By Shannon Teoh
The Malaysian Insider
Aug 09, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 9 — A non-Muslim inter-faith group said last week’s raid on a church dinner was part of a “systematic and deliberate attempt by many of those who walk the national corridors of power” to create conflict among the different races and religions in Malaysia.
The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) also urged the federal government to investigate the fiasco including reports by Umno-linked Berita Harian and Harian Metro that “Muslims questioned that night confirmed that they had been asked to convert.”
The MCCBCHST said the Jais raid on the DUMC (picture) ‘sets a dangerous precedent and makes a mockery of the sanctity and inviolability of all religious places.’ — File pic
“These reports… did not identify the claimants nor state the basis for their making such statements. Such witnesses must be made available to an independent inquiry, which must be instituted immediately… to corroborate such evidence and to verify it.
“If the newspapers in question are found to have published false statements likely, or meant, to incite religious or racial hatred between Malaysians, the authorities must initiate the necessary action to punish them to the full extent provided for in our laws,” it said.
In a statement last night, the group also said that the raid by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) over alleged proselytising of Muslims “sets a dangerous precedent and makes a mockery of the sanctity and inviolability of all religious places.”
It listed various other incidences this year where other communities were made to be at odds with the Malay-Muslim majority, beginning from the use of the word “pariah” to describe Indians in the “Interlok” novel used in schools.
It said these “insidious efforts” — including the seizure of Malay-language bibles, unproven allegations of attempting to establish a Christian state and profiling of Bersih leaders as traitors attempting to “wage war against the Agong” — threatened the peace and harmony earned over half a century since independence.
Jais had raided the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) at the Dream Centre in Petaling Jaya last Wednesday during a charity fundraising dinner that saw the attendance of 12 Muslims.
The agency was purportedly acting on a complaint that Muslims were spotted among those at the dinner, and was said to have found proof later that Christians were attempting to convert them during the function.
The raid had caused an uproar among religious communities, and the Selangor government under Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim has since demanded a report from Jais to explain the raid.
Selangor executive councillor Datuk Dr Hasan Ali later defended the raid by claiming that the words “pray” and “Quran” were used in the presence of the dozen Muslims among the 100 attendees of the dinner.
But the MCCBCHST said today it was “astonished how the words “Quran” and “pray” can amount to proselytising towards Muslims when they are used every day by Malaysians when conversing with each other.”
The group also called on leaders of all faiths to pray every Friday for the next month leading up to Malaysia Day on September 16 “that the leaders of our nation have it in their hearts and minds to… justly govern” in accordance with the Federal Constitution.
It’s just d start of a chain reaction: HAli of PAS/PR n Jais under PR’s Selangor started d ball rolling, n now d Malaysian Muslim Lawyers Association, Perkosa, Pembela, Muafakat, MCA, CSL r all making their voices heard
It’s just d start of a chain reaction: HAli of PAS/PR n Jais under PR’s Selangor started d ball rolling, n now d MMLA, Perkosa, Pembela, Muafakat, MCA, CSL r all making their voices heard
BTW, dis is d august month of August; do we C any sign of joy n celebration (merdeka)?
BTW, 2day it’s d Natl Day of d little red dot
Visit dis page http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_700154.html
Will Dr KSK write a similar admiration mesej dat ends ‘Happy Birthday, M’sia’ on 31.8.11?
This is one of the ways for the losers to recapture Selangor.
In fact, it’s not that difficult for them to instigate someone
to start this nonsense. Or any other nonsensical acts!
If they can induce frogs to hop, what is there to stop them
from doing such relatively easy things?
Have faith in the PR.
It’s the way to a better and brighter future!!!
It just goes to show how much power JAIS and their counterparts have. They can act immediately and with impunity on ‘mere hunches’ and ‘mere believe’ and their actions override other authorities like the State Government.
So they must have a bigger and more powerful authority who they believe without doubt, will back them up. Further, the many every ready NGOs will spring up to their defence as will no doubt the Chief Clown IA.
We therefore have a department that marches to a very different tune and beat and dare to do things with impunity.
Selangor Darul Ehsan, the Abode of Sincerity, the developed state. Why do we have so many problems here?
Manipulation of Islam and playing up of muslim sentiments not something new to Malaysians. This is a sandiwara based on an old script written by the old and now senile is now the Director of wayang. The only change is the different producer and actors. They succeded many times before without realising that even fools can become wise if they are fooled too many times. Vast majority of Malays Muslims and Malaysians wiser and more liberal in outlook; only UNMOB elites and their cronies are stuck in their time zone, still living di bawah tempurang, misreading the rakyat.
Not to worry too much about what UNMO/BN do, folks. They don’t have many more days to do their favourite things. Liberation Day from those corrupt dictators will come as sure as day takes over the night. A word of caution, though. Keep on the heat until a total Malaysian Victory is in hand.
///I was reported to have practiced cronyism; that I manipulated the judiciary, that I threw into jail my deputy by Western journalists who for one reason of another had taken a dislike for me. After that every journalist when reporting about Malaysia must mention that I had practised cronyism, manipulated the judiciary and threw my deputy into jail. For that matter every book written about Malaysia must include these items. The words of the first journalist who reported this must be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. No amount of refuting the allegations by anyone would be accepted.///– Mamakthir http://chedet.cc/blog/?p=558#more-558
The issue should be would you rather believe the western press or the denial by the person concerned. I would believe the western press not only because they might resort to phone hacking which Mamakthir condemned, but that hacking confirms that they were reporting the truth. Besides, their report only confirms what we see from other evidence.
///Terdahulu dari ini seorang pemberita semasa sidang akhbar telah bertanya kepada Najib samada dia lebih Melayu atau lebih Malaysian.
7. Soalan ini sengaja dibuat kerana Muhyiddin biasa mendakwa yang dianya lebih Melayu daripada Malaysian.
8. Sebenarnya soalan ini patut ditujukan kepada semua rakyat Malaysia, termasuk pemberita yang bertanya. Apakah rakyat Malaysia pelbagai keturunan lebih utama kaumnya atau lebih utamakan kerakyatan Malaysianya?
9. Ditujukan soalan ini kepada Najib ialah supaya dia menghadapi dilema. Jika dia menjawab dia lebih Melayu maka dia akan dituduh racist seperti tuduhan yang dilemparkan kepada Muhyiddin dan juga saya.
10. Sebaliknya kalau dia menjawab dia lebih Malaysian supaya tidak dituduh racist maka akan ternampak yang dia tidak secocok dengan timbalannya.
11. Jawapan Najib kepada soalan ini ialah dia tidak ingin dilihat tidak sependapat dengan timbalannya.
12. Secara tidak langsung ini bermakna dia lebih Malaysian, tidak seperti timbalannya yang menyatakan dia lebih Melayu. Sudah tentu ini akan menjadikan hubungan antara dua pemimpin UMNO lebih renggang.
13. Susulan daripada ini terdengar banyaklah berita angin berkenaan dengan renggangnya hubungan antara Najib dan Muhyiddin yang pasti akan memecahbelahkan UMNO lagi.///–Mamakthir http://chedet.cc/blog/?p=566#more-566
The RCI on TBH stated that in the spirit of brotherhood, MACC officials lied. The question asked of Muhyiddin was his personal likes and preference. Similarly Najib was asked about what he felt. Two individuals do not necessarily share the same view. But Mamakthir converted any question regarding race and citizenship into spirit of brotherhood. That is why the Malaysian civil service takes Malay brotherhood ahead of rule of law.
Mamakthir failed the country during his reign. He is still at it.
Dr. Mahatir gave Malaysian journalists a free press He gave the same press to the judiciary. The trajedy is that he is unrepentant.
“….systematic and deliberate attempt by many of those who walk the national corridors of power” to create conflict among the different races and religions in Malaysia….”
It is more than that. Creating conflicts is only the manifestation of an even darker agenda. This are the type of people with that “ketuanan” mentality who thinks that since Islam is the official religion of the country, this confers on them the inalienable right to ride roughshod over every other religious beliefs in the country blatantly ignoring the provisions of the Constitution. It is this “ketuanan” mentality that emboldens them to act the way they do. And when caught out, their “ketuanan” pride prevents them from apologising for their error and so they make wild accusations and fabricate lies to justify their shameful acts.