By Debra Chong
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 05, 2012
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak should respect the law and start removing rules and policies that have seen Christians being victimised by the bureaucracry, a national group representing over 90 per cent of churches said yesterday.
In a strongly-worded statement, the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) called on the prime minister to check the growing systematic religious attacks against Christians nationwide over the past one year.
It also called on Najib to act and stop the attempts to “murder” and “destroy” his commitment and legacy to religious moderation he is championing.
Anglican Bishop Ng Moon Hing, who heads the CFM, urged the PM to set up a non-Muslim religious affairs ministry to safeguard and protect the interests and rights of not only Christians but Buddhists, Sikhs, Taoists and Hindus.
“We hope that there will be maximum consultation in respect of the structure and operations of the ministry,” he said, adding that it was only a first step as Christian leaders were not naïve enough to assume their religious issues would be solved without the commitment and collaboration of all other ministries and organs of government.
Ng, who is also the head of the Anglican diocese of West Malaysia, urged Najib to lift the government ban against Christians using the word “Allah” to also refer to their god.
He said Christians nationwide had been victimised enough by groups with “a selective reading of the Federal Constitution that is intentionally used to legitimise discriminatory laws and practices which favours one community over another.”
He said Christians were now resorting to raising their issues publicly because it was the most effective way for the government to take action.
He added church leaders have exhausted meetings with Putrajaya “at the highest ministerial level” and see inertia in resolving all remaining issues constructively and expeditiously.
“There is a very wide and alarming disconnect between what you intend to happen and what is happening on the ground.
“The policy of moderation which you uphold does not seem to have filtered down to all levels of government,” he said, just hours after sitting down to lunch with the country’s sixth PM yesterday.
The government had also issued a statement after the lunch meeting, promising full engagement and consultation on Christian issues starting with the mission schools, Bible knowledge education and tax-exemption status for the creed’s organisations in what is seen as an attempt to repair relations with churches.
Christians say their constitutional rights have been systematically been eroded since winning a landmark court victory to use the word “Allah”.
#1 by pulau_sibu on Thursday, 5 January 2012 - 8:24 am
why malaysiakini has to apologise to taib? did malaysia kini really do something wrong against taib?
#2 by drngsc on Thursday, 5 January 2012 - 8:34 am
I am surprised at my Christian brothers. By meeting with Najib, they become his tool for publicity and image building. What he says on Wednesday is only good for wednesday, maybe shorter. By Thursday, all is forgotten and the anti-christian rhetoric will appear again. Just watch and see. I suppose they feel that they must work within the system, no matter how rotten the system is. I also note that some Christian leaders did not wish to appear, and be utilised.
My Christian brothers, the only way out is to change the government, and have one that is more accountable.
We need to change the tenant at Putrajaya. GE 13 is our best chance. failure is not an option. We all must work very very hard, and not be hoodwink by a good meal and press publicity.
#3 by Jeffrey on Thursday, 5 January 2012 - 8:35 am
Notwithstanding the powers of PM’s office, so far he has evinced neither the political will nor force of personal authority to stand up against the challenge of ethno-religious extremism. 3 decades of aggressive Islamisation policies since Mahathir/Anwar’s time in 80s till now have spawned Islamists everywhere – inside bureaucracy of govt and outside as pressure groups/NGOs.
Re CFM’s call, it must be asked who formulate these directives rules and implement policies??? The govt bureaucracy is 90% dominated by one race – which is the major problem confronting nation building- amongst whom closet religious extremist find fertile ground to advance their agenda…
#4 by Jeffrey on Thursday, 5 January 2012 - 8:36 am
Whatever the PM says that may be skewed as impinging/compromising on the supremacy/sovereignty of the official religion will be either politely re-interpreted to have another meaning, if not unceremoniously contradicted; whatever inclusive and moderate policies, left. He is in reality caught and treading between having to appease and secure at party level the goodwill of this large and pervasive group advancing its ethno/religious agenda which would otherwise mobilize against him and that of recovering the losing ground among minorities including Christian group who are equally mobilized and politically aware from voting against the party/coalition that he leads on national level.
#5 by Jeffrey on Thursday, 5 January 2012 - 8:39 am
Sorry typo omission in preceding post – “…whatever inclusive and moderate policies, left UNIMPLEMENTED…”
Continuing: All he could seem to do is to try juggle and balance by extending olive branch by way of peripheral gestures like establishing official ties with the Vatican and concessions like “full engagement and consultation” on matters of appointing heads of mission schools (which leaves open that the final decision still rests with govt) or bible study after school hours an tax exemptions to church donations rather than taking on the central issue of committing his administration to repudiate and take on extremist statements or positions whenever and wherever they arise! How could he when the ethno/religious supremacy agenda has evolved to become the very core and raison de etre of the very party that he leads?
#6 by Jeffrey on Thursday, 5 January 2012 - 8:41 am
If he could so far do nothing to repudiate and contradict let alone reverse extremist rhetoric or initiatives by his own party members or media civil service or outside NGO in defence of his own mission statement/platform – whether the domestic 1Malaysia or the international clarion call to moderates to “take back the centre, reclaim the agenda for peace and pragmatism, and to marginalise the extremists”- what hope is there that he could so the extra mile and take the political flak and fall out to defend a minority group whenever targeted by opportunist bigots bent on using it as bogeymen for their own agenda? Verily this problem of ethno/religious extremism has reached the critical mass level that it transcends even the BN administration. It is open question whether even if PR wins and takes Federal power, it could so easily reverse this problem. I am said to think that the situation does not look hopeful.
#7 by Winston on Thursday, 5 January 2012 - 8:58 am
The Christian brotherhood must realise that whatever leeway
they may gain today is because of the coming GE13.
That, and that alone accounts for whatever leverage they may
have, at the moment.
They must realise that those who cause religious dissensions
have the blessings from the highest authority.
Although outwardly, these top level (including those at the very pinnacle)
will of course want to look very agreeable if the circumstances suit them
although they may be the very ones who authorised the dissensions in the
first place!
As the saying goes, they run with the hare and hunt with the hounds!
Apt discription, eh?
So beware, be very, very aware!!!
#8 by Godfather on Thursday, 5 January 2012 - 10:09 am
“What You Intended…”
Najib never intended for anything. He makes promises to look into everyone grouses but he will not act on anything. He will tell Perkasa that he merely promised the Christians that he would look into their complaints but that Perkasa should not be worried as UMNO will always support the Malays, right or wrong.
There is no time for begging, or wishing that changes will happen for the better. Just grab the bull by the horns and say clearly “We support a change in government.”
#9 by yhsiew on Thursday, 5 January 2012 - 10:15 am
///“The policy of moderation which you uphold does not seem to have filtered down to all levels of government,” ///
It seems that Najib is not in control of the country. It makes one wonder whether Najib is held to ransom by Umno warlords over the situation threatening to expose his wrongdoings to the public.
#10 by cemerlang on Thursday, 5 January 2012 - 11:13 am
Joseph served in the courts of the great almighty pharoah
#11 by sheriff singh on Thursday, 5 January 2012 - 11:59 am
‘The government had also …… promising full engagement and consultation on Christian issues….’.
Remember, it is only a ‘promise’ not necessarily ‘action’ and commitment. With people like KSK in charge, don’t expect much. He’s only a seat warmer.
It was only a luncheon meeting. You don’t discuss serious matters requiring urgent and serious government action over a lunch. It shows lack of sincerity and only lip-service.
The Christians and non-Muslims must ensure that there is no erosion of their constitutional rights and must keep up the momentum to ensure the government protect and treat them fairly. If the Cabinet, ‘the highest Ministerial level’, is ineffective with no commitment, what else is there?
The non-Muslims should stop turning their cheeks and start standing up for their rights here on earth. Else don’t blame others if you get trampled on by ‘sensitive’ people. You can turn your cheeks once you are in heaven.
Pressure the non-Muslim Ministers to speak up and to do something from within. Otherwise don’t vote for them but for those who will be effective.
Would Najib dare to show and be seen as not protecting Muslim interests or will he do a double-speak yet again? Maybe he’s is not in control. Never was. He’s only an actor-puppet.
#12 by DAP man on Thursday, 5 January 2012 - 12:57 pm
Is this only a press statement or a letter handed to Najib.
Be assured, Najib will throw it in the wastepaper basket because he cannot even implement a single of those requests.
If he could, these issues would not have cropped up at all.
I expect him to give some warning to the Christians soon.
#13 by Loh on Thursday, 5 January 2012 - 3:19 pm
Remember what happened to Suqiu? They said all the right things, and the PM of the day promised them heaven and earth. What happened after the election? It will be no difference this time, and the timing of the meting and understanding expressed by Najib is the same as in what was done by that person in 1999. The election will be that many days after this meeting, similar to the Suqiu supplication.
#14 by undertaker888 on Thursday, 5 January 2012 - 6:10 pm
CFM? short form for Come F Me? Surely got that from najib. There’s no way this present regime will look into the well being of the people. Their only mandate is to steal from us with the protection of using the Malays as fear factor like perkosa and pokeyda to stir up muck.
The beast will make the scarlet woman naked and eat her flesh. Just watch and see.
#15 by monsterball on Thursday, 5 January 2012 - 6:33 pm
Great…meet him…smile and tell him off.
Najib knows how to talk sweet nothing.
Christian leaders are no fools.
Yes…tell him off and see what his next move is.
Najib cares only how to fool Malaysian Malays.