Malaysiakini (http://www.malaysiakini.com)
(1) 45 NGOs send memo to sultan in support of Jais, 8 August 2011
Forty-five non-governmental organisations (NGOs) today sent a memorandum to the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin
Idris Shah, expressing their full support for the Selangor Islamic Religious Department's (Jais) raid on a church in In Petaling Jaya on Aug 3.
A representative of the NGOs, Friends of Universiti Malaya Medical Centre chairman Dr Dzulkhaini Husain, said the memorandum was handed over to the sultan's private secretary Mohamad Munir Bani at Istana Bukit Kayangan, Shah Alam, this morning.
He said the five-page memorandum was in defence of Islam's sovereignty in relation to the action by Jais' enforcement officers in checking on the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC).
"We have met with Jais' representatives and after getting the details and explanation from them, we fully support Jais' action in protecting Islam's position (in this country)," he told a news conference at Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque, Shah Alam, today.
He said there were no breaking of doors or barging into the church hall as claimed, instead the checks were conducted civilly and they found proof of violations against the Non-Islamic Religion Enactment (Control of Propagation Amongst Muslims) 1988.
Executive officer and Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia activist, Mohd Mustaffa Hamzah, said the association regretted the reports of two news portals which portrayed Jais as using force against the church.
News portals' reports 'unethical'
He said the news reports were unethical as they were based on sources that were not valid.
"We also regret the action of the Selangor menteri besar (Abdul Khalid Ibrahim) of not giving due respect to the Sultan in his reaction to the Jais' raid," he added.
Meanwhile, Yayasan Pengaman Malaysia (Pengaman) is prepared to be mediator in talks between Jais and DUMC to resolve the issue.
Its chairperson Shamsuri Arshat said the issue was sensitive and needed to be handled carefully, and should not be exploited by any quarters, particularly political parties.
"A formula must be quickly sought to resolve the issue without the parties involved provoking each other. Otherwise, the issue could develop into a conflict that will be difficult to resolve," he said in a statement.
Shamsuri said Pengaman felt this was not the time for pointing fingers as to who was right or wrong because what was more important was to amicably resolve the issue.
He said Pengaman wished to meet Jais and the church representatives to know the facts of the matter and to negotiate a peace formula.
(2) Hasan: Sultan's statement shows bid to proselytise, 10 October 2011
The Selangor executive councillor in charge of Islamic affairs, Hasan Ali, is happy with Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah's decree today, saying it showed there were attempts to proselytise at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) on Aug 3.
In a statement today, Hasan said he thanked the sultan for his statement on the matter.
"I view the address made by His Royal Highness in two ways, namely he is stern, wanting action to prevent proselytising.
"Secondly, the address is viewed within its spirit where the sultan, as a ruler and guardian of Islamic affairs, has given his commitment to Islam and concern over the issue.
"I am also glad over the sultan's address as this shows there were attempts to influence the people's faith at DUMC last Aug 3.
"I am also reliefed that the investigations by the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) were done within the provisions of law, and they did not put the law behind them by having this operation," Hasan said in a statement.
'Islamic authorities acted professionally'
Although Hasan said there were attempts to influence the people's faith, Sultan Sharafuddin had said in his decree that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute.
"After carefully deliberating the report by Jais and after obtaining advice from religious authorities and legal experts, we are in agreement that there will be no prosecution against any party," the sultan said.
He said after scrutinising the Jais report on the "search" carried out at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC), he was convinced that the department had acted correctly.
"We are satisfied that the actions of Jais were correct and did not breach any law enforceable in Selangor," Sultan Sharafuddin added.
Hasan said based on the two perspectives, he could conclude that the sultan believed the Selangor Islamic Affairs Council and Jais had acted professionally.
"I will meet with Jais director and the enforcement director to further understand and take lessons from the decree.
"I will also ensure that there will be a high degree of professionalism in their enforcement activity and ensure they are equipped with up to date equipment.
"This is to ensure that each case can be defended in the face of justice," Hasan said, amd he thanked the Sultan for making the announcement.
(3) Sultan: Insufficient evidence for prosecution in Jais raid, 10 October 2011
Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah today said there were attempts to subvert the faith and belief of Muslims during a function at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) during Ramadan.
Despite this, legal action cannot be taken because of lack of evidence, said the sultan in a statement faxed to the press.
The Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) had raided a thanksgiving function at the DUMC on Aug 3 and later investigated 12 Muslims who had been present that evening.
“Therefore, after carefully deliberating the report by Jais and after obtaining advice from religious authorities and legal experts, we are in agreement that there would be no prosecution against any party," said the sultan.
He said that he scrutinised the Jais report on the "search" carried out by Jais on the DUMC and was convinced that the department had acted correctly.
"We are satisfied that the actions of Jais were correct and did not breach any law enforceable in Selangor," the sultan added.
As for the 12 Muslims under probe, the ruler said they would be subjected to counselling sessions by Jais to "restore their belief and faith".
Do not subvert Muslim faith
Meanwhile, the sultan urged members of the public not to misconstrue or dispute Jais' actions before they knew exactly what happened.
He also expressed hope that from now on, there would be no more activities carried out with the purpose of spreading other religions to Muslims.
"The religion of Islam as practised in Selangor is one of tolerance. Muslims are always encouraged to respect the believers of other religions.
"However, persons or parties cannot take the opportunity to spread other religions to Muslims," he said.
The sultan said this was in line with Clauses (1) and (4) of Article 11 of the Federal Constitution and Selangor non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Amongst Muslims) Enactment 1988.
He urged non-Muslims to protect their freedom of religion in Selangor with respect for the laws.
"This freedom has been practised in harmony in this state. We wish that this harmony, which has existed for a long time, will continue to exist.
"Protect your rights and religion and do not attempt to subvert the belief and faith of Muslims," he said.
(4) Harapan Komuniti thanks sultan for timely statement, 10 October 2011
by Nigel Aw
The lawyer acting for HIV support group Harapan Komuniti, Annou Xavier, has thanked Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah for his recent statement, more than two months after its dinner event was raided by the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais).
“We thank His Royal Highness for the statement which was very timely as all parties have been anxious,” he said when contacted today.
However, he said that Jais should have conducted its investigation in a more professional manner.
“This also goes to show that an Islamic religious body, such as Jais in this case, ought to have conducted its investigation more professionally as the initial report was surreptitiously leaked to bloggers who had cast aspersions and who had themselves prosecuted the NGO Harapan Komuniti while investigation was still ongoing and before a final report could have been made.”
Annou said all parties should have upheld the principle of innocent until proven guilty.
“I hope in future, all parties concerned will wait for final investigation by any authoritative body, without presuming a party guilty even before investigations are completed.”
Harapan Komuniti became the focus of controversy after Jais raided its dinner event held in a hall in the compound of the Damansara Utama Methodist Church on Aug 3.
Jais claimed that the raid was based on a tip-off that proselytising of Muslims was going on at the event.
However, Haparan Komuniti has denied the allegation, clarifying that it was as a fundraising dinner for AIDS/HIV sufferers.
An investigation was opened in the weeks that followed but Jais’ preliminary report and confiscated evidence, such as photographs of the event’s programme list, were leaked on pro-Umno blogs.
(5) DUMC-Jais: Bishop troubled by sultan's statement, 10 October 2011
by Terence Netto
Catholic Bishop Paul Tan Chee Ing described the statement from the Sultan of Selangor on the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) report on alleged proselytisation of Muslims by Christians at the Damansara Utama Methodist Centre last August as “dipped in the ambiguity that would make wanton accusations against Christians no more difficult in the future than it is now.”
“Begging the Tuanku’s pardon, how is it possible to assert that there were attempts to deviate the faith of Muslim attendees at the dinner function at the DUMC but there is, then, not sufficient evidence to prefer charges,” queried the titular head of Catholics in the Malacca-Johor diocese, in an immediate response to a statement on the matter issued today by the sultan.
“If there is not enough evidence, there ought to be no imputation of wrongdoing – it’s as simple as that!” exclaimed Tan (left), who is concurrently president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia.
“As it stands now, the sultan’s statement paints the Christian organisers of the dinner function as having been given a discharge not amounting to acquittal from accusations that they proselytised to Muslims,” he asserted.
“I would have much preferred no statement at all to one that is neither here nor there,” offered the Jesuit-trained prelate.
"Christians have waited patiently for exoneration from false accusations by people whose intent is to grandstand on behalf of their losing causes,” said the bishop.
“It’s a good thing the general election is imminent, because there seems to be no let-up in this ugly campaign of innuendo and insinuation against Christians, so that the ballot box becomes our only recourse from persecution by vile slander,” he concluded.
(6) Bishop: Hasan has been 'grossly negligent', 11 October 2011
by Terence Netto
Catholic Bishop Paul Tan Chee Ing today reminded Hasan Ali of PAS, the Selangor executive councillor in charge of Islamic affairs, that he is a “an elected representative of a party that cannot rely on dubious evidence when accusing others of wrongdoing”.
Responding to Hasan’s opinion that yesterday’s statement by the Selangor sultan showed that there was Christian proselytising of Muslims at a function hosted by a Christian group in August, the head of the Catholic Church in the Malacca-Johor diocese said: “More than any other party, PAS has to be extremely fastidious about the evidence before preferring an accusation.”
Tan explained: “Need I remind him his party wants to implement a judicial system - at least in one state in the country - that in the terminal finality of the punishments it encompasses makes the sifting of evidence a matter of the gravest responsibility.
“In leaping to his conclusions in the matter of alleged Christian proselytising of Muslims at the dinner hosted by the Damansara Utama Methodist Centre (DUMC), Hasan has been grossly negligent in respect of evidence evaluation.
“He has done a grave disservice to the cause of the judicial system his party is on record as propounding for the good of citizens in this country.
“People are going to look at the way he has leaped from arbitrary fact to accusatory conclusion in this matter and ask what kind of system is his party propounding that allows a grave accusation to be preferred on a dubious evidentiary basis.”
Tan reminded Hasan that “not only in Selangor but every other state in Malaysia, his party is in contention with the supposedly corrupt and unprincipled”.
“Therefore it is incumbent upon him to hold himself to a higher standard of public conduct and exposition than of those he is in contention with.”
The bishop said he was “extremely dismayed” that Hasan has “now compounded his initial error committed last August when he leaped to a conclusion about what had allegedly happened at the DUMC function and was in peril of disciplinary action by his party”.
“Just because the Sultan of Selangor, against the better counsel of his constitutional role as non-partisan arbiter, has stooped to partisanship in this matter, it doesn’t mean the state minister of religion can ride pillion.
“The let-off his party afforded him when it did not take disciplinary action has become a licence for him to disport himself as he wishes. So much for a higher standard of conduct by a senior PAS legislator,” Tan added.
2. NECF Statement
NECF: Ensure JAIS Respects Citizens Rights , 13 October 2011
ENSURE JAIS RESPECTS CITIZENS RIGHTS
The National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF) notes the statement of the Sultan of Selangor DYMM Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah that he is satisfied with the actions of JAIS in relation to the search carried out at the Dream Centre Complex but that there would be no prosecution because of "insufficient" proof.
We also note the statement by the MB of Selangor Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim that a task force will be set up to ensure that JAIS' standard operating procedures (SOP) will be improved.
We hope that the improvement of the SOP is with a view to ensuring that JAIS will not exceed or abuse the powers granted to it by state law but will respect the rights of all persons as guaranteed by the Federal Constitution, and recognise that non-Muslims are not subject to the jurisdiction of the Syariah Enactments.
The sanctity of all religious places of worship as sacred ground should be respected and there should not be any entry into places of worship without observing due process of law and proper regard to jurisdictional issues.
We continue to pray for the welfare and wellbeing of our leaders and all citizens and in particular for the progress and advancement of the state of Selangor. Our desire as Christians is that we may together work for the betterment of all citizens living in peace and harmony with each other.
Samuel Ang
Secretary-General
NECF
(End)
