Bernama.com
‘MCCBCHS(sic) Calls For Probe And Action Against Tamil Daily’
by S. Retna
PUTRAJAYA, Aug 22 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism (MCCBCHS)(sic) wants the authorities to investigate a Tamil newspaper, which published on its front page a picture of Jesus Christ holding a cigarette in one hand and a can, which looks like a beer can, in the other.
MCCBCHS(sic) president Datuk A. Vaithilingam wants the the Home Ministry to investigate and take action against those behind the publication of the picture. Makkal Osai, a Tamil daily, printed the picture yesterday with a caption quoting Jesus Christ roughly as saying: "if someone repents for his mistakes, then heaven awaits them." The daily today apologised for the publication. "Firstly, I'm surprised as to how they could make that mistake... it is a grave mistake. Newspapers should avoid publishing this kind of pictures as it causes hurt to people of that religion. "As the nation nears its 50th independence day, we do not expect this kind of thing to crop up again and again. We will let the authorities investigate and take action that they deem fit," Vaithilingam told Bernama today.
However, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Malaysia took a harder stance calling for a ban on Makkal Osai, saying that a precedent had been set in the past. "When two newspapers published a caricature of Prophet Muhammad wearing a bomb-shaped turban early last year, the government took immediate action banning the two newspapers. It was a right decision. Now we have this and they too should be served the same punishment as a lesson to others," Bishop Julious Paul said. He said although the newspaper carried an apology today, it was not enough as the publication of the picture "looked deliberate and unacceptable." Terming the publication of the picture as mischievous, he also wanted the newspaper to publish an apology not only in Makkal Osai but also in all major newspapers in the country as it had hurt the feelings of Christians in the country.
The MIC too supported the hard stance with its deputy president, Datuk G. Palanivel, wanting the ministry to act against the paper which had hurt the feelings of Christians in the country. "The Home Ministry should take tough action against this kind of newspapers to drive home a clear message as religion is something which cannot be made fun of," he said, adding that he had received numerous calls from MIC members, both Christians and Hindus, to convey their anger and annoyance at the newspaper's total lack of responsibility. The party, the largest Indian-based political party in the country, also felt that the publication of the picture was a "threat to national harmony".
Meanwhile, the MIC Youth submitted a four-page memorandum to the Prime Minister's office asking the government to revoke Makkal Osai's publication permit. The memorandum was submitted by its social and welfare bureau secretary, S. Subramaniam, to the Prime Minister's special officer (policy) Raven Ponniah at Perdana Putra here. In the afternoon, Puchong MIC member Peter A/L Sinnappan, 37, lodged a police report on the matter at the Tun H.S.Lee police station in Kuala Lumpur, saying that it was to prevent a repeat of the publication which insulted Christians.
Meanwhile, the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, Datuk Murphy Pakiam, said the picture of the sacred heart of Jesus was very sacred to Catholics as it depicts the heart of Jesus burning with love and tenderness for all people. "As such, this caricature of the picture of Jesus, holding a cigarette in one hand and apparently a beer can in the other hand is a desecration and therefore hurtful to the religious sentiments of Catholics. "It is certainly in bad taste for the editor of Makkal Osai to publish such a picture, although the message in the accompanying words is an attempt to call repentant sinners to hope and salvation," he said in a statement here.
Bernama.com ‘Don't Play With Religion, Says Abdullah’
KUALA PILAH, Aug 23 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today reminded everyone not to play with other people's religion, be it Islam or Christianity. The prime minister said that publishing a picture of Jesus Christ would only invite problems although this time it involved the sanctity of Christianity. "If the Christians get to know about it, it will create problems. I remind them again to stop doing this," he told reporters here today. He was asked to comment on the Tamil daily, Makkal Osai's publication of a picture of Jesus holding a cigarette in one hand and a can of beer in the other in its front page on Tuesday. He said he was disappointed because it was very hurtful and would anger the Christians, just like the Muslims would also not accept such action. "The Muslims too will defend their religion," he added. He said the publication of the picture was clearly an insult to other people's faith and he had repeatedly given clear warnings on such matter.
MCCBCHST Press Statement
‘Respect for religious icons' dated 24 August 2007
(http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/content/view/10668/2/)
MCCBCHST is concerned that no religious icon held dear to its respective religious adherents should be presented in any disrespectful way.
It is regrettable that yet another case of such disrespectful presentation has occurred with a depiction of Jesus Christ in a newspaper recently. MCCBCHST was surprised as to how such a grave mistake could have been committed. Newspapers should avoid publishing this kind of pictures as it causes hurt to people of that religion. MCCBCHST notes that Archbishop Murphy Pakiam, while expressing the hurt that Christians feel about such defilement of Christ, has accepted the public apology of the newspaper involved in this latest case and considers the matter closed in his public statement. The Council of Churches Malaysia through its General Secretary has also expressed a similar view. When I spoke to the Chief Editor of the newspaper involved, I too felt that the apology he had extended was sincere and should be accepted.
This magnanimous gesture on their part in the interest of press freedom must however be reciprocated by the news media who must now ensure that such occurrences should not take place again.
The wider concern of MCCBCHST is that after fifty years of independence, Malaysians have still not sufficiently understood and appreciated one another’s religious sentiments. This difficiency(sic) should be rectified and all public and media officials should be knowledgeable about the sentiments of all the major religions.
Datuk A. Vaithilingam,
MCCBCHST President
(End)
