Please refer to the previous postings dated 7-9 July 2010 and 29 July 2010 respectively. (Lily)
Malaysiakini (http://www.malaysiakini.com)
(1) Interfaith council hails court's verdict, 13 August 2010
The Malaysian Consultative Council on Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism president Reverend Thomas Philips has welcomed today's court verdict on the firebombing of Metro Tabernacle Church in Kuala Lumpur.
Philips, who is also a member of a government interfaith committee of religious leaders, said that it was time for the nation to put the ugly episode behind it.
"We urge all Malaysians to respect one another's place of worship," he told AFP.
"So let's move on now that a sentence has been passed and close this chapter."
Representatives of the Metro Tabernacle church, which is part of the Assemblies of God movement, had no immediate comment but have said previously that they forgave those responsible.
Two brothers were today sentenced to five years in prison for firebombing a church, the first of a spate of attacks on places of worship that shocked the nation this year.
The Jan 7 torching of a church in suburban Kuala Lumpur, which sent tensions soaring in the multi-ethnic country, was "appalling and despicable", said Sessions Court judge SM Komathy Suppiah.
"You both by your shameful and dastardly acts, you have shamed the country," she told Raja Mohamad Faizal Raja Ibrahim, 24, and Raja Mohamad Idzham Raja Ibrahim, 22.
"The message from this court must be loud and clear: Don't play with fire," she told the sombre-looking pair.
The attack, which gutted part of the three-storey church, was followed by a series that saw a dozen mosques, churches and prayer halls across the Muslim-majority nation torched and vandalised.
In an unprecedented onslaught, the places of worship were pelted with Molotov cocktails, splashed with black paint and had windows smashed with stones.
Allah row still unresolved
The violence was triggered by a ruling that overturned a ban on non-Muslims using 'Allah' as a translation for 'God' in Bahasa Malaysia.
The government argued that the use of the word 'Allah' by Christians, who make up nine percent of the population, could cause confusion and encourage religious conversion, which is illegal for Muslims.
Malaysia's Christians, many from indigenous groups in the Borneo states of Sabah and Sarawak who speak Bahasa Malaysia, say they have used the word without incident for centuries.
The still-unresolved 'Allah' row is one of a string of religious disputes that have erupted in recent years, straining relations between majority Malays and minorities who fear the country is being "Islamised".
Counsel for the convicted pair, who are both motorcycle dispatch riders, said they would appeal the conviction and sentence but refused to make any further comment.
The brothers were to be released on bail pending the results of the appeal.
(2) Church arson: Brothers jailed 5 years, told don't play with fire, 13 August 2010
by Hafiz Yatim
The Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today found the two brothers guilty of setting fire to the Metro Tabernacle Church near Taman Melawati in January.
Judge SM Komathy Suppiah said the defence had failed to raise any doubts and the evidence presented by the two was inconsistent.
"The testimony by their friend that the two were involved in burning rubbish is also in doubt. It is a fabrication and afterthought."
Following mitigation, the court sentenced the two to five years jail each.
The court allowed their application for a stay of execution but raised their bail from RM10,000 to RM20,000 each.
The two, brothers Raja Muhammad Faizal Raja Ibrahim, 24 and Raja Muhammad Idzham, 20 were jointly charged with mischief by fire under Section 436 of the Penal Code.
The said incident happened on the early morning of Jan 7. The punishment for such an offence is up to 20 years jail and a fine.
They were ordered to enter their defence on July 30 while a third accused - Azuwan Shah Ahmad, 23 - was acquitted when Komathy ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against him.
While submitting earlier today, counsel for the brothers Hanif Hashim said there was doubt over the case as the teacher claimed to have seen the arsonists did not have a clear view of the perpetrators.
"The actual perpetrators are still out there," he said. "My clients were merely arrested at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital."
'Appaling, despicable'
DPP Azlina Rasdi said the testimony by the brothers' friend that the two were burning a stack of rubbish when they burnt themselves was merely 'a creation' to save the two accused.
In sentencing the duo, Komathy said individuals who commit arson attacks on places of worship deserve little or no mercy from the courts.
She said offences of the kind were 'reprehensible and egregious'.
"This court is bound to ensure that a deterrent custodial sentence is imposed on offenders who desecrate religion or religious beliefs to ensure peace and harmony in a multi-racial country like ours."
"The imposition of a lenient sentence would not send a strong and clear message that this kind of offence would not be tolerated and condoned.
Describing the act of torching the Metro Tabernacle Church as 'appalling and despicable', Komathy said it struck at the foundation of a civilised and peace-loving society.
"One of the tenets of the Rukunegara is Kepercayaan Kepada Tuhan (Belief in God) but you have set ablaze a Home of God.
"Leaders from all segments of society came forward and condemned your actions. Fortunately, the police were able to maintain law and order despite actions which were inflammatory in more ways than one," she told the brothers.
Komathy then addressed the accused's father and said while it was painful for young persons to be incarcerated but for offences such as the present one, considerations of compassion must yield to those of public interests.
"The message from this court is clear. Do not play with fire."
(End)
