The Sun
Sun, 08 May 2011
BESUT (May 7, 2011): Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has described as serious a purported meeting of pastors in Penang allegedly to discuss making Christianity the official religion of the federation.
He said any action by followers of a religion would invite reactions from followers of others.
“The same goes in racial issues. If certain races resorted to raising issues in an excessive manner, it will invite reactions from other races,” he told reporters after opening the Besut Umno division meeting, here today.
Hishammuddin, who is Umno vice-president, said he was now awaiting reports over what transpired at the meeting.
“But I prefer to face those who don’t understand the actual situation. We should give explanation over such issues that are being fanned by certain quarters.
“If they are adamant on creating disunity even after we have given explanations, then I think the police will make a decision (on the actions to be taken).
“It’s the police, not me, (who are taking actions), otherwise we’ll be accused of playing politics,” he said, adding that in handling such matters, the government gave priority to security.
“I will monitor, not just this group, but also extremists among Muslims who want to avenge the death of Osama bin Laden,” he said.
Hishammuddin was referring to a report in Utusan Malaysia today, which claimed that there was a conspiracy among Christian groups and the DAP to make changes to the Federal Constitution on the position of Islam.
The report based on unverified blog postings, claimed there was a meeting between DAP leaders and pastors on the matter. Several Christian and other religious groups have already come out to deny the original blog postings.
In another development, he said police would investigate claims about the existence of another sex video implicating an opposition leader believed to have been produced in Thailand.
“Police will investigate this and will take action against those found to have committed offences. No one is above the law,” he said.
Meanwhile in GEORGE TOWN, the Penang Pribumi Perkasa Negara (Perkasa) has lodged a police report against Jelutong Member of Parliament, Jeff Ooi, who is alleged to be the organiser of a meeting of priests at a hotel at Jalan Macalister last Thursday.
The report was lodged by its North East chief, Mohd Rizuad Mohd Azudin at the Jalan Patani police station about 1.20pm today.
Mohd Rizuad said that based on a newspaper report in Utusan today, two blogsites had claimed that the meeting also discussed making Christian the official religion for the federation and to appoint a Christian as Prime Minister.
“This issue will destruct the racial unity that has been built for more than 50 years,” he told reporters after lodging the police report.
Kulim Bandar Baharu MP Datuk Zulkifli Noordin said there were young Muslims in the country who had gotten carried away with liberalism to the point of neglecting their own religion.
He said they were easily confused by the issue surrounding the use of the word “Allah” and attempts to convert Muslims to become Christians.
He added that these groups argued that the word “Allah” can be used by all religions and that changing of religions should be allowed.
“This should be given attention because these young minds are confused by those with self interest who are out to propagate their own religion,” he said.
“Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) should engage these young people and explain to them so that they are clear about the agenda of certain quarters who wanted to propagate their religion among Muslims,” he said at the gathering of Muslim organisations organised by Pembela, a Muslim NGO, in Kuala Lumpur.
In Tumpat, Malay rights group Perkasa said it would lodged police reports nationwide over the alleged attempt to make Christianity the official religion of the federation.
Its president Datuk Ibrahim Ali said until this evening, 10 police reports had been lodged, urging the authority to investigate the matter.
“This is about sensitivity and this is very serious. Perkasa calls on the police to investigate this.
“If it is true as reported, then Perkasa is very disappointed because this is about religion, a very sensitive issue,” he told reporters. — Bernama
Its serious all right because Najib’s silence on Utusan and Pembela is tacit approval of criminal mischief with potential of felony. Its called NOT doing his job which the rest of us gets fired for it. Hishamuddin should be fired already for obviously not knowing his real job even.
I am not a fan of Jesus, but I am not sure why certain religion is superior than the others in a democratic society. I think all religions should be equal in our society. There is nothing wrong for Christians to ask for an equal rights, if they were asking.
No person in his right frame of mind would believe that the news as reported by the blog postings knowing fully well that Islam is the official religion in our country.Hishamuddin should leave no stones unturn to put the culprits(who obviously had ulterior motives)who were trying to fan racial unrest in our beloved country.The ISA should be enforced even on national press for false reporting intentionally to creat disunity in our multi racial country.Mischief makers should bear the full brunt of the law and I sincerely pray and hope our AG should without fear or favour charge the culprits to undo all the harm and damages created by those out to sow dishormony in our country for cheap political gains.
disharmony
Hey farting minister, if you have not confirmed whether or not there was indeed seditious statements made, why are you giving warning. Why do you need to call them up to explain when no explanation was needed? Please read carefully your statement: you have already assumed that the alleged sedition has occurred. If you are a true leader for Malaysians, the following should have been your statement: I will investigate whether the report is true or otherwise. I think it is unethical and premature for Utusan to put in its headline when facts are not confirmed. I will reprimand Utusan severely if they are found publishing false news.
Hishemmudin, why can’t you check the fact FIRST BEFORE SAYING something? By your reaction, you gave the impression that UM had something to hold on. The Christain community is only a small % of the non-Muslims, in spite of their slightly less gung-ho approach than…… I certainly think they still have some grey matter to say such comcept! it is obvious that UM has run out of any rational thinking!
I bet Hishammuddin will not punish Utusan or the pro-Umno bloggers. Just wait for a sandiwara.
we can declare sarawak as a christian state. it is the rule based on majority, like in west malaysia. that is why you have islam as official religion.
The tone of Hisham’s comments indicates he agrees with the reports – just as he did in the cow head incident in Shah Alam until the facts of the case proved overwhelmingly otherwise and he was made to backtrack and eat his words.
As the Home Minister, his first responsibility should be to warn Utusan to stop their rubbish or have their printing permit withdrawn and carry out a thorough investigation. And stop passing the buck to the police. We all know where their sympathies lie.
If it is proven that Utusan had lied and printed inflamatory articles without checking thier facts, then they should be suitably punished. The same standards that his ministry impose on the Rocket and Harakah should also apply to Utusan or is Hisham too chicken to antagonise them? If so you have a Frankenstein in the making.
Make your ancestors proud. Revisit what Onn Jaffar and your father Hussein Onn had fought for. Ask yourself if you are going to dismantle their legacy just because you dare not do what is right.
hisap pudding, you shud check first b4 tok kok, if christian so powerful, why you govt can stamp n serial nos bible in bahasa indon, you govt good 4 nothing, onli can tokkok ! anybodi can bet what hutusan repot is tokkok !
It’s serious alright, Hishamuddin. As a Internal Security minister, you are relying on unreliable sources to jump to conclusions. You are lazy and incompetent. You are not fit for such an important job that requires unbiased and critical thinking to know such a course would be impossible to pull off in this Muslim-dominated country.
If, for generations, the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British were not able to convert the Malays to Christianity do you expect such a small group of people are able to? If the Muslims are disenchanted with the way Islam is being abused for political gain, it is UMNO and its fringe groups that are responsible for the downfall of Islam in this country.
In Singapore, race and religion has not been an election topic since decades ago. In Malaysia, after 50 years, race and religion are still raging topics and getting worse by the day! As some world leaders put it, Malaysia is a failed state. SHAME ON YOU BARISAN NASIONAL AND UMNO FOR YOU UTTER FAILURE IN UNITING ALL THE RACES AND RELIGION IN MALAYSIA!
//Christian agenda claim “a serious matter”: Hishammuddin//
Yeah, Hishammuddin, the malaysian christians are going to invate Richard the Lionheart to bring over his Crusader Army from Europe to invade Putrajaya. Be afraid, Hisham, be very afraid…..
Typically Hishammudin – always talking before he takes the trouble to find out.
Typically, Hishammudiin shows he is quite a silly character; he has neither the presence of mind nor the sense to enquire or assess the possible truth or untruth of so grave a statement. That UTusan’s frontpage news is so far-fetched and so impossible doesn’t even occur to Hisammudin. Look, no nincompoop shopuld ever be Minister of so sensitive a Ministry as the Home Affairs. Neither should Hishammuddin.
Typically, Hishammuddin has a historical record of gaffes and buffoonery not unlike the Bung fellow of Kinabatangan. This present gufffing about a Christian PM should have got Hishammuddin a place in the Guiness Book of Idiots for the record next to Bung Kinabatangan.
///BESUT (May 7, 2011): Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has described as serious a purported meeting of pastors in Penang allegedly to discuss making Christianity the official religion of the federation.
He said any action by followers of a religion would invite reactions from followers of others.
“The same goes in racial issues. If certain races resorted to raising issues in an excessive manner, it will invite reactions from other races,” he told reporters after opening the Besut Umno division meeting, here today.///
That is the mentality of the Minister who supported cow-head protest to claim that any action of the followers of a religion would invite reactions of followers of others. Muslims go to mosques every Friday and followers of other religion take it as natural. Is going to mosque not considered an action by the followers of Islam? It is because the Home Minister is setting the bad example of backing all actions and procession undertaken by UMNO members and selected Muslims, who are not PAS and PKR members that have encouraged the followers of the particular religion to react with impunity. What is wrong in asking for government support to Christianity, and if making the religion official is the only way, what then is wrong in requesting government to recognize Christianity as official? It is not a crime to practice Christianity, and it is certainly not a crime to make request to upgrade a religion to official status for financial support. What is most unbecoming of Hishamuddin is for him to threaten to use law as it pleases, and in this instance, the Minister acts on rumour, and he does not act against the Newspaper which created such rumours. If the news has come from other non-Malay papers, Hishamuddin would have called up the papers and demanded investigation. In this case, Utusan Melayu published something said to be offensive by Hishamuddin, and instead of checking on Utusan Melayu, he chose to threaten the victims of the rumours. This is double standards practicing in the open.
Najib cannot choose who his cousin is, but he can certainly choose who not to be the Home Minister.
///Hishammuddin was referring to a report in Utusan Malaysia today, which claimed that there was a conspiracy among Christian groups and the DAP to make changes to the Federal Constitution on the position of Islam.///
That was certainly not true. But even if it was, what is wrong in submitting amendments to parliament for consideration? Is Malaysian Parliament an organ to do its job, or is it just for show? The reaction of Hishamuddin would confirm that the Parliament is for show. Otherwise how would he even say that the action contravenes any law in the country?
///Mohd Rizuad said that based on a newspaper report in Utusan today, two blogsites had claimed that the meeting also discussed making Christian the official religion for the federation and to appoint a Christian as Prime Minister.///
If Utusan Melayu is found to be making false report to the public, Mohd Rizuard should be charged for making false police report. It is the responsibility of the person making police report to ensure that what was stated was the truth. We will know that the police practices double standards if Mohd Rzyard is not charged for making false police report in due course.
///Kulim Bandar Baharu MP Datuk Zulkifli Noordin said there were young Muslims in the country who had gotten carried away with liberalism to the point of neglecting their own religion.
He said they were easily confused by the issue surrounding the use of the word “Allah” and attempts to convert Muslims to become Christians.///
Whose fault is it if the young Muslims is confused to the extent of leaving the religion. One would expect the adults to tell their children to watch out for traffic while crossing the road, since it could be dangerous. One certainly do not expect cars not to run just because they endanger young lives.
It is a blessing for PKR that its former member has left. PKR members with that mentality should leave en mass so that they would not bring bad name to Pakatan Rakyat.