Susan Loone
Malaysiakini
Feb 23, 11

The Anglican church wants the Penang government to immediately activate the newly-minted non-Muslim Affairs portfolio to address issues which affect this group.
West Malaysia Anglican Diocese assistant bishop Andrew Phang (left) said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who heads the portfolio, must “act now” and put into practice what has been preached by the state government.

“(Otherwise) it would remain merely a committee; the state should start the ball rolling and gather all the relevant groups for a meeting soon,” suggested Phang, a vicar at the Redeemer Church in Butterworth.

“The churches can play an active role by organising groups to participate in the portfolio’s activities like dialogues between the different communities.”

Phang said that initiating the portfolio is a timely move, adding that the urgency to get it up and running is not intended to insult Muslims, who have always had their interests taken care of by the government.

“We just want to say that, with this portfolio, we can push for our issues to be looked into,” he told reporters last night on the sidelines of the Southeast Asia Provincial Gathering for Anglican Churches in Tanjung Bungah.

He said the exco could help address issues like difficulties in obtaining land for places of worship and cemeteries.

“When we are not able to build our churches, we have to conduct our services in houses (in residential areas) and sometimes this can create tensions within the community.

There is no platform to discuss these things,” he said.

Phang said dialogues can now be organised to discuss issues, which would contribute to harmony.

‘Portfolio stays’

Opening of the church event, Lim warned of “extremists” politicising and stigmatising the non-Muslim Affairs portfolio as an insult to Islam although the status of the religion is not in question.

This is the first time he has labelled detractors “extremists”. All the while, he had referred to them as “racists” for trying to disrupt his efforts to unite the different communities.

“We will not bow down to these political opportunists and extremists but will stand firm in going ahead with the portfolio,” he said.

“The formation of this portfolio is timely as it promotes diversity and positive human interaction on cultural, religious and social spheres.”

The portfolio was upgraded from the Committee for Places of Worship under the Penang Municipal Council.

‘Need for change’

About 400 participants are attending the three-day Anglican gathering themed ‘Rising Above the Storms’, hosted by the West Malaysia Diocese.

Asked why this slogan has been picked as this year’s theme, Phang explained that the church will always support and encourage changes that are beneficial to the people.

He said there is a need for change within the churches which have their own issues to handle, including factionalism, ‘extremist’ groups and administrative problems.

“But we should not allow these (problems) to damage us and will hold on to our biblical truth as the basis (of our faith and understanding with one another,” he said.
Asked if the reforms include a change of government at the federal level, Phang declined to comment.

However, he said even without a change of government, the Southeast Asian region is a challenging place in which to live.

“It is so because this region has a large Muslim community, and a strong Buddhist presence; we have to learn how to live together peacefully,” he added.