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Jaclyn Victor’s ‘Harapan’ is my ‘Harapan’ too

— Terence Martin
The Malaysian Insider
October 27, 2012

OCT 27 — Jaclyn Victor sang “Harapan Bangsa”.

Jaclyn Victor’s a Christian.

It’s a Christian song of praise and worship.

No one ever pretended it was not.

Perkasa is now out with pitchforks and torches to lynch somebody, anybody; but preferably Jaclyn Victor.

Whatever is next?

No worship services for Christians in Malay in this country?

Or perhaps a government official will make audio, video and photographic recordings of each and every service in Malay in this country? Just to find evidence of conversion, conspiracy and the like? Continue reading “Jaclyn Victor’s ‘Harapan’ is my ‘Harapan’ too”

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Only fools or knaves or those who are both could believe the lies about DAP seeking to establish a Christian State in Malaysia

Desperation knows no bounds. This is amply illustrated by UMNO/BN political desperadoes, whether in the political front-line or hiding in the shadows pulling propaganda strings hatching the most far-fetched and outlandish conspiratorial theories in the mainstream or social media to create fear and sow the seeds of hate and conflict to ensure the survival of the sixth Prime Minister and the ruling coalition in the imminent 13th General Election.

The issue of a Christian Malaysia and the allegation that DAP wants to repeal Article 3 of the Federal Constitution providing for Islam as the religion of the Malaysian Federation in order to establish a Christian State is one of the most irresponsible and reckless of lies and falsehoods in the current repertoire of the UMNO/BN political desperadoes.

In fact, those who disseminate such lies and falsehoods utterly reckless about its damage to the process of nation-building in multi-racial and multi-religious Malaysia qualify to be condemned as the vilest and most despicable traitors to the vision of an united and harmonious Malaysian nation!

Only fools or knaves or those who are both could believe the lies that the DAP is seeking to establish a Christian State.

Henceforth, let Malaysians put the “fools or knaves” test to the political desperadoes who could so recklessly and irresponsibly disseminate such lies and falsehoods – whether they are fools or knaves, or both! Continue reading “Only fools or knaves or those who are both could believe the lies about DAP seeking to establish a Christian State in Malaysia”

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Clear and present danger?

Rom Nain
Malaysiakini
Oct 11, 2012

Many Malaysians surely must be sick to death – I know I am – of the latest ploy by hateful people, many within this regime, to split this country even further, to cultivate distrust at a time when they themselves have lost the trust of the people.

I am talking, of course, of this pathetic ‘strategy’ of churning out one bogeyman after another to frighten Malaysians, especially Muslims, presumably in the forlorn hope that we will all run back into the exploitative arms of this regime and its underlings.

Nasharuddin Mat Isa’s latest diatribe and Utusan Malaysia’s latest sojourn into the realm of lies and fantasy are illustrative of this desperation.

First, Utusan, not for the first time, in its Sunday edition, Mingguan Malaysia, brings up the topic of the Christian community and talks about a couple of Malaysia’s top church leaders apparently criticising Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng. Continue reading “Clear and present danger?”

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Christian monsters in Malaysia

— Terence Martin
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 12, 2012

OCT 12 — With the elections just around the corner, it seems that the battle for the Malay votes is heating up to unprecedented levels.

A number of prominent politicians has fashioned themselves as defenders of Islam in order to entice the huge vote banks of the Muslim electorate.

In order to protect the akidah of Muslims, they need a bogeyman. A convenient fall guy to stir the emotions of Muslims in the country.

Take a bow Malaysian Christians… Continue reading “Christian monsters in Malaysia”

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‘Utusan lied about church ticking off Penang CM’

By Lee Long Hui | 1:54PM Oct 8, 2012
Malaysiakini

Two Christian leaders quoted by Utusan Malaysia as having criticised the Penang chief minister, have slammed the report as a “complete lie”.

Lutheran Evangelical Church bishop Solomon Rajah and former Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM) president Thomas Philips (right) said their words had been taken out of context in the report headlined ‘Church is not a place for politics’.

They have demanded a retraction of the report published in the Sunday edition, Mingguan Malaysia, and a public apology from the Umno-owned Utusan in its next edition.
Continue reading “‘Utusan lied about church ticking off Penang CM’”

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Are inflammatory religious remarks now fair game?

— Pak Sako
The Malaysian Insider
Aug 21, 2012

AUG 21 — Statements made by Mahathir Mohamad after a mosque function in Kedah as recorded by Sinar Harian (‘Hudud boleh dilaksana jika Pas sertai Umno’, August 17, 2012), if true, would constitute an unprecedented rebuff of the culture of religious respectfulness by any Malaysian politician of that reputation.

The report cites him as saying that:

• PAS should leave Pakatan Rakyat as soon as possible because they embrace “infidels” who evidently reject hudud. (“Pas harus keluar dari PR secepat mungkin kerana mereka saling berpelukan dengan orang kafir yang secara nyata menolak hudud.”);

• PAS will not be able to implement hudud as long as they are with a political party that does not recognise that “Islam is a superior religion.” (“Selagi Pas bersama parti yang tidak mengakui Islam adalah agama unggul, hukum hudud tidak dapat di laksanakan.”).

The first remark uses a derogatory term that no self-respecting Muslim Malaysian would cast in referring to his non-Muslim brothers and sisters, political differences notwithstanding. The second remark implies that all other religions are inferior to Islam.

Both are insensitive and divisive. They ought to have no place in our multi-religious political discourse. Continue reading “Are inflammatory religious remarks now fair game?”

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Religion, the new last refuge of the desperate

— The Malaysian Insider
Aug 09, 2012

AUG 9 — Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel, the essayist Samuel Johnson once said, referring to false patriots. In Malaysia, we can add religion to that list of refuge for those desperate to be relevant.

PAS has done it, saying a vote for the party is the ticket to paradise.

And now for the past two days, Umno-run Utusan Malaysia has been quoting Islamic scholars and a mufti to reinforce the point that it is “haram” (forbidden) for Muslim Malaysians to vote for the DAP and its allies because the party is against an Islamic state or hudud law.

It would seem that the ruling coalition, which has expressed confidence in getting back the states and parliamentary majority that it lost, is now resorting to religion to regain support from the Muslim majority in the country.

It would also appear that everything the establishment does these days smacks of desperation, from the arrests of whistleblowers to trotting out so-called religious leaders to attack political opponents. Continue reading “Religion, the new last refuge of the desperate”

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DAP stand that Malaysia is secular state with Islam as official religion is no different from that of first three Prime Ministers — Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak and Tun Hussein

I am really astounded to see the UMNO newspaper, Utusan Malaysia, continuing with its inflammatory, incendiary and seditious front-page headline campaign for the second consecutive day on “Haram Sokong DAP” for it is proof that there are UMNO leaders who have thrown caution and discretion to the winds as they are really desperate about UMNO’s ability to win the next general election by free and fair means.

Although Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak proclaimed 1Malaysia as his signature policy to create a nation where every Malaysian would regard himself or herself as Malaysian first and race, religion, region and class second, UMNO and Barisan Nasional leaders have tried their worst to divide Malaysians along race and religious lines.

MCA for instance had pulled out all stops to panic Malaysian Chinese to reject the DAP on the ground that the DAP is only a pawn of PAS, while UMNO had gone all out to urge Malay voters to reject PAS and PKR because both are stooges of DAP.

It is clear that these UMNO/BN lies, falsehoods and hypocrisies are not working, and Malaysians regardless of race, religion, region, class, age or gender are rallying to the Pakatan Rakyat call for change to create an united, democratic, just, incorrupt, competitive, prosperous and progressive Malaysia that UMNO leaders have decided to plunge for the most divisive, incendiary and seditious racist and religious card with screaming front-page headlines for the second consecutive day in its “Haram Sokong DAP” campaign.
Continue reading “DAP stand that Malaysia is secular state with Islam as official religion is no different from that of first three Prime Ministers — Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak and Tun Hussein”

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Is there a need for more interfaith dialogue in Malaysia? (Part 1)

— Dina Zaman
The Malaysian Insider
Jun 23, 2012

JUNE 23 — Malaysia is not unique in its multicultural make-up, and the problems it faces. What makes Malaysia unique is Islam is the largest practised religion, (not unlike Indonesia) with a huge percentage of people who practise other faiths and beliefs. Article 3 of the Federal Constitution declares that Islam is the religion of the Federation, and that this does not affect the other provisions of the Constitution (Article 4(3)). Therefore, the fact that Islam is the religion of Malaysia does not by itself import Islamic principles into the Constitution but it does contain a number of specific Islamic features:

States may create their own laws to govern Muslims in respect of Islamic law and personal and family law matter. States may create Syariah courts to adjudicate over Muslims in respect of State Islamic laws. States may also create laws in relation to offences against precepts of Islam but this is subject to a number of limitations: (i) such laws may only apply to Muslims, (ii) such laws may not create criminal offences as only Parliament has the power to create criminal laws and (iii) the State Syariah Courts have no jurisdiction over Islamic offences unless allowed by federal law (see the above section). Much has been said about the country and its tolerance for the many faiths practised by its people. Malaysia makes for a fantastic advertisement on multiculturalism, and the infamous Malaysia, Truly Asia advertisement seen on television is proof of that. Continue reading “Is there a need for more interfaith dialogue in Malaysia? (Part 1)”

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Do we have faith in the politics of fear?

— Mustafa K. Anuar
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 30, 2012

MARCH 30 — Aliran is relieved to know that the organisers of the forthcoming Islamic seminar in Johor — “Strengthening the faith, the dangers of liberalism and pluralism and the threat of Christianity towards Muslims” — have dropped the purported “Christian threat” from the theme after objections particularly from certain quarters within the Christian community.

It is a relief to well-meaning Malaysians because in a society where religion and ethnicity are often easily and deliberately exploited to the hilt, those with ill intent and ill-will can easily stoke suspicion and hatred. Narrow-minded vested interests and the politics of divide and rule still hold sway, and those espousing the fire of ethnic and religious discord can undermine our unity and harmony. Continue reading “Do we have faith in the politics of fear?”

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Anwar: Christian threat is Umno propaganda

S Pathmawathy | Mar 28, 2012
Malaysiakini

Pakatan Rakyat condemned the latest move to instil fear of the threat of Christianisation in the country, blaming it as tactic by Umno to “frighten” the Muslim Malay majority.

“I want to state, the all mighty in Malaysia is Umno – Umno is in charge of religion, Umno is in charge of the finances – so if the allegations (of attempt to spread Christianity) is true, that means it is Umno that failed to strengthened the faith of the Muslims,” said opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

“What I can confirm is that this is nothing other than a disgusting political manoeuvre to use religion to frighten the people,” Anwar said.

Speaking at a press conference at Parliament today, Anwar pointed out that if a movement exists to threaten the faith of the Muslims, then there are adequate legal measures that can be taken for transgressing the law. Continue reading “Anwar: Christian threat is Umno propaganda”

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What have our schools become?

— Jahabar Sadiq
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 28, 2012

MARCH 28 — Last weekend, I went back to school for a memorial. This was the second time in three years that I visited St John’s Institution. While the memorial for Master Vincent Fernandez was sombre, it ended on an uplifting note when the school rally rang through the old school hall.

The school itself appeared to be a far cry from its glory days. The field was bare but the main building had ferns and other vegetation growing out of it, showing the neglect and lack of respect for the hardware required for the education of the young. I had no heart to even peek into any of the classroom for fear of further disappointment.

As it is, the school that has produced a list of top Malayans and Malaysians since 1904 no longer boasts of a hockey or football team that dominate the Kuala Lumpur school leagues. We can only take pride that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak studied there, as did his cousin Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, Perak regent Raja Nazrin Shah and a whole lot more others.

But a school is more than bricks and mortar. The Johannians past and present can and will chip in, as they did previously, to make our alma mater as good as new again and put the green in the right place — the field, not the building.

However, who will put education or the software right? For instance, my colleagues reported today that the Johor education authorities are having a weekend seminar for religious teachers to reinforce the Islamic faith, to counter liberalism, pluralism and the threat of Christianisation. Continue reading “What have our schools become?”

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Siblings of the same calling

Mohamad Tajuddin Md Rasdi |Feb 28, 2012
Malaysiakini

I wish to comment on Dr Hasan Ali’s concern over the alleged attempts of Christian missionaries in converting Muslims. He has alluded to the presence of the men-in-white who are secretly doing Christian ‘dakwah’.

I have known Hassan Ali for a long time and my respect for him was to the extent that I had prayed he would be one of Malaysia’s prime ministers.

I had entrusted my children’s religious and moral training to his ‘summer camp’ programme and I deeply respect him as a man who embodies much of the character of the Prophet.

Needless to say I had wished that I would have had half of his knowlege and perhaps ‘iman’ before I leave this world.

I do not wish to deal with allegations of him coverting the chief ministership of Selangor and that his latest ‘revelation of these Christian men-in-white affair is a tool to put him in the limelight and find favours with leaders of his own racist mindset.

In this essay I wish to put across three important points concerning this matter. My first point is that I find his allegation has little credibility.

My second point is that if Muslims were to have been converted to Christianity, why blame Christians and not our way of interpreting and teaching Islam?

My final point is that, I believe that all religions are like siblings in a family and that I have found great faith in delving into how each and every religion attempts to give solace to man concerning the right way to find happiness in this world and the next. Continue reading “Siblings of the same calling”

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DAP calls to Najib – convene in mid-Feb RoundTable Conference of all political parties, religions and NGOs to condemn all acts of religious desecration, particularly the dastardly incidents of pig’s head outside mosques to provoke racial and religious strife

DAP calls on the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak to convene in mid-February a RoundTable Conference of all political parties, religions and NGOs to reaffirm moderation and condemn all acts of religious desecration, particularly the dastardly incidents of pig’s head outside mosques, to provoke racial and religious strife.

It must be the concern of all reasonable and patriotic Malaysians that political and public discourse and conduct in the country in the past three years have taken on an increasingly shrill, irrational and intolerant edge.

Only last month, Najib convened the inaugural International Conference on the Global Movement of the Moderates and called on moderates of the world to unite and embrace moderation and reject all forms of extremism.

Sadly, Najib’s three years as Prime Minister have been marked by a creeping and insidious extremism seeking to incite racial hatred and foment religious tensions, as illustrated by the two incidents of pig’s head outside mosques in the Klang Valley in two days – in Sentul yesterday and Rawang on Tuesday.

Both these acts of religious descrecration, like the despicable act of arson against the Johor PAS deputy commissioner Dzulkifly Ahmad whose BMW car and house at Taman Universiti near Skudai were gutted early this morning, must be condemned in the strongest possible terms by all political parties, religious groups, NGOs and Malaysians who do not want to see Malaysia descend down the slippery slope towards political violence, racial animosity and religious strife. Continue reading “DAP calls to Najib – convene in mid-Feb RoundTable Conference of all political parties, religions and NGOs to condemn all acts of religious desecration, particularly the dastardly incidents of pig’s head outside mosques to provoke racial and religious strife”

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Perkasa’s perverted paranoia

— David Martin
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 24, 2012

JAN 24 — January is almost up and we’re already a few days into the year of the Dragon. Seems like it’s same old same old as the business of hate mongering are abound, at least where the self appointed moral guardians Perkasa are concerned.

Today, Perkasa’s secretary general claimed that the appointment of Selangor’s Menteri Besar as the state’s Executive Councillor in charge of Islam would result in a bigger threat to Islam from the Christians in the state.

Now Mr Attorney General, Mr Inspector General of Police & Mr Home Minister, if such unsubstantiated accusations are not seditious in nature, what is?

What’s with Perkasa’s paranoia with Christianity anyway?

Why are the Christians made the bogeyman for any & all threats to Islam in this country in the last few years? Continue reading “Perkasa’s perverted paranoia”

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Why no apology?

— Spencer Gan
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 05, 2012

JAN 5 — In 1998, then Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamed promised Catholic Church leaders that the church would be consulted when it comes to the appointment of principals and heads of mission schools.

That promise was elastic and was made just before the Sabah election, and at a time when Dr Mahathir was shaky after the sacking of Anwar Ibrahim. This historical fact was made public a few weeks when Archbishop Murphy Pakiam informed Catholics that the government had reneged on its promise to consult the church on the new principal of Convent Bukit Nanas.

Only after threatening noises by the church did the government back down. So please excuse my scepticism about the “assurance” given by Najib Razak at a lunch with Christian leaders that the government would consult in future before any appointments are made. Once again, this promise is being before an election.

Given this administration’s big propensity for flip-flopping, it would not surprise me if in the new future the Catholic Church may once again have to highlight another episode of the government going back on its word.

So unless there is some written agreement between church and government, this assurance by Najib will count for not much. Continue reading “Why no apology?”

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Churches tell Najib: Respect law, remove anti-Christian rules, policies

By Debra Chong
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 05, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak should respect the law and start removing rules and policies that have seen Christians being victimised by the bureaucracry, a national group representing over 90 per cent of churches said yesterday.

In a strongly-worded statement, the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) called on the prime minister to check the growing systematic religious attacks against Christians nationwide over the past one year.

It also called on Najib to act and stop the attempts to “murder” and “destroy” his commitment and legacy to religious moderation he is championing.

Anglican Bishop Ng Moon Hing, who heads the CFM, urged the PM to set up a non-Muslim religious affairs ministry to safeguard and protect the interests and rights of not only Christians but Buddhists, Sikhs, Taoists and Hindus. Continue reading “Churches tell Najib: Respect law, remove anti-Christian rules, policies”

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How sincere is Najib?

— Jacob Sinnathamby
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 04, 2012

JAN 4 — I just read the report in The Malaysian Insider that Prime Minister Najib Razak is to meet selected Christian church leaders for lunch today.

I have some sympathy for the church leaders because, if they were to poll their individual congregations, then the overwhelming view would be that the likes of Archbishop Murphy Pakiam and his friends should decline to break bread with Najib because the administration and even the PM have not been honest in their dealings with Christians. If anything, certain individuals and groups have been given the freedom under the Najib government to denigrate Christianity like never before.

But some of the main tenets of the faith are forgiveness and compassion, so I can understand why many Christian leaders will go ahead and meet Najib today. Still, may I caution all Christians to remember a few things and events and not to view the lunch in isolation. Continue reading “How sincere is Najib?”

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Malaysia CBN finally gets head of choice

By Debra Chong
The Malaysian Insider
Dec 30, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 — SMK Convent Bukit Nanas (CBN) has a Christian headmistress again, after the Education Ministry caved in to the wishes of school’s Catholic owners following a highly-publicised row.

“Yes, the candidate we named, Mystrical Rose Fernandes, reported for work last week,” Sister Rosalind Tan, the mother provincial of the Sisters of the Infant Jesus (IJ) Convent who own the prestigious mission school, told The Malaysian Insider today.

Fernandes, who is a Catholic, previously headed SMK Convent Sentul, which is also owned by the IJ Sisters, and SMK St Gabriel’s in the city, which is owned by the Anglican Church.

She replaces Datin Seri Zavirah Shaari, who was also newly posted to head CBN. Zavirah was taking over from the previous principal, Ann Khoo, who has since retired.

Tan, who is also on the school’s board of governors, said she had not received any letter from the Education Ministry informing them of the latest switch.

She found out only because Fernandes stopped by the Malaysian Catholic Education Council (MCEC) office to inform them of her new posting.

A spokesman from the MCEC, who asked not to be named, confirmed that Fernandes had reported last Friday. Continue reading “Malaysia CBN finally gets head of choice”

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All I want for Christmas

Mariam Mokhtar | Dec 26, 2011
Malaysiakini

The spirit of Christmas lives on in Malaysia, regardless of race or religion. I know of several non-Christians who have not forgotten the joy of giving and thinking of others before themselves. Some find solace in singing carols in a group. Others delight in thinking about what to get for friends, family or colleagues.

A few join in the season of goodwill by the simple act of volunteering, while others help relieve Christian colleagues who want the day off to celebrate Christmas. Perhaps, there is something about the magic of Christmas, which even diehard Muslim extremists will never destroy.

When I was in primary school, Lembaga Letrik Negara (LLN), the pre-cursor of Tenaga National Bhd, used to hold Christmas parties for children, principally of its employees.

It was an event that every child looked forward to eagerly. As Christmas fell during the school holidays, it was another happy occasion that children and parents found welcoming.

It did not matter if the child was Malay, Chinese, Indian or Eurasian. No one bothered if the child who went was Christian or not. It wasn’t just the children who were excited. The accompanying parents enjoyed the get-together, which was always held at the Kilat Kelab. Continue reading “All I want for Christmas”