Malaysiakini (http://www.malaysiakini.com)
(1) Deputy minister: Make it a crime to convert Muslims, 9 August 2011
An Umno deputy minister has proposed that a 'faith crime act' (Akta Jenayah Akidah) be enacted to criminalise any action to proselytise Muslims.
This follows the raid on the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais), and allegations that Christian organisations convert Muslims by offering financial assistance,
According to a report published by Utusan Malaysia, Deputy Education Minister Puad Zarkashi (right) said the nation is in dire need of such a law as the phenomenon of apostasy is spreading and no longer seems a secret.
"That's why, from long ago, I have been proposing, if possible, to have a faith crime act tabled in Parliament in order to ensure there is no effort to apostatise Muslims in our country," Utusan quoted him as saying.
The Batu Pahat MP who is also Umno supreme council member was reported to have said this at an event at Parit Kapis yesterday.
On the issue of the DUMC raid, Puad called on all quarters to respect the federal constitution which clearly prohibits non-Muslims from preaching to Muslims.
"In other words, non-Muslims must abide by the constitution that they cannot do anything to proselytise their faith to Muslims," he said, adding that hiding behind welfare aid to convert Muslims should also be prohibited.
Wide coverage
Utusan, the Malay daily owned by Umno, continued to give wide coverage on the apostasy issue today.
Apart from statements from politicians condemning Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim and PKR over the handling of the issue, the daily also published a reader's letter urging the government to form a royal commission of inquiry to conduct a thorough investigation into the allegation.
Jamal Lulkhir Jaludin from Pasir Salak said that the issue should not be closed without a definite answer.
"Muslims should suffer from the syndrome of being dumb, blind and deaf."
In another related development, the Facebook page set up last Saturday to support Jais and Selangor exco member Hasan Ali has attracted over 9,000 fans.
According to information stated on the fan page named '1,000,000 Muslims support Jais and Hasan Ali to prevent apostasy', it was formed after the DUMC raid and the report of Berita Harian which claimed that Christian organisations converted Muslims with financial assistance.
(2) On the road to a failed 'Islamic state'、9 August 2011
by Bob Teoh
COMMENT The Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (Jais) raid on the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) last week signals Malaysia's quickening slide into a failed “Islamic state” like Iran, Yemen, and Tunisia and the rest.
Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak must act firmly and urgently to assure non-Muslims that the ruling coalition is serious about protecting their constitutional right to profess, practise and propagate their faith. The commitment to religious freedom is a hallmark of a progressive nation; which Najib says his 1 Malaysia is all about.
Therefore, the PM cannot afford to continue to remain silent on this affront by Jais. Islam may be a state matter. But clearly Jakim or the Islamic Development Department is parked right under the PM's nose headed by a full cabinet minister. It can act swiftly if it wanted to in matters pertaining to Islam and even other religions.
For instance, when the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled on Dec 31, 2009 against the government and allowed The Herald - a Catholic publication - to use the word Allah to refer to God in Bahasa Malaysia, it went into overdrive seeking ways to scuttle the ruling.
The government was initially indecisive in that instance. A church in Kuala Lumpur was subsequently torched so extensively that it was rendered useless following relentless public vilification of Christians by Utusan Malaysia, the Malay language newspaper owned by Umno, as well as by Perkasa, a small ultra-Malay right-wing outfit under the patronage of former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad. He declared Malaysia to be an Islamic state in 2001.
The raid by Jais or the state Islamic Religious Department on a fundraising dinner held at the DUMC in Petaling Jaya cannot be described as anything but a sanctioned vigilante action. It is part of the continuing agenda to vilify and incite hatred towards Christians.
They came unannounced but prepared and accompanied by a media circus, their own enforcement officers and the police. However, they did not have a search warrant nor any plausible explanation for barging in except that someone had made a complaint of which they did not produce details of it. Their suspicion was that the church was proselytising Muslims.
The rule of law cannot be based merely on suspicions. There must be prima facie evidence.
Proselytisation has always been the bugbear used by extremist Muslim groups and the right wing in Umno to scare the Malay heartland into believing Christians are out to convert them by any means. And even to make Christianity into the religion of the federation, ludicrous as it may sound. But the opposite is true.
102,997 converted to Islam in 20 years
Data tabulated from Pusat Islam and Jakim revealed that between 1980 and 2001 a total of 102,997 people were converted to Islam in Malaysia. But the figure could be higher.
Utusan Malaysia on Feb 25, 2009 quoted the governor as saying in Sabah alone there were 117,579 converts to Islam since 1970. It is public knowledge that such conversions were mainly from rural native bumiputra Christians from Sabah and Sarawak sometimes through marriage, inducements or other means.
While the prime minister and Umno had decided to remain silent, MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek was quick to hammer Jais but shifted the blame to the Pakatan-controlled Selangor state government.
But Jais had likely acted within the law as a controversial enactment passed by the then-Barisan Nasional state government in 1988 allows action against non-Muslims, according to Malaysian Bar Council chief Lim Chee Wee (right).
“Whilst Jais may have the legal power to enter the premises, it must do so on a proper legal basis that there has been an offence committed. From the presently available facts, there is no basis for its intrusion,” he was reported to have said.
The 1988 enactment as well as the four existing state Islamic enactments that give the authorities wide powers to act on religious matters, were introduced by Barisan. The MCA, which was in the state government then, agreed to them while DAP lawmakers had argued that the legislation would encroach on the rights of non-Muslims.
Article 4 of the federal constitution states that: “This constitution is the supreme law of the federation and any law passed after Merdeka Day which is inconsistent with this constitution shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void”.
But over the past decades, Islamic enactments were enacted by the respective state governments like the controversial 1988 enactment in Selangor. State Islamic agencies like Jais can carry out their vigilante action against Muslims and non-Muslims like the raid on DUMC under the cover of state laws which may or may not be inconsistent with the federal constitution.
Under Article 8 of the constitution, “All persons are equal before the law and are entitled to equal protection of the law. Article 11 makes it clear that every person has the right not only to profess and practise his religion but also to propagate it.
Surely Jais must understand that propagating one's religion is not the same as proselytising others. It is a fact even in places like Iran, many Muslims have turned to Christianity. This phenomenon is not uncommon in other Muslim majority countries like Malaysia. Surely Jais must understand no amount of religious policing can stop such phenomena.
Therefore, its raid on DUMC is nothing short of a vigilante action. This is not only wrong. It also puts Malaysia on a slippery path towards a failed “Islamic state.” Both Muslims and non-Muslims alike will end up losers.
・BOB TEOH is a retired journalist and faith-based writer. He is author of the book 'Allah - More Than Just a Word' (2010).
(3) 'Wahabi' links: Uthman denies rejecting dialogue, 9 August 2011
Religious scholar and preacher Muhammad Uthman El-Muhammady has denied he had rejected participating in a dialogue with Perlis religious figures those quarters accused of being linked to Wahabism, terrorists and purportedly recieving backing by the government of Saudi Arabia.
Speaking to Malay-language daily Sinar Harian, Muhammad said he had only asked that any such dialogue be organised by the Home Ministry (KDN) behind closed doors along with the Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (Jakim) instead of being an open debate.
“I did not reject dialogue, I only wanted that the event be held by the Home Ministry,” Sinar Harian quoted the Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation lecturer as saying.
Uthman said this is because such an issue concerning national security should not be debated in an open forum, particularly as it may affect the good relations between the Saudi government and Malaysia.
“Such a dialogue should be behind closed doors and with the attendance of experts selected by KDN and Jakim,” he added.
Uthman raised the ire of Perlis religious scholars after sources claimed that in a closed door briefing with the National Security Council, he had allegedly linked several of them to puritanist Wahabi teachings.
Among those purportedly named in the briefing was former Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin (above, wearing a songkok), who was alleged also to have connections with terrorists and financiers from Saudi Arabia.
Following the eruption of the controversy, current Perlis mufti Juanda Jaya said his invitation to Uthman to participate in a dialogue with those scholars he had allegedly implicated was turned down.
Dialogue is the better approach towards resolving disputes as opposed "stabs at the back", Juanda said in a statement yesterday.
As an "academician", he added, Uthman should have nothing to fear in openly defending his views and ideas, which the former claimed have sown chaos in the country and shaken ties between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.
(4) Let Jais do its job, but it must respect rights, 9 August 2011
'Should Jais, as keepers of the faith, do its job even to the extent of disrespecting the religious beliefs of others?'
Muslim NGOs target S'gor MB over church raid
People Power: Pembela, Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia (PPIM) and Pekida must have sand in their brains. Jais barged into a church building and interrupted a fund-raising dinner without a warrant, which was rude and uncalled for.
When Muslim and non-Muslims alike made noise over such interruption, you claimed that "statements by non-Muslim politicians that have hurt the feelings of Muslims" and called for Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim's resignation when he tried to appease the situation.
What stupid rationale is that? You have no respect for other religions and you expect other religions to respect us as Muslims? Pembela president Yusri Mohamad called for Jais to be given freedom in carrying out its duties. Does that mean Islamic authorities can carry out raids without warrants and interrupt functions? Is that called "freedom to carry out its duties"?
While these three organisations claim that the MB's attempt in appeasing the situation has caused deep suspicion between Muslims and non-Muslims, the real problem is that such uncalled-for "barging in" is what has caused deep suspicion on us Muslims by the non-Muslims.
Surely instead of barging in, Jais could have done it in a more civilised manner. Did Jais talk to the organisers or to the pastor of the church beforehand, or let the dinner end before confronting the 15 Muslims at the dinner? Would you be happy if a non-Muslim organisation barged into a Muslim function and interrupted it?
I'm ashamed of such statements given by these supposedly Islamic organisations who have further brought much shame to Islam by their support over such an incident.
Ibnu Suffian: Pembela's Yusri Mohamad asserts that "statements by non-Muslim politicians that have hurt the feelings of Muslims are as if Islam has no position in the country."
Yusri should understand and state the situation clearly. Islam undeniably does "have a position" in the country. That position is defined by the Constitution. That constitutional position is apparently not what Yusri may want it to be.
But Yusri's ambitious restatement of his own preferences in this matter does not change the Constitution and Islam's constitutional standing. Promoting wildly expansionist, and inaccurate, interpretations of the constitutional position of Islam, and whipping up outraged sentiments on the basis of those wishful and devious fictions, is simply irresponsible.
One thing is clear: that is a sure way to kill civil peace, social harmony and the nation. Is that what Yusri and his cohorts really want?
Nik V: I was at a talk where I remember Khalid Ibrahim spoke of his vision to release Malays from the grasp and control of the BN government. He believed that Malays could and would do well with the right political leaders.
This was a year before the political tsunami in 2008. Till today, I believe in his hopes and dreams both as the Selangor MB and as a former corporate head.
Don't be derailed by self-serving parties which have such a myopic view of Malaysia. You are not perfect but we know your words in this situation were not to serve the non-Muslims or Muslims but on the side of fairness and that justice should be seen to be done.
You demand that those in authority behave consistent with what they claim to be defending. And that is the makings of a good leader and MB unlike all these groups such as Pembela and Perkasa, and even Umno.
Lucia: Khalid Ibrahim is Malaysian first, Malay second, hence his appropriate response. These Malay NGOs are only thinking of themselves and they just want a 'Muslim defends Muslim' situation even the Muslim may be wrong/at fault. They will forever be Malay first, Malaysian second, like our DPM Muhyiddin Yassin.
Azizi Khan: How would Pembela feel if a bunch of Christians enter their premises with the police without a warrant disrupting let's say a breaking of fast event, accusing Pembela of burning the Bible. Get the point?
Jais was wrong. Period. No amount of tantrum will change that. Neither Jais nor Pembela are above the law. These sort of hooliganism must stop, or at least be limited to Perkasa.
Disbeliever: Should Jais, as keepers of the faith, do its job even to the extent of disrespecting the religious beliefs of others? Come on, get real. Act with prudence by all means.
Whatever information received should be reconfirmed whether it is the truth, otherwise any Tom, Dick or Harry can make a report in mala fide.
Gerard Samuel Vijayan: Pembela, Pekida, the PPIM and others can say what they like but Jais has no jurisdiction over non-Muslims and non-Muslim places of worship.
The Islamic enactments do not apply to non-Muslims and neither does the Syariah Court have jurisdiction over non-Muslims. The Islamic enactments do not and cannot override Articles 3, 8 and 11 in the federal constitution and the constitution is the supreme law of the country, not the various Islamic enactments.
Jais has no business entering any church or temple to conduct any sort of investigation, enquiry, raid or operation and the non-Muslims need not cooperate with Jais or offer them any assistance.
Just as non-Muslims respect the status of Islam as the official religion, we expect the Muslims to respect our religions, faiths and believes and not simply malign, denigrate, demonise and persecute us for practising our faith.
Ironically, without the support of the East Malaysian Christians, Umno would not be in power today.
DannyLoHH: The antics of Pembela is showing that they are bullies with no respect to the religious sanctity of others. Their stand makes it clear that it is okay to harass Christians.
Malaysian Born: It is interesting how these Pembela clowns did not say anything about proof or justification for the raid - they don't seem to feel there is any need for justification at all.
The total lack of empathy is shocking and reveals the level to which the problem has deteriorated in some circles. I still cannot believe that this is in any way indicative of the vast majority of Muslims in the country who as far as I know must be embarrassed and as upset as non-Malays are about the Gestapo-like behavior of Jais.
I am not a Christian but I am upset as a Malaysian - this is not the way my country should be.
Geronimo: Pembela, our country is 65 percent Muslim and you say that Islam have no position in this country? You are suffering from both paranoia and an inferiority complex.
Swipenter: Jais is already behaving and acting with impunity. What more freedom do they want?
・The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers.
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