassed and rocked this BN regime time and again.

    Don’t forget about the scandalous PKFZ project and the case of the vanishing RMAF jet fighter engines……

  89. Why fight over the use of the word of allah? Christian God is loving and forgiving and have not uttered any threat to any one or his enemy. Why associate God with allah which we all know what it is?

    I am not a christian but have read enough to see the difference. If a religion tell you to turn the other cheek and let it be slapped, it tell a lot how peaceful that religion is. Christians should be proud that their God is peaceful and should not mixed up with any names that does not reflect its teaching.

    God is not allah and why fight over using that name?

  90. The truth underlying these protests is racial in nature and definitely NOT religious as most reports have made it out to be. Study the banners and you will know what I mean.

    Instead of superficial slogans we should have some real nation building programmes like getting together to communicate our fears to one another.

  91. ///why need to use “rightly or wrongly” so many times when there is no ambiguity/// – LimKamPut #41

    Because it is trite that when talking about public perception rightly or wrongly depends on which section of the public that does the perceiving. Sometimes I wonder why I have to bother to explain when obviously you are deliberately nit-picking (rather than follow or engage in discussion in this blog) or plain consistently deficient in understanding what you read.

  93. “The truth underlying these protests is racial in nature and definitely NOT religious as most reports have made it out to be.” (Ikt-56)

    “I-slam teaches tolerance.” (ekompute)

    No matter how true ekompute’s claim that “I-slam teaches tolerance” can be, there will never be religious tolerance in Malaysia so long as there are some psedo-Islamic Malay Racists hiding themselves in the camouflage of “Islamic Conservatism”.

    If you want to get a much better idea on what I am trying to pinpoint here, please go check out yourself in chedet blog on the “Allxh” usage. There are plenty of psedo-Islamic Malay Racists hanging around in that racist blogsite!

  94. The typical religious doctrines proclaimed by the psedo-Islamic Malay Racists are as follow:
    1) It is a big sin to allow non-muslims to use the name “Allxh” for the worship purpose of other branches of Abrahamic descendants’ Faiths, such as Judaism and Christianity.
    2) It is a big sin for any two persons to commit the adultery of sodomy but it is not a sin for the Cabinet Ministers to commit fornication.
    3) It is a big sin to buy British made imported goods but it is not a sin to covet from the national wealth through the twist-and-turn way of overstated transfer pricing in the contract sum of the national infrastructure projects, such as PKFZ projects and Bakun hydroelectric Dam projects.
    4) It is a big sin for people like Lina Joy to abandone Islamic faith but it is not a sin for a muslim man to divorce his wife without showing mercy unto the helpless wife who has been divorced by her husband mercilessly!

  96. To choose between freedom and respect to others in modern world, one should think twice specially in sensentive issue on race and religion. We should respect each other on certain aspect to make the world a peaceful live.

  97. Politician should be avoided or banned from using the name of religion to gain power. You will see few of them misuse/misinterprate and create tension to many incidents.

    In the first place, religion never stated or recorded in the history which political party, it is belonging to.

  98. Selangor CPO: Two more incidents in Selangor

    (The Star) – A pastor was manhandled by four men before they vandalised a church in Ampang at around 6.30pm on Friday.

    http://www.malaysia-today.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29488:selangor-cpo-two-more-incidents-in-selangor&catid=19:newscommentaries&Itemid=100131
    ============================================

    Why all the incidents happened in Selangor only?

    PR should take heed of what RPK had commented – Kelantan 1977 revisited: to understand Selangor 2010 – in order to avoid emergency rule and fresh elections in Selangor, so that the state does not fall back into BN’s hand.

  99. “From A Distance” by Bette Midler

    From a distance the world looks blue and green,
    and the snow-capped mountains white.
    From a distance the ocean meets the stream,
    and the eagle takes to flight.

    From a distance, there is harmony,
    and it echoes through the land.
    It’s the voice of hope, it’s the voice of peace,
    it’s the voice of every man.

    From a distance we all have enough,
    and no one is in need.
    And there are no guns, no bombs, and no disease,
    no hungry mouths to feed.

    From a distance we are instruments
    marching in a common band.
    Playing songs of hope, playing songs of peace.
    They’re the songs of every man.
    God is watching us. God is watching us.
    God is watching us from a distance.

    From a distance you look like my friend,
    even though we are at war.
    From a distance I just cannot comprehend
    what all this fighting is for.

    From a distance there is harmony,
    and it echoes through the land.
    And it’s the hope of hopes, it’s the love of loves,
    it’s the heart of every man.

    It’s the hope of hopes, it’s the love of loves.
    This is the song of every man.
    And God is watching us, God is watching us,
    God is watching us from a distance.
    Oh, God is watching us, God is watching.
    God is watching us from a distance

  100. I have been a strong critic of Najib and 1Malaysia not because I thought he did not want to reform UMNO but rather that his ideas would not work. I have always suspected that Najib thought he could buy time to change UMNO a step at a time. It was never an option and he did not see it because he really was good enough to see it.

    All ideologies like UMNO/BN faces revolutionary challenges after a period of success. It happened to the Republican Party in US, it happened to LDP in Japan, it happened Kuomintang in Taiwan, in Korea, etc. The PAP in Singapore which has always understood this was always willing to be most radical to change AND even they have been challenged and accept the fact they may not be up to future challenges.

    BN/UMNO have come to the same kind of crossroads and Najib is unqualified to lead that kind of change and to be fair, there is NO ONE in the top echelon in UMNO/BN qualified to change UMNO/BN. Only way they can do it is for the entire top leadership step aside and cut a deal with someone like Zaid Ibrahim to lead them to change. They are incapable of doing it and so they will suffer like parties in other countries and when they suffer, they will suffer greater because they are even more set in their ways than the kuomintang, the LDP etc. It is partly their suffering is greater that they are so intractable and harder to change.

    So the question is the pain that must be paid for change. In the end it will be a shared pain – longer and shared with those underserving like oppositition and rakyat. What we see is the shared pain and there is more to come.

    Escalation? There will be more and it won’t be immediate but it come again. That is our way – lacking the courage for comparable radical change but we will get there. It may take longer than it should but we have always done so and we will again..

  101. Jeffrey, I am not trying to nit pick. I consider your contributions influential and significant and that is why I have always paid attention to what you wrote. You could have written more boldly to bring out the disgust. You are acquiescing sometimes. Ok, I may be wrong, but this is how I looked at it.

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