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Media must act responsibly

SPEAK UP! :: theSun Says
Updated: 10:08PM Tue, 10 May 2011

ON MONDAY, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein stated that “it is important for all media practitioners to understand the sensitivity of issues concerning religion and race” and that “this should be taken into account before reports are published”.

A very commendable statement indeed by someone in charge of national security and public order especially when some alarm bells rang over a newspaper’s front-page report that alleged a group of Christian pastors pledged at a meeting last week to elect a Christian prime minister and to make Christianity the religion of the Federation of Malaysia.

It was an irresponsible piece of writing anywhere in the world but especially more so in multi-religious, multi-cultural and multi-racial Malaysia. It could have sparked some ugly incidents to happen like what happened in the days following the decision by the High Court to allow the word “Allah” to be used in the Malay version of a church newsletter. Continue reading “Media must act responsibly”

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Blogger behind Christian Malaysia report deletes posts?

Syed Jaymal Zahiid | May 10, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

A check by FMT showed all posts on the issue have been removed or deleted from the pro-Umno blog.

KUALA LUMPUR: The blogger responsible for Utusan Malaysia’s Malaysian Christian conspiracy report, marahku.blogspot.com, appeared to have deleted all posts related to the allegation amid escalating racial tension between the country’s Christian and conservative Muslim communities.

A check by FMT showed all posts on the issue have been removed or deleted from the pro-Umno blog just as Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein revealed that nine police reports had been lodged against Utusan and those behind the allegation.

The removal of the postings has triggered questions over the veracity of its allegations as seen on the ongoing debate on the microblogging site Twitter.

Pro-Umno Twitter users were also seen questioning the reasons behind the removal: Continue reading “Blogger behind Christian Malaysia report deletes posts?”

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Umno’s Christian plot to bag Muslim votes’

RK Anand
Free Malaysia Today
May 10, 2011

In an interview with the Vatican Radio, the Herald’s editor Father Lawrence Andrew says the government is stirring up a controversy to revive Muslim support.

KUALA LUMPUR: The allegation of a Christian coup being planned is an attempt by the Umno-led government to stir up controversy to revive Muslim support, said the editor of Catholic weekly, Herald.

Speaking to the Vatican Radio, Father Lawrence Andrew claimed that the government felt that it was losing the popularity it once commanded.

“Because they are losing popularity, they will enjoy some uneasiness that will create confusion – that will create fear – in the people,” he said.

He said the allegation was absurd, pointing out that Christians made up less than 10% of the population. Continue reading “Umno’s Christian plot to bag Muslim votes’”

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Ignorance – the enemy of change

By Philip Ho
klik4malaysia

We are in the 21st century, and would be celebrating our 54th Merdeka in less than three months time but what is becoming of Malaysia?

Has Malaysia progressed politically, socially, economically and technologically after almost 54 years of independence?

Especially when extremist NGOs like Perkasa whom the UMNO-led Barisan Nasional government are even afraid of, continues to spew garbage from their progress-challenged minds?

The racial and religious rhetoric has come to a sickening point in the past 36 months, but Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has just refused to take decisive action against what would have been deemed seditious and an outright threat to the peace and harmony of Malaysians.
Continue reading “Ignorance – the enemy of change”

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Bishop decries fixation over Christian PM issue

By Terence Netto
May 10, 11
Malaysiakini

Catholic Bishop Dr Paul Tan Chee Ing said an obsession with the racial and religious leanings of a prime minister, or for that matter, of any other holder of high office in Malaysia is “fundamentally disorienting”.

In comments to Malaysiakini on the latest twist to the debate on an alleged Christian move to dethrone Islam as the official religion of the country, the bishop of the Melaka-Johor diocese, said:

“Allowing the debate over which race or religion wielded precedence in the matter of who is qualified to become a holder of high office in the country is fundamentally disorienting.

“We should not allow the debate to revolve obsessively around these parochial considerations.
Continue reading “Bishop decries fixation over Christian PM issue”

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Prove your mettle, MCLM tells Najib

By Tashny Sukumaran | May 10, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak must prove his mettle as the “leader of 1Malaysia” by speaking out against Utusan Malaysia over its Christian plot report.

In making the call, Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM) president Haris Ibrahim also wondered why the authorities were slow in acting against the Umno-owned newspaper.

“Why has there been no action against Utusan under the Sedition Act?

“Is the Umno-led BN government complicit in this attempt to sow racial and religious discord or else powerless to act against an emerging group of fascists?” he asked in a statement.
Continue reading “Prove your mettle, MCLM tells Najib”

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Christian state: PAS demands apology from Hisham

By Regina Lee
May 10, 11
Malaysiakini

PAS has taken Hishammuddin Hussein to task for his remarks on a media report that Christian groups are plotting to turn Malaysia into a Christian state.

Party vice-president Mahfuz Omar demanded that Hishammuddin apologises for his statement, which Mahfuz claimed had made the Christian-Muslim relations in the country even more tense.

“It was a completely inappropriate response,” said Mahfuz, who is also the Pokok Sena MP.

Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia last Saturday front-paged a report about a pro-Umno blog that said there was secret pact and agenda to make Christianity the official religion of the country.

The daily also reported that a meeting between Christian pastors and DAP in Penang plotted the appointment of a Christian prime minister.
Continue reading “Christian state: PAS demands apology from Hisham”

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‘Christian Malaysia’ a distraction from BN policy failures, says Lim

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
May 10, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 — Utusan Malaysia’s conspiracy of Christian groups plotting a takeover bid of the country is a “desperate” attempt by Umno to distract attention away from Barisan Nasional’s (BN) policy failures and economic mismanagement, Lim Guan Eng has said.
The DAP secretary-general charged that the latest conspiracy theory perpetrated by Umno was a way to shield the effect of the BN government’s announcements on a rise in petrol and sugar prices.

“The BN government’s announcement today that the price of sugar will be increased by 20 sen to RM2.30 a kilo has exposed the real malicious motive for Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia’s dangerous lies of a so-called conspiracy by DAP and Christian pastors to set up a Christian state and a Christian Malaysian Prime Minister.

“Such lies could be printed on the front page of Utusan Malaysia even though no Malaysian Christian had ever sought to be Malaysian Prime Minister,” said Lim in a statement today.
Continue reading “‘Christian Malaysia’ a distraction from BN policy failures, says Lim”

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Putrajaya permitting Utusan provocation, says Bar Council

By Debra Chong
The Malaysian Insider
May 09, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 — Malaysian Bar president Lim Chee Wee accused Putrajaya today of giving free rein to Utusan Malaysia to publish and promote what he called lies dressed up as news reports and continuing to stir up religious fear and unrest.

The lawyer joined a growing choir in urging the authorities to get their priorities in order and immediately investigate reporters and editors in the Umno-owned daily for repeatedly pushing provocative religious rhetoric rather than hauling up Christian leaders over unproven claims.

The Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM), which represents over 90 per cent of churches nationwide, have also demanded Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak act immediately against Utusan for false reporting and spreading dangerous lies.

“Instead of questioning Utusan Malaysia’s journalistic conduct and ethics, the immediate responses from the ministers in charge of home affairs and communications were to order investigations into the alleged incidents themselves,” Lim said in a statement.

“In this way, the authorities are gullibly assisting those who seek to play up lies and falsehoods in order to artificially create religious conflict,” he added. Continue reading “Putrajaya permitting Utusan provocation, says Bar Council”

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No call to pray for Christian state, say pastors

By Susan Loone
May 9, 11 4:26pm | Malaysiakini

The Christian Federation of Malaysia has refuted allegations that Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng or the DAP ever asked its pastors to pray for Malaysia to be established as a Christian state or to have a Christian Prime Minister.

Following a 90-minute meeting between Lim and the federation in Komtar today, both parties issued a joint statement saying Christian churches and pastors have always prayed for blessings for the nation.

“We have also prayed for peace, unity and harmony among the races and for a leadership that is honest and just,” said Lim, who read out the statement in the presence of about 50 representatives of the federation.

“Christian pastors and churches are aggrieved that such outright lies can be published in the mass media,” he said.
Continue reading “No call to pray for Christian state, say pastors”

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Christian leaders want PM to act against Utusan

By Debra Chong
May 09, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

GEORGE TOWN, May 9 — The Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) said today it is “aggrieved” that Utusan Malaysia has been allowed to publish and spread what it called “dangerous lies” that have stirred religious unrest, and wants the prime minister to take immediate action against the Umno-owned paper.

In a joint statement with Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, the Christian umbrella body, representing over 90 per cent of churches in the country, said they were concerned that the Malay-language daily has been “spreading dangerous lies that make Christians the object of hate and incite hatred against Christians that may lead to undesirable consequences”.

“We sincerely and strongly urge the prime minister and the home minister to take action against Utusan Malaysia for printing and spreading such dangerous lies that have disturbed the multi-religious harmony of society, created fear and uneasiness amongst Malaysians, especially Christians,” it said.
Continue reading “Christian leaders want PM to act against Utusan”

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Fresh religious tensions brewing in Malaysia

Houston Chronicle
By SEAN YOONG Associated Press © 2011 The Associated Press
May 9, 2011, 1:38AM

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysia’s government sought to defuse new religious tensions Monday following allegations that church leaders were conspiring to make Christianity the official religion in this Muslim-majority country.

Christian officials insist the accusation is a lie intended to create suspicion between ethnic Malay Muslims and religious minorities, but several Muslim activists have filed police complaints demanding an investigation into what they consider a threat to the position of Islam.

A string of religious disputes in recent years, often involving minority complaints of discrimination, has triggered persistent feelings of insecurity among both Malaysian Muslims and minorities about their religious rights in a country that prides itself on multiethnic peace.
Continue reading “Fresh religious tensions brewing in Malaysia”

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BN to blame for any attack against Christians, says DAP

By Clara Chooi May 09, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 — The DAP warned Barisan Nasional (BN) today that it will have to bear responsibility for any undesirable consequences that may befall the Christian community resulting from its endorsement of Utusan Malaysia’s Christian Malaysia reports.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said the ruling pact has deliberately refused to punish the Umno-owned daily for propagating its “hate campaign of lies” against the Christian community.

“By failing to stop the Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia from continuing this hate campaign of lies, the BN government is inciting hate against the minority Christian community.

“DAP expresses grave concern that this hate campaign against Christians by Utusan Malaysia may not just stop at verbal attacks.

“The BN government has to bear full responsibility for any undesirable consequences on the Christian community in Malaysia based on Utusan’s hate campaign of lies,” Lim (picture) said in a statement today.
Continue reading “BN to blame for any attack against Christians, says DAP”

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Islam Under Attack? What about Christians?

By Emmanuel Joseph

Those who claim Islam in Malaysia is under threat should really spend a day trying to live as a Christian here. It is baseless, callous, slanderous, stupid statements such as these that are tearing this country apart far more than dinners for pastors or celebrating Deepa-Raya, or doing the poco-poco.

No religion encourages slander.Yet in this country, a newspaper that claims to be defending race and religion is allowed to slander politicians, political organizations, and now, even entire religious communities. In this country, organizations such as Perkasa are allowed to make sweeping racist statements with no merit, basis nor ounce of truth, and they are heralded as heaven-sent revelations, yet works to foster inter-racial harmony on the other side of the political spectrum are doubted, mocked, ridiculed and worse, outright denied. The low levels that some people sink to for political survival is sometimes surprising, but almost always sickening. Whatever happened to the burden of proof lying with the accuser?
Continue reading “Islam Under Attack? What about Christians?”

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A ‘new McCarthyism’ on the rise, warns Bishop

Terence Netto | May 8, 11
Malaysiakini

Catholic Bishop Paul Tan Chee Ing warned of the rise of a “new McCarthyism” in Malaysia where failed politicians engage in “witch-hunts and “scaremongering” as diversions from the problem of their sinking popularity.

In comments made to Malaysiakini on the emergence of allegations that Christian groups were out to undermine the status of Islam as the official religion, the Bishop of Melaka-Johor, who is also the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia, said:

“The last time a calumny like this was visited on Malaysian Christians was in the early 1970s when a past president of Pas described us as greater national security threat than were the Communists,” recalled the Jesuit-trained prelate.

“Fortunately, that was a lone instance and reflected one individual’s fevered imagination. But now we see various groups of politicians intent on resurrecting this bogey to divert attention from the problem of their slumping popularity,” commented Bishop Paul Tan.

“Instead of dealing with the obvious causes of their sinking popularity, like widespread corruption, racism and intolerable economic inequities in society, they engage in witch-hunts against assorted scapegoats,” he continued. Continue reading “A ‘new McCarthyism’ on the rise, warns Bishop”

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Christian state: Utusan blowing hot air, says don

Hazlan Zakaria | May 8, 11
Malaysiakini

Renowned constitutional expert Abdul Aziz Bari has dismissed Utusan Malaysia’s article on a supposed conspiracy to make Christianity Malaysia’s official religion as “ridiculous”.

“Constitutionally it is just illogical. It cannot happen, just impossible. Even if Pakatan controlled hundred percent of the Dewan Rakyat.

“Remember that the Senate which has similar powers to the lower house when it comes to constitutional amendments, is not under their control as some of the senators belong to Umno-BN.”

He argued that technically the upper house can block the amendment passed by the Dewan Rakyat.

Abdul Aziz contended that the provisions on the subject matters – monarchy, Islam and the Malays – are simply beyond the ordinary political process. Continue reading “Christian state: Utusan blowing hot air, says don”

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Jeff Ooi takes ‘Christian conspiracy’ to police

Susan Loone | May 8, 11
Malaysiakini

Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi has lodged a police report against Umno-linked Malay language daily Utusan Malaysia and a blogger BigDog.com, for what he described were “malicious” articles alleging he was involved in a purported Christian conspiracy to change the country’s official religion.

Ooi, who is DAP central executive committee member, wants the police to investigate Utusan over its front page articles on May 7 entitled ‘Kristian Agama Rasmi’ (Christianity the official religion?), ‘Dua halaman blog dedah ikrar paderi seluruh negara’ (Two blogs expose pledge by pastors nationwide), and ‘Jeff Ooi nafi anjur majlis’ (Jeff Ooi denies organising seminar).

On page five, Ooi noted two other articles on the same matter entitled “Malaysia negara Kristian? Dua blog dedah pertemuan paderi bincang agenda jadikan agama rasmi” (Christianity the official religion? Two blogs expose meeting between pastors discussing making Christianity the nation’s official religion).

He also said he wants the police to investigate another blog, called ‘Marahku’, that carried a similar allegation in his blog posting entitled ‘Agong under threat? DAP wants to make Christianity the official religion of Malaysia?’. Continue reading “Jeff Ooi takes ‘Christian conspiracy’ to police”

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Archbishop slams ‘irresponsible, baseless, provocative’ reporting

Malaysiakini
May 8, 11

Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, Murphy Nicholas Pakiam, has slammed reports alleging a conspiracy to turn the country into a Christian state.

Describing the reports as “irresponsible, baseless and provocative”, Pakiam demanded that the authorities take action against what it said were quarters that seek to threaten the harmonious, multi-cultural and multi-religious make-up of the country.

A “thorough investigation” into the matter should be made to determine the source of these “insidious, provocative and malicious lies” and take action against those behind it, said Pakiam in a statement.

He was responding to the blog postings, on which an Utusan Malaysia report was based, accusing DAP of colluding with Christian pastors to make Christianity the country’s official religion so that a Christian can become prime minister. Continue reading “Archbishop slams ‘irresponsible, baseless, provocative’ reporting”

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Church mulls legal action against Utusan for false reporting

By Debra Chong
The Malaysian Insider
May 08, 2011

GEORGE TOWN, May 8 — Bishop Antony Selvanayagam (left) said Utusan Malaysia lied about the Penang Catholic Church’s role in an alleged plot to make Malaysia Christian, adding he will consult a lawyer to discuss legal options against the Umno newspaper.

The cleric said neither he nor the Catholic Church were aware of any Christian meeting taking place in Penang as reported by the Malay newspaper, which also said yesterday the meeting was to discuss changing the country’s highest law to put a Christian in place of a Muslim as prime minister.

“That report is not true. No such conference took place in any Catholic church or facility here. As bishop, I would know,” he told The Malaysian Insider when contacted last night.

“That is false reporting,” Selvanayagam said, adding that neither Utusan nor any other person, apart from The Malaysian Insider, had contacted him to verify the report before its publication or since.

Asked if he planned to take action against Utusan Malaysia, he said, “Immediately, I would not be able to say. I would need to consult the Catholic Church and my legal advisor.” Continue reading “Church mulls legal action against Utusan for false reporting”

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Christian agenda claim “a serious matter”: Hishammuddin

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. Continue reading “Christian agenda claim “a serious matter”: Hishammuddin”