1. The Malaysian Insider(http://www.themalaysianinsider.com)
Sibu result reflects growing Christian vote, 28 May 2010
by Debra Chong
KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 — DAP’s surprise win in the recent Sibu by-election was the latest message being sent to the Najib administration that it needs to buckle down and deal with the “Allah” issue sooner rather than later.
The party made a special appeal to the Christian voters, citing the need to prevent Putrajaya from regulating the ways and language of worship for non-Muslims, after a landmark court ruling on Dec 31 that allowed the word “Allah” to be used by all.
The rise in a conscious Christian vote came after churches in Muslim-majority Malaysia reported a growth spurt, and leading the pack was the 82-year-old Sidang Injil Borneo (SIB), an evangelical movement that worships mainly in Bahasa Malaysia, the national language.
An SIB churchgoer reads from a Bahasa Malaysia Bible, which contains the word “Allah”.
Its sphere of influence is growing fast, particularly among the Orang Asli tribes in the Malay peninsula, said the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM), an umbrella body that represents voices from both the orthodox churches and evangelical groups.
CFM general secretary Tan Kong Beng credits SIB’s growing appeal to “cultural affinities” between the local indigenous community and those from the Borneo interior.
First set up in Sarawak in 1928 and regarded as a relatively young church, the SIB has been making inroads into Peninsular Malaysia in the last two decades.
Some 30 SIB congregations have been set up in the peninsula to date, with more on the way.
Tan sees the SIB evangelists from Sabah and Sarawak to be more empathetic with the Orang Asli groups and so better able to build a closer rapport with the locals.
“Urban West Malaysians are very different from the Orang Asli,” Tan told The Malaysian Insider.
He explained that English — commonly used in the city and town churches — proved a challenge to those living in the rural areas.
The Bumiputera generally speak in their own native tongues, or the national language with outsiders, he said.
The SIB congregation in Shah Alam consists mainly of youths from Sabah and Sarawak. — Picture by Choo Choy May
The SIB community in neighbouring Shah Alam have been making regular visits to a remote Orang Asli village the next state over for the past few months, its pastor Richard Samporoh told The Malaysian Insider.
The church has a dedicated Orang Asli ministry, made up mainly of young working adults and university students who visit the tribespeople and provide a range of social-welfare services, such as basic health checks and free tuition classes, making the indigenous more receptive towards the church.
But even as the church expands, so have its problems.
SIB church leaders from both sides of the South China Sea complained of the home ministry’s increasingly heavy-handed treatment towards the church and its members, prompting them to file several lawsuits against the government.
Earlier this year, a group of Orang Asli Christians in Pahang sued the government for refusing to supply water and electricity to their village church.
The Jahut from Kampung Kubang Pasu lost the case at the Temerloh High Court but were appealing the decision.
Next week, the High Court here will attend to a suit filed by Sarawakian SIB member, Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill, who sued the home ministry for seizing her personal religious books and CDs, allegedly because they contained the word “Allah”, which may “confuse” Muslims.
Pastor Jerry Dusing, who heads the Sabah SIB, said the confiscation of Christian books remains a problem in Malaysia.
He, too, has filed a similar suit against the government for confiscating an imported shipment of Malay Bibles three years ago. The court will hear his case later next month.
Pastor Danil Raut, president of SIB Semenanjung, related that the indigenous tribes in Sabah and Sarawak have been using the controversial “A” word in their worship since before Independence.
His fellow SIB member, Alfred Tais, who also sits on the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF) committee, explained that the Bumiputera Christians were upset because they perceived the government’s restrictive policies as a violation of the Federal Constitution and the terms laid out in the agreements for the Borneo states to join the peninsula to form Malaysia.
The ruling Barisan Nasional government had tried to play down the issue, only to have it backfire on them, as seen by the way Sibu — where over half the electorate were Christian — voted earlier this month.
The secular DAP, which had been placed as the underdog in that by-election, had mounted an aggressive campaign, arguing the right of non-Muslims to use the “A” word.
“We’re not creating it to be a hot topic but… we can’t control public sentiment,” Dusing told The Malaysian Insider just before the polls, highlighting Sibu’s extraordinarily large Christian voter population.
“To us it is a hindrance to be able to practise our religion freely. The Christian community is concerned that our Bible is placed under internal security. Books that teach positive religious values placed under restrictions.
“We hope the government will take a sensible attitude towards this problem,” he said.
2. Malaysiakini (http://www.malaysiakini.com)
Caesar and God, 28 May 2010
by Josh Hong
It has been more than a decade since Goh Keat Peng, the former executive secretary of the Christian Federation Malaysia, bucked the religious trend in the country and bravely joined the reformasi movement.
And he did so to openly register his disgust at the corrupt regime of Mahathir Mohamad, most evidenced by the erosion of the Malaysian judiciary.
While the movement itself waxed and waned until the sudden surge in the wake of the political tsunami in March 2008, Goh remained steadfast and went through thick and thin with those who cried for a more just, equitable and transparent Malaysia.
Even as Pakatan Rakyat comes closer to realising the dream of national power, Goh still stays behind the scenes most of the times, making his voice of conscience heard only when it is necessary.
All this does tell the man apart from other opportunists, PR and Barisan Nasional alike.
Goh was once accused by "mainstream" church leaders of "mixing politics and religion", but those who criticized him were conveniently oblivious to the fact that BN leaders and ministers were (and still are) often invited for Christmas celebration or even to officiate Christian conferences.
Some years ago, Christians gathered at Wisma MCA in Kuala Lumpur to "pray for the nation". Were they also not "politicising religion"? Had it been proposed by, let's say DAP, would they have responded similarly?
No amount of words can refute that Malaysian churches relish in rubbing shoulders with the ruling coalition. Having Ng Yen Yen or Bernard Giluk Dompok - two prominent Christian politicians - to grace Christian events used to be something "politically correct".
Thank goodness, opposition politicians of Christian faith, such as Nga Khor Ming, Ngeh Koo Ham and Teresa Kok (a Catholic), have also become "not so sensitive" now that Pakatan Rakyat is in power in several states.
Sadly, it is a home truth that many still refuse to acknowledge even today, or maybe they are too embarrassed to do so.
'Special grants'
When Goh expressed his serious concerns over the "special grants" of RM1.75 million to four churches, announced on the even of polling day in Sibu early this month, a church leader retorted by branding him as "arrogant" and "speaking wildly".
I had expected a response of this kind; what I did not foresee is the language employed by the church leader concerned. What did he mean when he chastised Goh for being "arrogant" and "speaking wildly"? I find no acrimony or jealousy in Goh's writing, but genuine concerns as a fellow Christian.
His words are measured and humble, even too mild, which perhaps reflect his deep sense of sadness at an opportunity lost for showing the Christian church to be the light and the salt.
I gather the church leader was furious because Goh's message had hit a nerve. After all, one hardly sees churches worked up over social injustices, especially the plight of the indigenous peoples in Sarawak.
Contrary to what many believe, the timing was indeed under the control of the churches because our Election Offences Act makes it clear that no allocations shall be made during electoral campaign.
Instead of taking the money and thanked the government, the recipient churches could have told Najib Abdul Razak this: "Any reasonable and legitimate allocation is welcome, but please refrain from doing it during election because it is against the law, or we may cause you to stumble. The grants may be made after the by-election though."
If the prime minister was indeed upright, he would appreciate the advice and respect the church leaders.
If the prime minister was indeed fair-minded, he would honour the promise and proceed with the grants even after BN had lost.
Was it really that difficult?
In my recent sharing with young students at Seminari Theologi Malaysia, I encouraged the members of the audience - many of whom are potential future church leaders - to be bold enough to take a stance on issues that concern social justice.
I could see they were seriously pondering on the meanings of politics as a vocation, and were increasingly disillusioned with the way mainstream churches take to it.
These potential future church leaders are no longer satisfied with the model reminder to "pray for rulers and for all who have authority', or the repetitive advice of "fulfilling one's civic duty to vote as a citizen".
What they desire is a message that is truly non-partisan, wise, honest and yet closely in sync with the current political developments.
Opposition politics comes in many forms, and the Anti-Slavery, Civil Rights and Anti-Apartheid Movements spring to mind. Yet there should be nothing frightening about it.
I would go a step further by stating that Jesus Christ was a dissident par excellence, for his life on earth revolved around the constant struggle against the unjust political and religious establishments of his time.
Herod hunted for him, while the Jewish leaders saw him as a threat to their authority. They both wanted him dead lest he subvert the hierarchy of power.
In other words, hanging on to the coattails of politicians was never an option for Jesus, whose "subversiveness" has inspired tens of millions to rise up against corruption and injustice.
In much of Latin America, Jesus is seen as a revolutionary; in South Africa, he is as black as Nelson Mandela.
If might and power were the symbol of justice and righteousness, I suppose Jesus would not have come as a baby in a manger, but as a Caesar ready to rule the earth.
This does not mean the church must always be on the opposite side of the authorities. Far from it.
What Christian leaders in Malaysia need to learn is how to speak out wisely but boldly against oppression and abuse of power committed by either PR or BN, while giving credit where it is due.
The role of the church is not to seek political favour, but to act as a voice of conscience and reason, even at the risk of irking the powers-that-be.
Quite clearly, this dispute over church allocation in Sibu shows that while many do fear God, they fear Caesar even more.
One only has to confess to the former for forgiveness, but may pay with one's liberty and vested interests if the latter is offended.
However, is it not the Bible that teaches that one must be prepared to lose the whole world in order to gain the abundant life that one earnestly desires?
・JOSH HONG studied politics at London Metropolitan University and the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. A keen watcher of domestic and international politics, he longs for a day when Malaysians will learn and master the art of self-mockery, and enjoy life to the full in spite of politicians.
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