At 9.43 am I received the following SMS from DAP MP for Rasah and Negri Sembilan State Assembly Opposition Leader Anthony Loke:
“Another church attack in Seremban. SIB Seremban church. Door was damaged. I am at the scene now.”
This was followed by other SMS from him on the latest dastardly and cowardly sacrilege, viz:
“The name of the church – Siding Injil Borneo. They have BM service. This is the church mentioned by Wong Chun Wai, the fastest growing church in Malaysia.”
“Idris Jala belongs to this church.”
“The church is located less than 1km from the Seremban IPD”
This is the fourth day since the Black Friday of January 8, 2010 when Malaysia’s international reputation as a model of inter-religious peace, understanding and harmony was soiled and sullied, aggravating Malaysia’s international crisis of confidence as a safe haven for investors, tourists and international students as well as undoing all the multi-million ringgit “1Malaysia” propaganda of the past nine months.
However, apart from a RM500,000 allocation by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak to help relocate the fire-bombed Metro Tabernacle Church in Desa Melawati, dire warnings by Najib and the Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein not to blame Umno over the religious incitement and church attacks, and the far-from-convincing assurance by Hishammuddin that “the situation is under control”, nothing very concrete had been done to undo the grave damage to nation-building and our international image.
In my media statement yesterday, I had said:
When Najib visited New York end of November to attract American investors and boost trade and investment ties between Malaysia and the United States, he was dogged by Malaysia’s adverse international image, not only by our endemic crime rate but also controversies over moral policing and religious disputes.
Najib found out first-hand that it “takes us months” to clear up adverse international publicity like the case of Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, even before the implementation of the order for six strokes of the cane for drinking beer.
If “Malaysia Kartika” is googled, it turns out 263,000 results – which is small fry if the “Allah” controversy is googled, as a google search for “Malaysia Allah” turns up 7.1 million finds, proof of the enormity of the damage the current “Allah” controversy is doing to Malaysia’s international image.
The adverse international image arising from the “Allah” controversy and the attacks on the places of worship would probably haunt all Najib’s investments overseas to attract investors, tourists and students in the rest of his premiership!
I issued my statement at about 2 pm yesterday when googling the two words “Malaysia Allah” turned up 7.1 million finds. At 12 noon today googling these two words produced 11.1 million finds or a three-million leap in less than 24 hours!
Najib should do what Bapa Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman would have done instinctively in such a situation – to convene and preside over an inter-religious roundtable to end the religious dispute over the “Allah” controversy.
Nobody is impressed by reports that the Barisan Nasional government is on the “damage-control mode”, with plans to dispatch several ministers to hold a series of dialogues between religious leaders.
All eyes will be on this Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting, whether it is prepared to rise to the occasion to make amends for its past failures in allowing the “Allah” controversy to reach its present combustible point.
The biggest mistake of the Barisan Nasional Cabinet Ministers was to allow the the former Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar to disrupt the religious equilibrium by imposing the ban on the use of Allah by Herald.
Yesterday I posed the following question:
Why no other Cabinet Minister, whether from UMNO, MCA, Gerakan, MIC, the Sabah and Sarawak parties had spoken up in Cabinet to stop such a ban because of long common usage of the practice particularly in Sabah and Sarawak predating the formation of Malaysia in 1963 we well as world-wide in the Middle East and Indonesia?
Can the Cabinet answer this question in a statement after its meeting on Wednesday?
The Cabinet’s mistake in 2007 was compounded by the haste with which the government appealed against the KL High Court judgment and secured an instant “stay”, without first allowing a full and balanced discussion and decision by the Cabinet last Wednesday on what was the appropriate response of the Barisan Nasional government, representing not only Umno, but also MCA, Gerakan, MIC and the Sabah and Sarawak component parties of Barisan Nasional.
The ball is in the Cabinet’s court at its meeting on Wednesday – whether it is prepared to act boldly to rescue the nine-month-old “1Malaysia” slogan and policy from having to be relegated to oblivion and to bring to a close the religious discord, hatred and incitement over the Kuala Lumpur High Court judgment on the Allah controversy.
#1 by Richardqed on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 12:46 pm
“The largest number of Christians today are Sabahan and Sarawakian bumiputras, who prefer Bahasa Malaysia. The fastest growing church has a Malay name – the Sidang Injil Borneo (SIB) – which also enjoys the same popularity in the peninsula.” — from Wong Chun Wai’s blog
Well, thanks to The Star’s Wong Chun Wai who especially highlighted this church in his article, so that the arson gangsters don’t have to think of which church to bomb. Brainless journalist.
#2 by negarawan on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 12:59 pm
The church burning in the last few days has changed and permanently scarred the socio-political landscape in Malaysia, to an extent that our forefathers could never imagine. The serious damage done to the inter-racial and inter-religious relationship between the non-Malays and Malays will take a very long time to heal, and even then deep scars will remain forever. The cordial and gentle relationship that use to exist a long time ago has now change to deep suspicion and to a certain extent, fear. For Malaysia to recover from this serious polarization, and to join the ranks of civilized and progressive nations like Singapore, the country must have the poltical will to move away from communal and race based politics, and to eliminate deep-rooted corruption and mismanagement in the ruling party and government. There is no other way.
#3 by mendela on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 12:59 pm
How do Jib and Kris know UMNO was not involved in the bombings?
Just like the killing of Atlantuya, even b4 the start of police investigation, the idiots already told the world that no other people was involved except the 2 body guards of Jib.
#4 by k1980 on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 1:16 pm
How do Jib and Kris know UMNO was not involved in the bombings?
Well, they consulted Mona Fandey the great bomoh from Temerloh. Kris was told to lie on the floor face up where Mona placed flowers on top of him. She then told Kris to close his eyes and wait for the message to “fall from the sky”.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/db/Mona_Fandey.jpg
#5 by taiking on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 1:23 pm
Hey hey hey. Dont mess with the best or you will die like the rest.
So careful there fellas!
Phark.
#6 by k1980 on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 1:31 pm
The arsonists are singing away—–
One little, two little, three little Gereja
Four little, five little, six little Gereja
Seven little, eight little, nine little Gereja
Ten little Gereja.
Ten little, nine little, eight little Gereja
Seven little, six little, five little Gereja
Four little, three little, two little Gereja
One little Gereja.
#7 by Bigjoe on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 1:35 pm
Najib owe Sdr. Lim a TUN title for his criticism.. Sdr.Lim is absolutely the most positive critic of an idiot like Najib to suggest that its an INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY FOR HIM to rise to the occasion.
There is no need for Najib to behave like a chicken with heads cut off. All he has to do step back and ask whether he meant to implement what he promise. If he does, then all he need to do is get his team together and say we are going to change the gameplan and do or die with it. If they succeed they go into history, if not we fail but we tried valiantly and it still was worth it. Anyone not wishing to be part of it can leave.
Then he goes ahead and move with a new gameplan. Simple as that.
There is no patching up of problems here. There is no finding a compromise solution. There is no lets find something easier to do rather than take the hard road.
There is only the hard road and he and his team is going to take that first step as suggested by Sdr. Lim. Its a geat opportunity for great men. Its a condemnation to infamy for boys and lesser men. There is nothing in between
#8 by k1980 on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 1:46 pm
The Taliban in Pakistan first bombed the churches
Then the schools
Then the police stations
Then the govt offices
Then the pm, the late benazir bhutto
#9 by boh-liao on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 1:50 pm
While we hv places of worship bombed here, stoned there
A graduate of Yale Uni fr China has donated US$8,888,888 (RM30,022,219) to d college
N we look down upon students fr China
N we treat most female students fr China as prostitutes n lock them up
#10 by Onlooker Politics on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 1:51 pm
Najib is asked by YB Kit to convene and preside over an inter-religious roundtable to end the religious dispute over the “Allah” controversy.
This is another tough question for Najib. Is YB Kit going to arrange a unique and isolated chair for Najib for him to sit in the centre of the roundtable so that Najib can still posture himself as the King of Ketuanan Melayu who is surrounded by all coming from different religious backgrounds with a roundtable? If Najib is not made a unique person who stands up tall among all the others, what is the point for him to want to convene and preside over such a meeting of roundtable, for it serves no purpose to magnify Najib as the King of Ketuanan Melayu?
#11 by Onlooker Politics on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 2:08 pm
Anyone, including the Home Minister, who sets the law to proclaim that “Allxh belongs to Muslims only and does not belong to non-Muslims” is the blasphemer of the good name of Allxh! By the qualification of the Home Minister’s proclamation, “Allxh” shall never be allowed to be preached to the non-Muslims! The Home Minister has indeed done a big disservice to Allxh through his setting such a rediculous restraint on the non-Muslims by restricting access to Allxh through censorship on religious literature circulars!
#12 by frankyapp on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 2:15 pm
Hey Bigjoe, how can NR do it,you know his hands are bloody and all of his horses are filup with pretty lots of dirt. Don’t you know that Malaysia has chased out all the brains and what’s left in the cabinet are those brain wise guys that are below par,not even good for the kampong. Do you know that in a game of golf,when you are below par,even if given you the best clubs,you won’t succeed. Saddly I must admit this’s Malaysia’s dilemma.
#13 by cseng on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 2:36 pm
This is how it works: this is yours, that is mine, you don’t cross over, I don’t mess with yours. This is 1 Malaysia, many things are exclusive, it makes no different if one more added into the exclusive rights list.
This is called religious sensitivity: sensitive issues can only be discussed closed door. Those don’t understand are free to imaging but cannot speak. My imagination goes this way, 1 malaysian can accommodate many churches attack, most of Malaysian are peace loving person. I pray to those involve in arson/stoning attack be clear and sensitive on where are you throwing to, please don’t land on masjid, this is catastrophic to 1 malaysia.
#14 by dawsheng on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 2:38 pm
We have been warned many times over that the state of things today will come into play. The only thing I’m surprise is the magnitude of its repercussions, which reflects UMNO is now very weak. Will Najib do the right thing by chaining an interfaith dialogue? well, that depends on whether the church burner will be happy.
#15 by -ec- on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 2:39 pm
and people will conveniently forget about the jet engines and all other scandals…
#16 by Onlooker Politics on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 3:01 pm
The representative from the Home Ministry was telling the representatives from foreign embassies which located at Kuala Lumpur “not to compare Malaysia to Indonesia as the national circumstances are different!” The foreign ambassadors were told to compare only “Apple to Apple, and Orange to Orange!” These kinds of answers clearly showed that the Umnoputras had lost their patience on the religious pluralism among the Malaysians and they were keen to tighten up the censorship control on the monotone of Islam indoctrination so that Opposition Parties such as PAS and PKR would never have a slim chance to preach purity and holiness to the supporters of the corrupted Umnoputras! It also indicated that this is the last breathe being inhaled and exhaled from the nose of the Umnoputras before they are effectively removed from the helm of Federal Government by the coming of next General Election!
#17 by k1980 on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 3:09 pm
http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2234&Itemid=229
which Asian country had the biggest foreign exchange losses in 2009?
#18 by Onlooker Politics on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 3:10 pm
When asked “why Malaysia prohibits the usage of ‘Allxh’ by the Catholics while Indonesia has no problem in permitting such a usage by Catholics and Christains”, the representative of the Home Ministry answered that Indonesia had different denominations of Islam, which are different from that of Malaysia. What is he trying to say, indeed? Which one is cult? and which one is not?
#19 by Bigjoe on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 3:35 pm
I just red the part about the Deputy Foreign Minister telling the foreign missions to “compare apple with apple. Our landscape and situation is different. In other countries, maybe their religious understanding is different”
He is right! WE SHOULD NEVER HAVE COME EVEN CLOSE TO THIS PLACE WE ARE IN.. Fifty years ago, what is happening was INCONCEIVABLE. We knew such things would never happen. Even after May 13, 1969 we knew it was all a mistake and a lie even though those who won the battles were plotting and planning to say otherwise. For the last 40 years, we pretended that things were the same as fifty years ago and looked the other way as the liars increased their lies more and more because we thought such things as we are seeing now were inconceivable. They were not our neigbours, friends, school mates and colleagues. Most of us still don’t know these people.
Well, they may still be minority but they have grown and they have kept destroying, demanding more and more, behaving worst and worst like a gangrine that will not go away unless cut-off.
Yes, we are different still, but not as different as we used to be and will be less different in the future if those in charge are still the same.
#20 by Bigjoe on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 4:19 pm
Can you believe that they are suggesting that they drop their demand for using the word ‘Allah’ to solve the problem. That is UMNO – they rob, steal, mess everything up then someone else to PAY FOR it.
I have a better suggestion – BN get out of Sarawak…
#21 by Dap man on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 4:27 pm
An alert observer of Malaysian politics since March 2008 would not be surprised to see what is happening today.
UMNO’s words and deeds since March 8 has been volatile, inflammatory, racist, incendiary and aggressive, anti non-Malay and anti non-Muslim.
A supreme entity breathing down mortals.
The only language UMNO knows to unite the Malays is the language of hate.
Hate breeds hate.
Hate breeds terrorists. There we have it.
What more after this?
#22 by AhQ on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 4:29 pm
This is about power; about dominant and subservient relationship. It has nothing to do with fighting for their God. God needs no protection from anyone. They know they can do it with impunity and that is why they are doing it with boldness and confidence.
It is not that retaliation is right, but they know the Christians do not have the capacity and capability to do it. There will be no civil war it this country but there will always be bullying on the one hand and submission on the other. That is why the principle of the majority protecting the minority is enshrined in many places, including the Hindu protecting the Muslims in India. Minority rights have no meaning if the majority does not have the magnanimity and the civility to give it. No doubt it is only a handful that goes around bombing churches, but I want to know what did the majority think and do about it.
That is why in this country, decisions pertaining to race, religion and ethnicity are always made so partially. The dominant group can never feel enough of their dominance and the subservient group could only suffer grudgingly in silence. Occasionally, they would rise up to demand their rights, but they will be eventually intimidated and suppressed with each fight of their rights only results in more erosion of their rights. With so many bombings going around, there is no need to wait for the Court of Appeal to make a decision. Soon, the Catholic Church would make a voluntary withdraw to claim its right to use “that” word.
#23 by ekans on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 4:45 pm
The Pekan MP’s cousin says that the situation is not serious and is under control but later the 8th incident in Seremban happened. Then the cops deny that such an incident had happened as read from http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/49190-cops-deny-latest-church-attack-
I think at this rate, they will only nab those responsible for these incidents/attacks when they also nab those responsible for trying to firebomb YB Theresa’s house & for sending live bullets and death threats to YB Karpal…
#24 by drngsc on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 4:46 pm
Ayooh, Malaysia is a land of great contradition. This is a country where there is a national policy to protect the majority from the minority. Where airplane engines are stolen ( an act against the country, otherwise called treason ), and the person abetting the crime is arrested and charge and the criminal is still at large. Where people take the law into their own hands, and the minister asks the Church to withdraw so that the gangsters can get their way. What a fantastic country. Malaysia boleh. Ai Ai, ini tak boleh. Enough is enough.
#25 by Onlooker Politics on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 4:51 pm
“No doubt it is only a handful that goes around bombing churches, but I want to know what did the majority think and do about it.” (AhQ)
If the majority we refer to in Malaysia is the Malay people, then I would say that the Malay people would have much better confidence now that the chief editor of Herald would very soon declare a withdraw of the petition for judicial review on the ban on the use of the word “Allxh” in the weekly circluars of Catholic Church. The confidence might have been boasted by the open prayers from Metro Tabernacle Church promising forgiveness to the arsonists, and to surrender the arson matter to the hand of God.
It seems like Christianity can tolerate all sins, including the sin of blasphemy on God! What else grievances do we still have the legitimacy to voice out loudly if we are to find that the ninth Church in Malaysia will be on fire?
MCA’s Lee San Choon Hall can really do a lot of wonder to the faith of Metro Tabernacle Church!
#26 by Motorist on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 5:00 pm
YB Kit, please do not desecrate the good name of our revered Bapa Malaysia by direct comparison.
Tunku sacrificed so much in the hope that his beloved countrymen will live harmoniously as one people under one flag.
#27 by Onlooker Politics on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 5:09 pm
To be fair to Metro Tabernacle Church, I did notice that the Pastor did lead the church to pray for the church unity. The big question now is: Can all churches agree upon the small matter of whether to use “Allxh” or not to use “Allxh” in the Malay version of the Holy Bible?
If some day in the future the Churches have decided that the decree from the authority be obeyed and the word “Allxh” will not be used by Christians for addressing “God”, will the dispute be resolved immediately? I guess it won’t be so easy to arrive at an all-rounded solution which will readily make everybody happy. What is the Church going to do next if later on the Home Ministry is going to decide some day in the future that all the statues in the Catholic Church including the Crucification Cross symbol have to be removed because they are the eye sore to Muslims in Malaysia?
Christians must also realize that they must have certain bottom line to defend in the holy name of God.
#28 by Bigjoe on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 5:26 pm
Those who argue that the solution is for the Christians to drop the use of the word, I say its not a choice. The option to do that is over. The Christian have to defend their right and its UP to BN to fix the issue. This has got nothing to do with harmless compromising for the sake of harmony. That is over.
The fact of the matter is if the Christian drop the use of the word, the wrong message get send to the wrong crowd. If that crowd think its OK to bomb a church over the use of ‘Allah’, they will think its OK to bomb other people and other places over other religious matter. The standard will sink to newer lows as if its not low enough. Today its churches, tomorrow it will be a Hindraf temple and WHAT would that be like everyone knows. and it won’t take long not these days…
#29 by Loh on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 5:31 pm
///The Home Ministry tells foreign diplomats that the situation in Malaysia is different from other countries.///–Malaysiakini
So, it is acceptable that there are arson attacks on the churches, so long as it is only 8 in three days.
Islam is used as a criterion to define race, and with that there is special privilege. So Muslims in other countries practices Islamic religion for religious purpose, but in Malaysia, Islam is used more for political purposes.
People in other countries are civilized and so they accept what other persons choose to call their God. Here the people who consider their God should be known by a particular term jealously guard it against being called by persons plasticising other faith, as though guarding of tangible assets.
Malaysia is certainly different when the score of collective wealth is national policy, and so by extension collective share of God.
Other countries practice rule of law with one standard but UMNO government practices double standards.
The Home Ministry should have listed the differences to make comparison impossible.
#30 by Jeffrey on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 5:36 pm
///Najib should do what Bapa Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman would have done instinctively in such a situation – to convene and preside over an inter-religious roundtable to end the religious dispute over the “Allah” controversy.///
Maybe earlier inter-religious roundtable – in lieu of court action – might have prevented religious dispute / controversy.
However in the aftermath of the arson attacks will or can inter-religious roundtable or for that matter even another court ruling appealing for legal legitimacy resolve the controversy? (Zaid Ibrahim even pushes for a state inter-faith advisory council).
I doubt it. Inter-religious roundtable or state inter-faith advisory council etc will be attended by wise and experienced religious or academic participants. How will whatever they in the inter-religious roundtable or state inter-faith advisory council decide influence or convince the crazy fellas who throw Molotov cocktails (if they acted randomly) or whoever who organized the attacks based on a deliberate political agenda?
The crux of the issue is and will always remain: Can the Herald continue to use the same reference to God as Muslims (as it had done for decades) before “the religious equilibrium” was disturbed by the “first mistake” of imposing the ban in 2007, compounded by the second mistake of the haste with which the government appealed against Justice Lau Bee Lan’s KL High Court judgment?
This issue is not and has not been resolved. Yes everyone condemns the arson attacks. Who in right mind wouldn’t?
But who bears the blame for providing arsonists the excuse to do mischief and who should after mischeif has been done ought to give way on this issue (to prevent further mischief) is far from resolved, which I doubt (after arson attacks) any inter-religious roundtable or even another court ruling could resolve!!!
More specifically do you catch and punish the arsonists or do you appease them by asking Herald to give way in the name of peace and security?
If the Herald voluntarily gives way or even the Appellate Court overrules Justice Lau’s decision – all in the name of peace and security – is this not the peace and security of the grave, negotiated from position of weakness by giving way to arsonists and appeasing their wrath to discourage them from continuing their terrorsits acts? Would not it been seen that whenever the voices of reason and moderation – or the rule of law – clash with the shrill shouts and force of extremists the latter will always win? In such a case would it not then encourage the voices of reason and moderation to also turn immoderate and unreasonable since there is greater reward in this direction?
The alternative is deny and fight extremism but not rewarding them. Wouldn’t such an alternative imply that the government should reverse the first and second mistakes by reverting to staus quo before 2007 by withdrawing its appeal against Justice Lau Bee Lan’s decision?
However what are the chances of this happening? I would say almost zilch. (Already Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom has urged church leaders to adopt the same approach as a Sabah leader, who urged Christians to drop the claim to use the name “Allah”.
He said this would help maintain peace and security and ease tension over the claim to use “Allah” by the Herald, the Catholic weekly magazine. – See The MalaysiaInsider report 11 Jan.
Is this a satisfactory solution – appeasing and rewarding what the arsonists have done, holding the country’s peace and security to hostage to concede to their demands and assuage their wrath?
Would this set a precedent for extremist to demand the unreasonable, threaten and throw their tantrums and molotov cocktails on each and every occasion to make sure that the rest give in to their position???
What for then for the rest to engage in civilised and rational talks and discussion on what is right and wrong if by results the Molotov Cocktails are made to appear speaking louder and more effectively?
#31 by Rocky on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 5:58 pm
And in the 29th Chapter He says:
And dispute not with the People of the Book but say “We believe in the Revelation which has come down to us and that which came down to you…our God [Allah] and your God [Allah] is One, and it is to Him we bow (al-Ankabut, 29:46)
from the Quran. Now who is PM and UMNO to say that Allah can be used by others? are they saying the Quran is wrong? or they are higher authority?
yes it has back fired big time. and all we have to do is sit and watch the show. No need for counter demos like suggested by Hindraf. come next election, these fools who are leaders will be kicked out cos they are unable to do the right thing, they are only keen in their self interest. and you know what their brain power is also limited cos they do not think it thru and yet they want to hood wink us. real fools cos they never learned from March,08 cos they are stupid and are out of ideas!!!
#32 by taiking on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 6:06 pm
///The Home Ministry tells foreign diplomats that the situation in Malaysia is different from other countries.///–Malaysiakini
Actually, this statement is justifiable. You see we are different. Umnoputras are the masters of this country. And as master they are entitled to do all that is necessary to ensure that their position is not jeapordised by their servants.
My authority for saying this can be found in Spongebob Squarepants – the Movie – per King Nepture
“Anyway, the point is, you won’t wear it [i.e. the crown] until you learn how to rule with an iron fist.
Like your father [i.e. King Nepture].”
Earlier in the same Movie King Neptune passed this very severe sentence on the one whom he found to have committed the crime of touching his crown: “Twenty years in the dungeon it is.” He was satisfied that the crime was committed and hence the sentence was passed even though the person involved was the royal crown polisher. Otherwise it would have been death for the wrongdoer for King Neptune said, and I quote in full:
“Well, then I guess I can’t execute you.
Twenty years in the dungeon it is.”
He said, “I am the king. I must enforce the laws of the sea.” Umnoputras must enforce the laws of BTN.
The conclusion therefore is umno and umnoputras have done nothing wrong.
#33 by ekans on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 6:14 pm
From http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/political-news/157199-jamil-khir-other-church-leaders-should-adopt-same-approach.html
PUTRAJAYA: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom has urged church leaders to adopt the same approach by a Sabah leader who urged Christians to drop the claim to use the word ‘Allah’.
He said this would help maintain peace and security and ease tension over the claim to use ‘Allah’ by Herald, the Catholic weekly magazine.
“I urge them to be wary and responsible towards peace and security in Malaysia. Other church leaders must have deep understanding of the situation and history (on the use of ‘Allah’) in the country,” he said when commenting on a statement by a Sabah Christian leader urging Herald to drop the claim for the sake of harmony and security.
The Malaysian Justice of the Peace Council president Datuk Clarence Bongkos Malakun said Christians in Malaysia should not follow those in Indonesia on the use of ‘Allah’ but to abide by the federal constitution.
Bongkos Malakun is also deputy president of the Sabah Kadazandusun Culture Association.
On the spate of firebomb attacks on churches, Jamil Khir said it should not have happened.
“We still don’t know who were responsible for them but we can’t hurt one another as it is a teaching of Islam,” he said.
Jamil Khir said the inter-faith dialogue would be continued and stepped up so that the people would have better understanding of religions. — Bernama
It can be seen that the Sabahan bumiputra Christians are now being put under subtle pressure by the Peninsular-based UMNO’s BN controlled central federal government.
What had happened to point 1 of Sabah’s 20 point memorandum which is ‘While there was no objection to Islam being the national religion of Malaysia there should be no State religion in North Borneo, and the provisions relating to Islam in the present Constitution of Malaya should not apply to North Borneo’?
What had happened to point 12 of Sabah’s 20 point memorandum which is ‘In principle, the indigenous races of North Borneo should enjoy special rights analogous to those enjoyed by Malays in Malaya, but the present Malays’ formula in this regard is not necessarily applicable in North Borneo’?
#34 by k1980 on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 6:15 pm
Throwing Molotov cocktails to cause fires in private premises is “minor vandalism”!!!
“clearly the work of delinquents” who perceived it as a joke
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/20100111073546/Article/index_html
#35 by yhsiew on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 6:33 pm
Najib should do what Bapa Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman would have done instinctively in such a situation – to convene and preside over an inter-religious roundtable to end the religious dispute over the “Allah” controversy – Kit
===================================================
Why must Najib convene and preside over an inter-religious roundtable and make a compromise with Christian leaders to end the religious dispute at this juncture? To gain the upperhand (winner takes all), Najib will certainly wait for the Appeal Court’s decision to give green light to ban the use of the term “Allxh” among non Muslims. Even if the Appeal Court does not give the green light, it is still not too late for Najib to make a compromise with Christian leaders to end the conflict then.
#36 by tiger88 on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 6:37 pm
Hishamuddin also brushed off any plans in involving Rela officers helping the police as he asserted that “if it is just down to a stage where a door is burned, I think the police can handle it.”
Yes, the police can only handle burned doors and not bigger things. What a joke.
#37 by ekans on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 6:40 pm
Have a look at http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/49222-church-officials-reject-ministers-call-to-drop-allah-usage
Sabahan bumiputra Christian church officials refuse to bow to pressure from the UMNO’s BN controlled Peninsular-based federal government…
#38 by ReformMalaysia on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 6:42 pm
Means that Malaysian All~h is different from Indonesian’s All~h or Arabian’s All~h?
Who has taught them that? The Malay Prophet…maybe? But he was put into the jail….!
#39 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 6:47 pm
Dear PM Najib, were u play-acting when u visited Metro Tabernacle? R u sincerely non-racist?
If u r genuine & honest, prove by deeds not by words. So far, nobody’s impressed with yr words. Yr actions r just mere tokenism!
So we r waiting to see u r capable of instinctive good b’cos we hv a sickening feeling that u r acting more like u r totally lost n quite incapable. Now prove us wrong.
#40 by ekans on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 7:00 pm
From http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/political-news/157192-umno-youth-member-questions-najibs-rm500k-donation.html
Umno Youth member questions Najib’s RM500k donation
Written by Chan Kok Leong
Monday, 11 January 2010 13:40
PETALING JAYA: Giving away half a million ringgit to the damaged Metro Tabernacle church by Datuk Seri Najib Razak is “a load of nonsense” as the government was not responsible for the arson attack.
The act again will be seen as the government being apologetic rather than addressing issues distressing Malays, wrote Akhramsyah Muammar Ubaidah Sanusi in his blog.
“This will open the door to accusations that the government is now bringing the state’s treatment of other religions on par with Islam which is the only religion acknowledge by the constitution. This is extremely dangerous,” he reasoned.
“Paying RM500,000 gives the impression that the government is taking ultimate responsibility for the arson attack,” he added.
Instead the government should expedite Metro Tabernacle’s permit application to relocate its church, said Akhramsyah.
He further argued the donation could prompt Hindus the right to claim for compensation for their demolished temples and encourage arson for the sake of gaining state funds for rebuilding.
“Does this imply that the government will pay out to all churches or other related institutions (schools, seminaries etc) that suffer significant damage from protest over the Herald case?” Akhramsyah asked.
Akhramsyah, who is the son of former agriculture minister and Kedah menteri besar Tan Sri Sanusi Junid, said having an interfaith dialogue now will just inflame matters.
Sanusi, who is a close ally of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, quit Umno in 2008 when the latter resigned from the party following differences with then prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Akhramsyah, who is a close supporter of Dr Mahathir’s son Mukhriz, contested for an exco seat in the Umno Youth elections last year but lost.
“Malays will see no reason to dialogue as they see themselves as having given up enough already and suspicions will arise that Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon is reviving the Interfaith Council idea. This will not stop the violence. In fact, it may make it worse,” said Akhramsyah.
The 36-year-old oil and gas engineer suggested the prime minister should invite the Rulers to intervene to bring the matter out of the court.
“The Rulers can then constitutionally put a halt to the Herald’s case. This will appease Malays across many fronts, not just by dismissing the issue but also by demonstrating the presence of Malay power to address their concerns still.”
The father of five also suggested that the Catholic church should withdraw its case from the courts in the interest of peace between Malaysians.
“I also hope that the absence of reduction of violence from Monday does not give everyone a false sense of security. The violence is probably reduced as people are at work,” said Akhramsyah.
In another blog entry on Sunday, Akhramsyah said more churches will be torched, stoned, graffitied, sullied, picketed, etc, for as long as the use of the word “Allah” by the Catholic church issue is not resolved to the satisfaction of Muslims in this country.
“For the Catholic Church to venture down the silly path of robbing Malays of the exclusive use of the word Allah… Malays may be lobbing molotov cocktails at all churches indiscriminately, but this is only fair.
“It is not just the Catholic church that is responsible for this Malay anger, but also the Protestant and Evangelical for not joining ranks with Malays against the Catholic stand,” said the Akhramsyah.
Just look at what Akhramsyah is saying especially in the second last paragraph.
I think he should have just stayed in the oil and gas industry where he is probably more useful & productive to the nation…
#41 by Loh on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 7:02 pm
///Home Ministry secretary-general Mahmood Adam, who briefed foreign diplomats on the crisis on Monday, said they had asked why the term was off-limits when it is widely used by Christians in Indonesia and the Middle East. ‘They don’t understand the situation here, they just want to know why it can be allowed in other countries and not here,’ he told reporters. ‘Be fair, you have to compare apples to apples, oranges to oranges. Our landscape is different from other countries. Malays here are different from (Muslims in) other countries. The landscape here is different from Indonesia so we can’t compare.’///–http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/SEAsia/Story/STIStory_475907.html
But he has not explained why Malays are different from other Muslims.
#42 by Loh on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 7:05 pm
Home minister Hishamuddin the Kerisman warned that action would be taken against those who blame UMNO for the attack on churches. He appears to be more concern about the image of UMNO than how to prevent a repeat of the perpetrations.
The constitution provides for religious freedom since day one of Independent Malaya. No amendment has ever been made on that article regarding religious freedom. There were no restrictions on the use of the word Allah until 2007, some 50 years after Malaya and later Malaysia has become an independent country. The ban on that word 50 years after independence shows that the government was less tolerant about religious freedom, or more accurately the government became jealous that non-Muslims derive the satisfaction that their prayer might be answered by Allah, whoever He was being referred to.
The ban on the use of that word was decided by UMNO minister. So UMNO was and is responsible for banning that word.
It is because the action of the former Home Minister banning the use of the word Allah in Christians’ publication that gave rise to the court case. The attack on the churches was because the perpetrators did not agree with the High court decision which found the Home Minister’s action unconstitutional. It was the former Home Minister who created in the mindset of those perpetrators that the word Allah was a monopoly of Muslims in Malaysia. It was UMNO-led government’s disrespect of the judiciary system in the country that moulded the mindset of those who attacked the churches to disrespect High court decision when it goes against what they preferred. The excuse for action against the churches was provided by UMNO minister. Can UMNO be free from blame for causing the trouble?
Najib was wrong to have said that Muslims should remain calm while the government appealed against the high court decision. It signalled government disagreement with the court decision, and the perpetrators considered the attack on the churches to be in support of government’s position. Government agencies have proved that they are partial and bias and action which favoured government’s stand will not have to face the rule of law. The way the PM acted after the court decision encouraged attacks on the church. As PM Najib is President of UMNO, isn’t UMNO responsible for the trouble?
#43 by Onlooker Politics on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 7:11 pm
“Malays here are different from (Muslims in) other countries.” (Home Ministry Scretary-General Mahmood Adam)
Mahmood Adam really makes us wonder why the Malays in Malaysia are deemed to be different from the Muslims from other countries. Does he mean that the Malays in Malaysia are holier muslims than the Muslims from other countries?
#44 by ekans on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 7:16 pm
That statement from the Home Ministry secretary-general seems to imply that this is more of a political and a territorial sovereignity issue than a universally religious one.
#45 by ReformMalaysia on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 7:23 pm
Malays and Islam is a ‘duonity’ in Malaysia… If you are Malay…. you are of Islam faith….. So people like Lina Joyis no longer a Malay…. when she denounced Islam….. What shall we describe her as? An ex-Malay?
#46 by Onlooker Politics on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 7:27 pm
New Straits Times reported on 11.01.2010:
//The cases are being investigated as arson under section 436 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail sentence of 20 years and a fine.//
//The New Straits Times understands that police have reviewed closed-circuit television camera (CCTV) recordings from a shop near the damaged Metro Tabernacle Church, Kuala Lumpur.//
//Eight people on two motorcycles and inside a car were seen at the scene of the crime moments before an explosion occurred at its administrative office.//
//Police are enhancing the images in the CCTV recordings to get the vehicles’ registration numbers and the faces of the suspects.//
//Police are also looking at possibility that the eight may also be responsible for the incidents at Assumption Church, Life Chapel and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Petaling Jaya.//
Hishammuddin said this was a commendable good police performance. What do you think? I just hope that there will not be another news coming out which looks something like this:
“A suspect who was an alleged under the investigation by the Police for Metro Tabernacle Church arson case was found dead after jumping from the 6th floor of Bukit Aman Police Headquarter. It is suspected that the dead was caused by suicide because of the alleged’s fear of going to jail for 20 years!”
#47 by frankyapp on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 7:27 pm
Hi Onlooker politics,didn’t you see this guy has a weird name for a muslim .His last name is ADAM ” Normally ADAM is a christian name,same as EVE ,[deleted]
#48 by k1980 on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 7:28 pm
The landscape here is NOT a bit different from Indonesia. They have tropical trees and rivers just as in here.
It is only the mentality of the leaders here which is different. They are nut cases which in turn is making this country into a basket case.
#49 by boh-liao on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 7:41 pm
Since Hari Raya Aidilfitri last year, we hv had a number of festive events, one after another
D last 1 will be here soon, Chinese New Year 2 welcome in d Year of Tiger
Ppl return 2 their hometowns during festive seasons, many fr overseas
DAP n PR shld grab d opportunities 2 remind them 2 register as VOTERS
Remind them 2 tell their parents n relatives all d evil things that Umno B/BN did
Remind them 2 encourage their parents n relatives
– 2 vote AGAINST BN in d next GE, CHANGE d federal gomen
– 2 read blogs n alternative digital news
– 2 stop subscribing msm
START educating voters now, esp those in East M’sia
#50 by boh-liao on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 7:48 pm
Dat Adam guy really made a fool of himself in front of d foreign missions in M’sia
What apple n orange, might as well be cock n bull, betul dumb 1
#51 by Onlooker Politics on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 8:02 pm
frankyapp,
Be careful and try not to get personal on political comment, especially when the Secretary General of the Home Ministry is a Public Servant post and not a political post.
For your information, since Christianity and Islam both shared the same origin from Judaism (which was the religion of the Common Ancestor for both Christians and Muslims, namely Abraham), it is no surprised that we can find “Adam” which has been used as a Muslim name among the Malays as well as a Christian name among the Kadazans. The Malay translation for “Eve” is Hawa, as written in the Malay version of the Holy Bible as well as in the Malay version of Al-Quran. Therefore we can clearly tell that a person is a Malay girl or Kadazan girl when her name is “Hawa” but we will never be able to tell whether she is a Muslim or Christian.
Many Christians understand that the Jews were the descendants of Abraham’s first wife, Sarah, and the Arabs were the descendants of Abraham’s second wife, Hagar, who was expelled by Abraham based on the complaint made to Abraham by Sarah. Therefore, most scholars who specialised in the Middle-East problems would try to understand the political conflicts in the Middle-East from the viewpoint of factionalism rather than from the viewpoint of religious differences.
The Malays are indeed quite different. Perhaps they are just like what had been described by Dr. Mahathir in 1998 when there were many Malays coming out on the street to protest against Dr. Mahathir over the police arrest of Anwar. Dr. Mahathir said that the Malays were very emotional people.
And we see now that the Malays are trying to monopolise the word “Allxh”, which would be a redicule which happening could have never been imagined by Abraham who lived several thousand years ago.
#52 by tin on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 8:08 pm
“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
– Edmund Burke
#53 by Onlooker Politics on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 8:18 pm
“The landscape here is NOT a bit different from Indonesia. They have tropical trees and rivers just as in here.” (k1980)
k1980,
Be fair! Please don’t take a single word “landscape” out of context and begin to fire on someone!
By “landscape”, Mahmood Adam actually means “demograhic landscape”! He is saying that Indonesia have many different races who are Muslims (such as Javanese Muslims, Lombok Muslims, Minang Kerbau Muslims, Madura Muslims, Sundanese Muslims) but Malaysia has only one race (called the Malays) which is qualified to be classified as Muslims. For instance, a Kadazan who believes in Islam is a Malay (Kadazan-Malay), A Kadazan who believes in Christianity is not a Malay but is a Kadazan-Dusun.
#54 by Onlooker Politics on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 8:31 pm
However, I wonder how Mahmood Adam is going to classify the Lecturer Tee who also believes in Islam. Can Tee be classified as a Malay? Perhaps Tee is just a negligible number of Chinese Muslims who live in Malaysia and therefore there is no demographic classification for Tee in the landscape of Malaysia! However, Tee may be anxious wanting to be classified as “Malay” too.
#55 by tenaciousB on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 8:51 pm
Such atrocious double standards! They allowed the muslims to congregate today at their madrasah but the peaceful christians want to have a peaceful congregation but that’s deemed as illegal and police are threatening stern action.
I wonder what najib will say, will he say ‘they have the right to congregate’? Such double standards and piss bore claims by the police.
one should not make claims if one cannot perform….police kpi -ve 1000.
such claims like we are stepping up security at churches since saturday and we have few more burned churches? the police guarantees the safety of malaysians -recently claimed by hishmudin? don’t simply give false reassurances you ningkapoops.
#56 by tenaciousB on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 9:18 pm
so if the Sultan of Selangor has decreed the ban on the word ‘Al-lah’ in Selangor, i guess there’s no more case to be discussed? is that right?
#57 by Onlooker Politics on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 9:38 pm
“The biggest mistake of the Barisan Nasional Cabinet Ministers was to allow the the former Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar to disrupt the religious equilibrium by imposing the ban on the use of Allah by Herald.” (YB Kit)
Pak Lah may be too dumb to allow such ban to be imposed on Herald. Najib is equally dumb to allow such ban to go on until the matter had to be brought up to the high court for judicial review on making the interpretation on the citizen’s rights to freedom of speech and expression and on the rights to freedom of religion.
Knowing that religious dispute is a highly sensitive issue in a plural society as that of Malaysia, Najib should have earlier on taken a much tougher control on the demonstration and protest and not to proclaim to the whole world that he was powerless to stop Muslims from gathering around the mosque either for worship purpose or for doing demonstration and protest! If Najib as the Prime Minister is willing to give in to the demand of the mobsters, then he is not leading the nation. He is not a good leader. He might as well let the mobsters take over the control of the Federal Government if he really meant that he was powerless!
#58 by Godfather on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 9:47 pm
The only thing instinctive about UMNO is how to steal from the rakyat.
#59 by cemerlang on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 9:54 pm
It is a Catholic magazine. But it is the evangelical church that is kaboomed. It is the Holy Spirit filled church that is kaboomed. Why ? May be we should look the other way. May be God is speaking to His people using these attackers.
#60 by lkt-56 on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 11:02 pm
///The Malays are indeed quite different. Perhaps they are just like what had been described by Dr. Mahathir in 1998 when there were many Malays coming out on the street to protest against Dr. Mahathir over the police arrest of Anwar. Dr. Mahathir said that the Malays were very emotional people./// Onlooker Politics.
Stop the racial stereotyping please…. We are all humans… Malaysians… We all have feelings. What is needed now is common sense and some one in the current leadership should take the lead and start the ball rolling. Who is the better candidate than the prime minister of Malaysia?
#61 by c730427 on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 11:19 pm
I have to agree many Malays especially those socially and economically unexposed are mostly emotional beings.
Why? Thanks for UMNO’s social lengineering program to shrink the brains and good soul of their own people.
#62 by Onlooker Politics on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 11:27 pm
“Who is the better candidate than the prime minister of Malaysia?” (Ikt-56)
By right, Najib as the Prime Minister of Malaysia should have taken charge to put a stop on all these nonsenses of demonstration and protest against the High Court decision on the court ruling about the Freedom of Speech and Expression and the Freedom of Religion in using the word “Allxh” as a name for “God”. By right, Najib as the Prime Minister of Malaysia should have also taken the responsibility to safeguard the safety of the Church Buildings and to stop the mobsters from setting fire or throwing the stones on the Church Buildings. As a matter of fact, Najib said that he was powerless to put a check on the mobsters. Najib is supposed to be someone in the current leadership who shold take the lead and start the ball rolling. Unfortunately, he is tragically lack of the right kind of leadership quality which is much needed for keeping the Malaysian people of different religious backgrounds and different racial backgrounds to live in peace and harmony. Najib has obviously failed to perform as the leader of the whole nation. He does not fit to be the leader of 1Malaysia because he is incompetent in keeping the different religious groups of Malaysia from falling apart!
#63 by ReformMalaysia on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 11:46 pm
….”Tee may be anxious wanting to be classified as “Malay” too..” – this seems to be very true….. Tee has being talking about ‘Malay rights’ in his articles although he do not have ‘locus standi’ to talk about Malay Rights as he is not a Malays based on ordinary definition of Malay….but in Malaysia, perhaps being a Muslim convert will turn you into a “Malay’…… we can see it in other cases too -like Dr Mahathir and the ‘notorious’ Bukit Bendera’s Ahmad Ismail -they talked about Malays’ rights and never feel that their have some ‘Indian element’ in themselves from their Indian’s paternal grandfather….. they felt they are very much Malay(no Indian) so they feel that they have more rights than the other groups of citizens,,,, this implies some sorts of ‘duo-nity’ between Malay & Muslim in Malaysia….. being a muslim, converts you to ‘Malay’ too,,, and confer you with some special rights …..
#64 by Onlooker Politics on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 12:12 am
“What for then for the rest to engage in civilised and rational talks and discussion on what is right and wrong if by results the Molotov Cocktails are made to appear speaking louder and more effectively?” (Jeffrey)
Molotov Cocktails would never make someone to be able to speak louder and more effectively. The indulgence and quiet consent as a form of encouragement from the gun-carrying Police Forces to the throwers of Molotov Cocktails would.
#65 by tenaciousB on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 12:18 am
what’s with molotov cocktails? if we look back carefully in history, teresa kok’s house was attacked with molotov cocktails too, so doens’t it make a bit of sense if you are in the same frequency as me as to who the culprits are or rather the poltical entity behind these?
#66 by Onlooker Politics on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 12:52 am
Malaysia Insider reported on 11 Jan 2010:
//Najib said civil servants must be bold in coming forward to bring transformation to the government in order to turn Malaysia into a modern nation.//
//He said transformation did not mean an increase in the Gross Domestic product (GDP) but in terms of the various aspects of life of the people who were more mature, more educated and with stronger values.//
//“We are now living in the 21st century which is more challenging compared to the past. We are facing new competitors in the country.//
//“We are also facing new demands from the society who are better educated and expect higher aspirations from the government,” he said.//
If Najib is really sincere enough in wanting to bring transformation to the Government, the first thing he should do now is to give instruction to the Attorney-General in order for the AG to withdraw with immediate effect the appeal to the Court of Appeal on the High Court Judge Lau Bee Lan’s court ruling about the Herald Vs. Home Minister case. The throwers of the Molotov Cocktails should be given a psychological punishment by the Federal Government as soon as possible in order to tell them a clear message that the irresponsible arson acts will never bring anything beneficial to them, but the criminal acts will only drive the Federal Government to show much sympathy towards the Catholic Church and to take up a tough stand for fighting against anarchism — a wise decison which will work to the disadvantages of the throwers of the molotov cocktails. As a punitive measure against the throwers of molotov cocktails, the Federal Government should permit the Catholic Church the total freedom of using the word “Allxh” in the Catholic literatures.
To allow the non-muslims a larger freedom for using the word “Allxh” in their worship literatures will indeed be a big leap forward towards a positive transformation to the Federal Government!
#67 by puvan1437 on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 12:55 am
another failure by our leader to maintain the inter religious among the rakyat in this country ……..
#68 by Jeffrey on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 5:07 am
Everyone agrees that arson on churches should be condemned – here even Muslim NGOs who evinced intent to demonstrate against Herald’s ruling could bring themselves to safeguard churches from attacks – but going forward how does one stop its continuance or recurrence in relation to the Herald’s controversy? This is the fundamental question of who is wrong to create a milieu for such violent acts disruptive of harmony and peace to take place in first instant, and who should then by virtue thereof compromise in the interest of preserving peace and security….
Look at these various options: –
First, JPs (Sabah’s justices of peace)’s suggestion that Home Ministry allows Herald to use the “word” for Sabah/Sarawak but not in Peninsular. This suggestion is illogical. Why should East Malaysia and West Malaysia have different standards on how God is described in Bahasa Malaysia? This “compromise” satisfies neither side of the controversy.
Second, the government withdraws the appeal against Justice Lau Bee Lan’s decision favouring Herald. This again looks well neigh impossible for it implies (a) govt was wrong in the first place to ‘create’ the issue by the ban and in second instant, to appeal; (b) besides it implies govt is departing from its traditional support of Muslim NGOs position that it has always been mindful of (c) the UMNO govt is not upholding Ketuanan in respect of the Official Religion….
Third option : Herald should compromise (as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Jamil Khir Baharom has urged) “to help maintain peace and security and ease tension” – Malaysiakini’s report Jan 11. This option again won’t work. For it implies a few terrorists throwing molotov cocktails could blackmail and hold the country hostage to their demands and are rewarded in their work and appeased in respect of their anger at the expense of a million odd 900,000 Christians. It implies that the show of terror always procures results that reason and dialogue cannot.
Fourth option : Let the Court of Appeal decide. After the arson attacks, if it decides in favour of Herald it would engender the same implications ensuing from the second option above; if against the Herald, then the same implications in the third option above, both unpalatable…..
Fifth option of inter-religious roundtable or interfaith dialogue whether private or public. What can these dialoques achieve? At the end end result they still have to conclude whether Herald can or cannot use the word, or can use the word in East Malaysia but not in West Malaysia just like the options canvassed above with all their respective limitations – or perhaps use the word, subject to certain conditions, difficult to monitor, much less enforced. In any case, whatever inter-religious roundtable or interfaith dialogue decides, what makes anyone think that the views of panelists with credentials will pacify and be acceptable by majority of those on opposing side of the controversy or those who throw molotov cocktails or those with political agenda that hire them???
Can anyone think of any other alternatives or options?
In the absence of viable options and a precipitation of such a gridlock, the Ketuanan way will predictably be asserted in the name of peace and security that those subject to it will resent, and for better or worse, the BN will have to face the consequences of alienating Herald’s readers and Christian voters especially in its bastion Sarawak come the next general election.
#69 by Jeffrey on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 5:31 am
///If Najib is really sincere enough in wanting to bring transformation to the Government, the first thing he should do now is…etc/// – Onlooker Politics.
You have to ask whether “sincerity” suffices (even assuming you are in the position to gauge a man’s innermost feelings and thoughts, which you can’t). To effect “transformation” one must be in the position of strength relative to those around him in the party’s apparatus in the position to make or prolong one’s tenure or break and cut that tenure short. What transformation can one bring – even if sincere – if one’s tenure were immediately cut short by challenges from within one’s party eyeing one’s position and opposed by majority to such transformation??? See what happened to the predecessor who gave up his poisition before expiry of tenure due to pressure of party warlords. One should be mindful of the byzantine and convulated nature of politics and complex powerplay : what one sees on the apparaent outside is not what is so in the inside. See the spin given to May 13 incident to usher out Bapa Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman. Even the public exposure of the theft of the jet engines, not brought to public attention for 2 years by our own maintream media (regulated by the Printing Press Publication Act) until the time coinciding with the number one being overseas.
#70 by ekompute on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 5:36 am
[deleted]
#71 by yhsiew on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 5:38 am
After the arson attacks, we expect to see a change in voting pattern among Malaysians (esp. East Malaysians) in the 13th GE. I believe many will cross over to PR.
#72 by ekompute on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 5:39 am
I don’t think things are that simple. There must be more than meet the eye.
#73 by ekompute on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 6:11 am
[deleted]
[Stereotyping a race or religion is not only unfair and unjust, and does not contribute to any debate or discussion, it will justify overreaction by cybertroopers and their masters against this blog which will completely divert attention from the real issues at hand. – Admin]
#74 by ekompute on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 6:14 am
Ooophhhs, forgot to say what I wanted to say about yhsiew’s comment. Yes, you are right… without East Malaysia to support them, they don’t stand a chance.
And they will act exactly like what these hooligans are doing now, when they lose. Wanna bet?
#75 by passerby on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 6:49 am
tenaciousB on Monday, 11 January 2010 – 8:51 pm asked:
“Such atrocious double standards! They allowed the muslims to congregate today at their madrasah but the peaceful christians want to have a peaceful congregation but that’s deemed as illegal and police are threatening stern action.”
This is how muslims behave all over the world. They act like hooligans and if they always use threat and coercion against non-muslims. If that fails they will resort to terrorism. Let hope the west will place all these extremists, including the Akhramsyah Muammar Ubaidah bin Sanusi, on the no-fly list.
#76 by Bigjoe on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 7:26 am
The truth is the issue whether to let the Christians use the word or not is OVER..The issue now is whether its acceptable to resort to bombing or violence to resolve sensitive issues religious or otherwise. If the answer is NO, then the Christians MUST be allowed to use the word. There is NO other answer to the issue. Anything else just sent out the message to the wrong people – maybe or yes. THAT is not acceptable. It won’t take long before a Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist temple is bombed or worst yet a crazy will go after a mosque and many innocent lives will be lost because of it…
#77 by Bigjoe on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 7:54 am
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/121657
See what I mean?
#78 by monsterball on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 8:12 am
Good piece …”Onlooker Politics”.. on your first comment.,,,,but I think Mahathir knows why Malays were emotional…and took advantage over that..by using that emotions to play race and religion politics..fooling his own… half race..purposely to achieve his own objectives..to be a Dictator.
You see…Malays were farmers and fishermen….and hate going to schools…during the formation of Malaysia. Tunku asked all Malaysians…especially the Chinese to support helping the Malays for 20 years..all written in the Constitution. All agreed.
By the time Mahathir took over..the Malays were very well educated.
He could easily embarked to the project to unite all as Malaysians…..to be mutually rich…with a win win situation…so noble and true…but he chose to expand the race and religion politics from a noble cause by Tunku.. to become dirty and corrupted politics….by him…as all evidences are so clear now.
He purposely keep dividing and rule…and encouraged corruptions.
So your point that Malays are still emotional..is mainly due to the fact… UMNO BARU keep brainwashing them to be landlords and depend on UMNO BARU to protect them from that status.
After 22 years …he succeeded to produced thousands of half past sixes Malays…closing his mind and eyes to all his evil and cunning selfish ways..
Emotional was due to lack of education in the past.
Under Mahathir…they became lack of confidences to compete with their races…because…UMNO BARU keep pampering them…to be lazy…contented and unproductive..thus developing weak minds purposely.
This is the cruelest act in dirty politics…that Malays are awakened to know it too well now.
Today..you can see….thousands of Malays..are competing with Chinese in hawker food and road side stalls selling everything with confidence..working hard with pride to earn a living…..and Chinese are one of their best customers.
This frightens UMNO BARU…as seen in the 12th GE results.
Malays are no more emotional.
What we are experiencing right now are some Malays can be bought to do anything…by UMNO…as Mahathir have said…”Money is power”…hinting present lot to use money to do the work they wish t do….including burning churches.
#79 by taiking on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 8:33 am
Why mamaktir is misbehaving? Because he knew well that his 22yrs in power has practically led us all to the doghouse. All roads lead to rome they say and in malaysia all maladies originate from mamakthir.
Of course, he wouldnt want to admit this. And so he has to defend his policies. The do-nothing alternative on the basis of “the results will speak for themselves” is not available to him. The results of his policies had spoken and had done so abysmally and gibberishly.
A lot of the problems today can be resolved if mamakthir came out to the open and admit for the country’s sake that he was wrong and is responsible.
But his own sake would take weighty priority over the country’s sake. And our obvious solution then is: VOTE DAP. VOTE PAKATAN.
#80 by negarawan on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 8:52 am
Tuesday January 12, 2010
Alimony aid for Muslim women caught in divorce wrangles
————————–
What about non-muslim women who are caught in similar situations? We see news like this everyday. This goes to show that the UMNO and BN race-based politics in Malaysia contradicts 1Malaysia. 1Malaysia is just a political gimmick and a multi-million advertising contract for UMNO cronies. What say you, Najib?
#81 by taiking on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 8:54 am
Apples and oranges. Islam in malaysia is apple and islam elswhere is orange. Something like that. That’s wot that adam fellow said anyway. But no, no, no. That cant be. It does not make sense. The landscape is different. That must be his real point. That is to say, the people, their culture and their general mentality are different. And that turn the religion they practice into apple or orange as the case may be. So is that adam fellow suggesting/implying that somewhere in this world muslims eat pork? Maybe? Perhaps? Because their perculiar lanscape turn their religious practice into yet something else like say rambutan – and rambutan is neither apple nor orange? Of course not. They dont eat pork whether they are apples or oranges or rambutans. So what is that adam fellow really talking about? BTN and ketuanan umno. That’s wot!
#82 by lkt-56 on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 9:11 am
///What transformation can one bring – even if sincere – if one’s tenure were immediately cut short by challenges from within one’s party eyeing one’s position and opposed by majority to such transformation???/// – Jeffrey
Let us not conjecture here. The power and authority is in the hands of the pm. It is his call to put right what is wrong. No two ways about it. Is it not the duty of the leader to protect and ensure that the welfare of her people are look after? What we want to see is genuine efforts taken to settle this issue that has been festering for some time.
#83 by Onlooker Politics on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 9:46 am
“See the spin given to May 13 incident to usher out Bapa Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman. Even the public exposure of the theft of the jet engines, not brought to public attention for 2 years by our own maintream media (regulated by the Printing Press Publication Act) until the time coinciding with the number one being overseas.” (Jeffrey)
Jeffrey,
I am of the concurring opinion with you that the powerplay within the monster organization of Umno is indeed too complex and convoluted. I have to admit that Dr. Mahathir indeed still has strong influence within Umno. Najib will never be able to acquire full control on Umno’s warlords so long as Dr. Mahathir’s final wish of getting his beloved son Mukhriz elevated to the higher political position within Umno and within the Cabinet Cabinet is still not fulfilled.
Nevertheless, I am of the opinion that Najib as the Prime Minister is still having a lot of legal instrument, manpower and monetary resources been put under his disposal at his sole discretion. The positive news to Najib is that Najib can still balance out the political advancement of Dr. Mahathir with the position of his cousin, Hishammuddin, as the Home Minister and the position of Pak Lah’s faction with Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as the Defence Minister. I am still favouring the opinion that Najib can do it if he really has the strong political will to do it.
Given the current world economic situation of showing the twilight sign of mild recovery for the second half of 2010, Najib can indeed have a little chance of getting some minor improvement on people’s confidence in his adminitrative skill if he is really committed to keeping peace, harmony and security in Malaysia. However, he did make big mistake by announcing to the world that he was powerless to keep the mobster in control when they intended to hold demonstrations and protests within the mosque compounds.
When we see from many evidences Najib is not so much a person of strong mindset of religiosity, he can by right adopt a secular policy in his administration in order to please the majority Malaysian people who are not really keen to live within the tight control on the personal freedom –an uneasy restriction which has been imposed by rigidity of the Islamic law implementation, especially in terms of punishment on womanising.
#84 by boh-liao on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 10:45 am
For a long, long time, even b4 d formation of Malaya n Malaysia
Ppl hv been using A. lah as god in lands which r now part of M’sia, no problemo
The suddenly a few Umnoputras started 2 want 2 monopolize d term
Or 2 stir up emotions 2 show their ketuanan, who knows
What is yours is no longer yours but mine n mine alone, n stop using d term
What a big bully – eventually this leads 2 d current KA-BOOM
After d big bang, they pandai told d world they r not apples but oranges, busuk (?)
They pandai told d grp who has d original right 2 use d term
Stop insisting 2 use d term 4 d sake of peace n stability
Rather than they themselves agreeing 2 stop wanting 2 monopolize d term
Typical thieves – gasak ppl’s homes n chase owners away
What logic is this n d Umno B/BN gomen fully supports it
East Malaysians, esp, for Ch rist’s sake, many of whom r d TRUE orang asli
Must STOP this bullying n NOT ALLOW their religious right 2 b killed by Umno B/BN
For d sake of your children n grandchildren, D BUCK MUST STOP HERE
#85 by Counterpoint on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 10:54 am
So now what? Are the Herald people supposed to be cowed by this local brand of terrorism and give in by not using that word anymore?
I’d say no way Jose. The world has just got to see just what kind of nonsense, Najib’s 1Malaysia stand for.
1Malaysia=One load of bullshit, One herd of bigots and One brand of state sponsored terrorism.
#86 by boh-liao on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 10:56 am
While we flip-flop over d ALH issue
A Malaysian girl who studied in a Singapore school emerged tops in the city-state after she scored 10 A1s in the 2009 Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education (Ordinary Level) Examination
She is Lai Kai Rou, 16, who hails from Selangor
We do hv invaluable export fr 1M’sia
#87 by boh-liao on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 11:03 am
Ha, ha – d apple indeed responded differently fr d orange
Indonesia’s two biggest Muslim organisations yesterday called on their followers not to copy the attacks on churches that took place in Malaysia
1M’sia truly boleh – leadership by example?
#88 by Bigjoe on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 11:51 am
Again, I will argue that BN govt HAVE NO CHOICE in the matter. They must back the Christian use of the word.
It does not matter the sensititivities or the truth and origin of it. It really does not. The same excuse given for the NEP is the same reason why they need back the Christian stand – to avoid collapse of social peace.
If the govt do not back the Herald, all it takes is for an ambitious unscrupulous Indian leader which there are plenty off in MIC/PPP etc. to bait the same zealots to bomb a Hindraf temple and all hell will break lose. Alternatively, a crazier scheme would be for any ambitious politician to bomb a mosque and all hell will break lose.
The bottom line is whether you like it or not, the bombers have taken the BN govt hostage. What is happening is political terrorism – its no longer about religion or other sensitivities. If BN bow to political terrorism, my advise is to plan your emigration immediately and pack your bags ready to leave..
#89 by k1980 on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 11:57 am
umno will soon launch “Operasi Molotov” with the arrest of all PR leaders for “inciting the church attacks” and the indefinite postponement of elections under emergency rule. Same as the burning of the Reichstag by the nazis in 1932.
#90 by Onlooker Politics on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 11:59 am
I was saying that Najib could adopt a secular policy which would give much more personal freedom to the majority people of Malaysia, especially in respect of the punishment on womanising. This recommendation is based on the rationale that religious faith should be left as personal choice, instead of a state choice, of building a closer relationship between individual and God. Therefore, the state should not intervene too much into the personal life style of the individual, especially in terms of the individual’s handling the personal sexual relationship with a soulmate.
When Najib is able to convince his cabinet ministers that they will not be pursued with the Islamic law prosecution if they were found engaged in the extra-marital sex with their kept woman for the male minister or kept zicolo for the female minister, then the BN ministers will most likely pledge their committed loyalty to Najib. This was the way Dr. Mahathir adopted for ensuring loyalty from his cabinet ministers and government top officers. This is also part of the rewarding system which functions well in the system of cronyism. This is because political power, wealth and sex are the three basic rewards which the Umnoputras seek as a return from working hard as a BN ministers or top officers.
When Najib feels that he is powerless in bringing changes to Umno, it will be much better for him to stick to the status quo in terms of the Government Policy in order to avoid strong resistance and sabotage attempts from the warlords of Umno. Otherwise, we will only see that Najib’s lifespan in the premiership will be shortened by Dr. Mahathir’s checkmate with the use of Muhyiddin Yassin and the son of Sanusi Junid as soldier chesses for putting circumvention on Najib.
Pakatan Rakyat should let Najib hold on to the premiership a little bit longer until the next General Election, lest the replacement of Najib will be a much tougher enemy for Pakatan Rakyat if Najib is to go off too soon!
#91 by wanderer on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 12:08 pm
Mongolian C4 cannot smell the f#rt of Bapa Tuanku Abdul Rahman…what an insult even to suggest for the comparison….
#92 by frankyapp on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 12:11 pm
Onlookerpolitics,thanks for the advice . Ok you said a kadazan believes in Islam is classified a malay and our chinese friend Tee is still pending classification. Don’t you think this’s bribery and against ethics value especially the very religion which preaches morals and good conduct.Moreover it also practises double standards or racial discrimination. The religion won’t allow such act ,right,therefore why the believers subscribed to such act which is against their own faith.Don’t these fellows know that all these religious discrimination acts and many more other acts are disuniting the various races of this country.Is there any demoncracy in Islam ? I think religion is a choice and it’s a person’s right to choose and not the power to decide for him or her. Humans are not cows which could be led around and humans are no slaves to any religion as well. Even store age people realised it,how on earth our modern and well educated poeple could not realise it. What a shame indeed.
#93 by Onlooker Politics on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 12:46 pm
frankyapp,
I think DAP leaders and an ordinary man like me should opt out from making further comment about how the Islamic authority of Malaysia should classify whether a person is a Malay or not a Malay. The Federal Constitution of Malaysia and the State Constitution of Malaysian states have given the rights and powers pertaining to the Islamic religious matter to the Yang Dipertuan Agong and the inherited state rulers.
The classification of Malay and all rulings in relation to Islamic Law should be under the jurisdiction of the Yang Dipertuan Agong, the Sultans, Yamtuan of Negeri Sembilan, and Raja of Perlis.
#94 by taiking on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 1:08 pm
Bigjoe said that “BN govt HAVE NO CHOICE in the matter. They must back the Christian use of the word”.
Yes indeed except that they ought to have done so much earlier. In fact they should not have impose the ban in the first place. Having allowed the matter to escalate, no easy solution is now available. Obvious or even correct solution will almost certainly not be an easy solution. So checkmate jib.
For the btn issue jib was similarly trapped. Junking btn means losing direct control over a million plus voters. Not junking it means making a mega nonsense of his 1malaysia thingy. Similarly, allowing “all_h” to be used by catholics means upsetting a large number of umnoputras and not allowing it means upsetting voters in sabah and sarawak.
Must be welcomed news to all of us. Yeah, satu lagi own-goal yg cantik.
My advice: Jib dont tie politics to too many unnecessary and unrelated issues. You will end up in knots.
#95 by yhsiew on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 1:20 pm
Interviewer: Why is it that Umno always seems to play the race card when in a tight spot?
Tengku Razaleigh: Not only the race card, but also the RELIGION CARD — anything. It’s about putting fear into the minds of the people. And fear that they may lose their positions.
#96 by Onlooker Politics on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 2:27 pm
But the race card and the religion card are no fool-proof solution to the card players. The card players may be backfired when the targets of their attacks start to unite and cooperate for a counter-attack through uniform vote casting during the process of General Election in the wake of racial fervour and passion for their own God!
#97 by cemerlang on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 9:35 pm
The attacks took place in BN’s governed areas. Kuala Lumpur, Seremban, Miri, Johore, Klang.
#98 by Loh on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 10:56 pm
No, religion is the basis for classifying Malays, and with that the entitlement to NEP. That is why people like mamakthir talk about race and religion.
Islam in Malaysia to Malays has a special position quite unlike Islams to Muslims in other countries which serves purely religious purposes. Religion will continue to be a sensitive issue as long as NEP remains. The opportunists are seizing the opportunity to be defenders of their monetary faith. That is the different landscape the SG of Home Ministry alluded to.
#99 by alorting on Wednesday, 13 January 2010 - 12:43 am
this country’s majority is suffering from religion superiority complex. What makes another religion superior over another, one that makes the government bend according to its will?
See, this is why at times I would favour a secular state. It clearly separates religion and state.
In 1Malaysia, religion IS the state. Maybe that’s the whole concept of 1Malaysia. 1 religion, 1 state. Sad..sad…and to think they made recite Rukunegara every week in school back then….
#100 by tenaciousB on Wednesday, 13 January 2010 - 6:31 am
So far i’ve noticed the Muslims have no solid arguements in preventing the use of the word by the others. Many of their statements are essentially coercions, emotionally laden statements and some don’t make any sense like the one posted in malaysian insider by a syariah law person. it actually looks very bad on those leaders who want the decision overruled when the major islamic leaders from indonesia have stated it to be insignifcant and also the word apparently is an english word in the dictionary. i find this hillarious when people have absolutely no clue what they are talking about resort to challeging the courts and if they dont have their way resort to violence, sounds like a child to me.
i can see why the high court verdict sounded like a unanimous decision with beyond unreasonable doubt.
#101 by waterfrontcoolie on Wednesday, 13 January 2010 - 8:53 am
This morning we are bombarded with news on the quake at Haiti, an island established by the former slave sttlement in the begining of the 17th Century[ 1806]. Of course, they were left to their devices. At least no party attacked them against their establishment; while many much smaller nations had been established since then with so much commotion and pent-up frustration that violent was the norm.
And yet Haiti today is siad to be the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. Why? Notwithstanding the hurricanes/typhoons which many nations in the Far East too have to cope, why is this nation bogged in such environment all these years? Is it a lack of tradition which looks into the fufure with determination or a society that lives only for the present and pray hard for the next meal? Around the world, people of the African origin appear not meeting the challenges of the evolving world. In the early 60s, a famous Swedish economist with UN wrote that the African continent would leave the Far East behind by the turn of the century! How wrong he was! Even looking at Africa today, in spite of all the natural wealth of the continent, the Blacks do not appear able to bring any development to their Merdeka Nations. All have a single thought, let’s save for the Swiss banks!! How far are we from this?
Coming to Haiti, I’m sure its model of achievement should be totally avoided; but are we avoiding such pathway? We are drifting at the moment; while our neighbours whom we used to think still have plenty catch-up to do, have actually caught up with us; in fact surpassing us in various aspects in their planning for the future. And we are caught in a medieval quagmire of trying to pry into the most private sanctuary of a human life: his relationship with his Creator!
[By the way, I’m not a free thinker: I believe in HIM]