Union of Catholic Asian News（http://www.ucanews.com）
Religious clubs ‘closure’ riles interfaith group , 13 July 2010
by ucanews.com reporter, Klang
A Malaysian interreligious organization has asked a state education department for confirmation of the dissolution of three religious associations in a school.
Local newspaper The Sun reported that the Selangor Education Department had asked the Klang High School’s Hindu Religious Club, Buddhist Religious Club and Christian Union Society to close as they were not set up with the department’s approval.
The associations were established years ago.
The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) has asked the Selangor Education Department if there were such instructions.
“If in fact such a directive had indeed been given, MCCBCHST would like to express its disappointment that there was no prior consultation with it over such a serious matter as this,” said council president Reverend Doctor Thomas Philips in a statement.
He said the council would protest in the strongest possible terms if there was a policy to close non-Muslim religious societies or prevent the setting up of such societies in schools.
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