1. Malaysiakini（http://www.malaysiakini.com）
(1) PAS on the brink over anti-apostasy, 18 October 2011
by Terence Netto
The meeting today of the central leadership of PAS is perhaps its most important one going into the 13th general election.
This is because the party will have to decide whether to support or to dissuade its members from making common cause with the Himpunan Sejuta Umat (Gathering of a Million), an anti-apostasy rally scheduled for this Saturday at the Shah Alam Stadium.
Signs that the gathering is accruing into an anti-Christian assembly have already drawn frowns from two of the party's stalwarts in Selangor. That is a good thing.
But reservations are not enough; a firm stance against the rally is what is required of the party's central leadership.
There are compelling reasons for PAS to decline support for Himpunan.
Coming as it does after Parliament was told there is no basis for action against assorted Christian groups which allegedly plotted in Penang last May to dethrone Islam as the federation's official religion, Himpunan will be seen by non-Muslims as yet another factitious attempt to paper over splits in the facade of Malay political unity with a show of religious unity.
Unity is a good thing but if it is projected against straw targets and bogeys, it is delusional and dangerous.
We have it on record that there was no Christian plot to dethrone Islam in Penang. Further, no proof is yet available that there was Christian proselytisation of Muslims at a charity dinner held at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church centre last August.
Therefore two of the most recent occasions for rumour-and-fear mongering at the expense of Christians have turned out to be examples of unjustified hysteria.
Hence a decision today by PAS to remain neutral or worse to support the gathering would be read by those who are drawn to the party's rallying slogan of recent years - ‘PAS For All' - as political gimmickry rather than a serious attempt to foster broad understanding for Islam's universalist ideals.
Observers will note that the party dodged an opportunity to carpet its maverick Selangor state executive councillor, Dr Hasan Ali (right), who jumped the gun last August by coming out and saying that there was Christian proselytisation of Muslims at the charity dinner held at DUMC.
Till today there have been no solid grounds to prefer such an accusation but Hasan still maintains his leap-before-you-find stance of last August.
So much for the behaviour of a senior official of a party whose espousal of a judicial system in which the verification of evidence, given the terminal finality of the punishments it could mete out, is of paramount importance.
Conscientious objection
There is another reason why PAS should opt for conscientious objection to Himpunan.
In bringing up recently the issue of hudud in Kelantan, the party has created confusion in the minds of those it wants to win over through its rallying slogan of ‘PAS For All.'
Very few non-Muslims know as fact that support for syariah is obligatory for Muslims. (Let's leave aside the reality that many Muslims are themselves unimpressed with the fact that they are obliged to support the imposition of syariah.)
When non-Muslims, as a minority in Malaysia, come to realise that their objection to the imposition of syariah on Muslims is futile, they plausibly would come round to being neutral about it, provided it is imposed only on Muslims.
In that eventuality, the only insurance against the permanence of a judicial system that citizens may well find insupportable would be the inviolability of their right to vote every four or five years for a new dispensation.
PAS is a democratic party so that any attempt to nullify that right will have not only to run the gauntlet of resistance from within but also from the broad populace.
In the interests of a creative politics, in quest of freeing Malaysians from the stultifying mystifications that race and religion have exerted on our citizenry, PAS has today to set it face against Himpunan.
And begin the journey of giving refreshed meaning to the universalist ideals of the religion they are pledged to uphold.
・TERENCE NETTO has been a journalist for close on four decades. He likes the occupation because it puts him in contact with the eminent without being under the necessity to admire them. It is the ideal occupation for a temperament that finds power fascinating and its exercise abhorrent.
(2) Anti-apostasy rally aims to sow tension, 18 October 2011
'This is the kind of thing that the police should not permit, instead of disallowing gatherings that support democracy or clean elections.'
PAS reserves support for anti-apostasy rally
David Dass: The logic of the PAS statement escapes me. They will support the gathering to protect the faith of Muslims if it does not pit followers of different faiths against each other.
What is the purpose of such gathering? One objective is to "gauge the unity among Muslims particularly against the Christianisation efforts on Aug 3."
There is no evidence of such efforts. The census shows no Christians among Malays. The home minister has confirmed that there is no evidence of a conspiracy to make Malaysia a Christian state or to install a Christian prime minister. So why the need for an anti-apostasy demonstration?
The demonstration is against Christian efforts to convert Muslims. There is no evidence of such efforts. So why the need for such demonstration? Why do the Muslims need to demonstrate against a non-existent threat? Can Hindus demonstrate against Muslim efforts to convert Hindus?
Armageddon: Islam ask us to fight back if our existence is in jeopardy but I don't think Islam encourages us to start a fight with no valid reason.
The Christians already know it is against the law trying to convert Muslims to other religions. So what is the purpose of the gathering if not to provoke other religions into a fight?
This is the kind of thing that the police should not permit, instead of disallowing gatherings that support democracy or clean elections.
Paul Warren: Hate more than love for their fellow non-Muslims apparently stands a better chance to bring feuding Muslims together.
From everything I have read to date, it would seem like the movers and the organisers of this rally have a point to make. That point being directed towards the Christians and to have a pointed threat directed towards Christians as well.
The proselytising of Muslims is unwelcome. Like as if the Christians don't already know that.
What is disappointing about members of PAS is that when there is a supposed threat from non-Muslims, they so easily gravitate to it without first stopping to ask if the so-called threat is credible or even valid.
Borg Kinaulu: I remain unconvinced that mixing politics and religion will work in the long run, but I'm prepared to discuss that and I just wish PAS will call the hypocrites for what they are.
I guess they are still politicians, hence more diplomatic than I am.
Gerard Samuel Vijayan: The proposed anti-apostasy law can only be enacted by the states in the exercise of their powers under Article 11 (4) and Item 1 under List II of the Ninth Schedule to the federal constitution (FC), but that would mean that jurisdiction over non-Muslims charged with aiding, abetting and procuring Muslims to commit apostasy would vest with the Syariah Court, which is prohibited under Articles 3 (1) and (4), 11(1) and Item 1 under List II of the Ninth Schedule to the FC.
As such, any proposed anti-apostasy law at the state level would be unconstitutional, null and void as far as non-Muslims are concerned.
As for Muslims, such a law would also offend Article 8 (1) and (2) of the FC because the Muslim offender would have to be tried in the Syariah Court but the non-Muslim party who caused or influenced the Muslim to convert out of Islam would get off scot-free.
This debate is clearly politically motivated and Christians are the current flavour of the month for Umno and the Malay/Muslim ultras.
Ferdtan: PAS Youth had voiced support, together with 25 NGOs, for the anti-apostasy rally without thinking of the undercurrent purpose of the gathering - a move as part of a political agenda to attack Pakatan Rakyat.
If the PAS Youth under Nasrudin Hasan cannot see the obvious motive of the organisers (that his senior Selangor PAS elders see), then he is not fit to be a leader.
He, and his 'schoolboys' members, are too wet behind the ears to bear such responsibilities to come out with open statements like that - without knowing the full implications - like subjecting themselves to be made used of.
They are exactly like: 'Fools rush in where angels fear to tread' - foolish people not afraid to do things that would frighten the more sensible people.
Aquinas Says: Christianity and other religions in Malaysia are under siege, not the other way around.
When a non-Muslim becomes a Muslim, that is fine. But when a Muslim embraces another faith, the war drums are sounded and it becomes a major political issue.
A friend of mine was ‘kidnapped' by the Islamic religious authorities when he was 13 and converted to Islam without parental consent. His parents were denied access to him till he reached adulthood.
Just imagine what would have happened if a 13-year-old Muslim boy was converted to another religion. I ask again, who is under siege?
Nik V: Selangor PAS commissioner Dr Abdul Rani Osman made a considered statement.
If a fanatical Christian group were to organise a solidarity gathering to defend and save Christianity, all of Pakatan Rakyat should not get involved with them as this would lead the rakyat to question its motives for being involved.
They should allow it, but they should not be directly involved. So the same goes here. PAS should state that they are in solidarity with Islam.
But they do not need to beat drums to show this solidarity. PAS will show the solidarity of Islam by defending the rakyat against racism and corruption when Pakatan comes into power.
Onyourtoes: Christianisation, apostasy, faith, life after death, and hudud will not put food on the table and roof over your head. Endemic corruption, abuse of power, racism, bigotry, incompetence, laziness and ignorance will affect our life.
Don't be a hypocrite, don't always talk about faith and after life. You will line up for the RM500 the government promised you, wouldn't you?
Anonymous: All it needs now is for the Selangor sultan to voice out his royal displeasure at the forthcoming rally. This will help diffuse the potentially explosive situation.
But then, this is wishful thinking because maybe this is what the higher Islamic powers in this country want - to intimidate and bully other faiths. If this is so, then there is no hope for non-Muslims in Malaysia.
Rick Teo: Don't fall for the ploy by Umno to try and alienate the Muslims from the non-Muslims. This gathering is nothing but a sham and PAS should not entertain the NGOs which are really Umno supporters in disguise.
Lexicon: There is no hidden agenda. This is quite an open agenda: Umno wants to win the upcoming election and is willing to manufacture religious conflict when there is clearly no basis for fear of conversion of Muslims.
So is PAS going to fall for this cheap trick?
・The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda.
(3) Perlis mufti doubts '250,000 apostates' claim, 18 October 2011
Perlis mufti Juanda Jaya yesterday says it is “illogical” to believe that about a quarter million Muslims have converted to Christianity as of 2008, as claimed by Perak mufti Harussani Zakaria.
“It's not logical for people to write on the Internet that apparently more than 250,000 Muslims in this country are apostates. Even if it is true, prove it and don't be emotional,” Utusan Malaysia today today quoted Juanda as saying.
Should there be any truth to the claim, he added, some people would surely have been brought to task.
“Each state has its enactments that prevent proselytising to Muslims, so why have (the people who do so) not been charged?” he asked.
According to Juanda, the matter of apostasy should not be publicised in such a manner as it is a senstive issue that puts Islam in bad light.
Speaking in Kota Baru, he said he does not discount the possibility that there are those from the Muslim community who have left the faith.
Juanda was referring to a statement by his colleague from Perak, Harussani, who called for those who proselytise to Muslims to be punished as this went against the Federal Constitution.
Apostasy on the rise?
National news agency Bernama had on Oct 15 reported Harussani as saying that he had found 260,000 Malays were 'Christianised' in Malaysia as of 2008, with the number expected to be on the rise.
Fear over alleged rise in apostasy has driven a group of Muslim NGOs to organise a rally in Shah Alam, on Saturday, where Harussani is due to speak.
The rally has, however, received mixed reaction with some, including PAS Selangor, raising concerns that it would encourage animosity among different religions.
In denying that this is their intention, the rally organisers also said it will not tolerate political hijacking, denying links with controversial politicians Zulkifli Noordin, Ibrahim Ali and Ezam Mohd Noor.
PAS political bureau is due to decide its stand on the rally tonight, while the rally organisers were reported stating that it will be meeting with Cabinet interfaith panel to explain its position on the same night.
(4) PAS will not join anti-apostasy rally, 19 October 2011
PAS will not participate in the anti-apostasy rally in Shah Alam this Saturday as the organisers said their event would not involve political parties.
“PAS has been informed that the event would not involve political parties, thus PAS’ position is not to participate in the rally to respect the wishes of the organiser,” said party president Abdul Hadi Awang (left) in a statement late last night.
The statement was issued after PAS’ political bureau met to discuss their position on the Himpunan Sejuta Ummah (Gathering of a Million Muslims) organised by a coalition of Muslim NGOs.
As an Islamic party, PAS has been put in a tight spot over the issue as it could not be seen not backing the rally, and at the same time being painted as an extremist outfit among non-Muslim voters by rival Umno.
Chief organiser of the rally Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid denied that the event was linked to political parties.
Specifically, Mohd Azmi told Malaysiakini that Kulim Bandar Baru MP Zulkifli Noordin, senator Ezam Mohd Noor and Pasir Mas MP Ibrahim Ali have no role in the upcoming event nor were they invited as speakers.
“Any statement issued by them regarding the event does not represent the organisers,” said Mohd Azmi.
The rally was organised over the claims of increasing attempts to convert Muslims to Christianity.
The last incident which attracted widespread attention was the raid by Selangor religious authorities on a dinner event organised by the Damansara Utama Methodist Church.
'Don't cause friction with others'
It was claimed by Selangor Religious Affairs Department (Jais) that 12 Muslims at the event were being subject to proselytisation attempts by Christian evangelists, which is forbidden by law.
Following this, an investigation was carried out the results presented to the Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah who decreed that although there was evidence of proselytistion, it was not enough for legal action to be taken.
Meanwhile, Abdul Hadi urged rally organisers to ensure that the event is held in accordance with the country’s laws to ensure Malaysia’s multi-ethnic and multi-religious society will not be jeopardised.
“Any efforts to raise religious and racial polemics will not create an environment which is beneficial to anyone.
“PAS views seriously at attempts by anyone who seek to take advantage of the situation for political purposes,” he said.
He said PAS was supportive of attempts by NGOs or other groups to strengthen the Islamic faith as this is a commendable effort, but it must be done in a "courteous" manner.
“PAS is of the position that to strengthen the faith in Muslims, it must be done through peaceful dakwah (preaching), which is how Islam has been accepted by society in this region,” he said.
2. The Malaysian Insider （http://www.themalaysianinsider.com）
‘Illogical’ that 250,000 Muslims have left faith, says Perlis mufti, 18 October 2011
by G. Manimaran
Juanda advised Muslims not to be emotional about the apostasy claim. — File pic
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 — Perlis Mufti Dr Juanda Jaya today dismissed as “illogical” claims that over 250,000 Muslims in Malaysia have renounced their religion.
While agreeing that apostasy exists in the country, the Muslim cleric said the issue should not be overly publicised as it was a sensitive matter and would destroy the image of the country’s religious school as institutions incapable of protecting its own devotees.
“It is illogical what has been written on the Internet that more than 250,000 Muslims in this country have abandoned their faiths.
“If it is true, prove it and do not be emotional. Every state has enactments governing religious propaganda from being spread to Muslims, so why are they not being charged?” he was quoted as saying in Utusan Malaysia today.
The Malaysian Insider reported yesterday a planned gathering of a million Muslims this Saturday to rally against Christians “challenging the sovereignty of Islam”, a momentous event that could raise religious tension that has intensified in recent months after alleged proselytising by Christians.
The Himpunan Sejuta Umat (Himpun), or Gathering of a Million Faithful, is being organised by various right-wing groups such as Perkasa with the backing of both Umno and PAS Youth in what appears to be a coming together of conservative Muslims.
About 1,000 Facebook users have confirmed their attendance so far but should Himpun draw much more to the Shah Alam Stadium this weekend, it could push Umno and PAS to seek relevance among more religious Malays.
With ethnic tension already rising in the years following the 2008 general election, it could raise already simmering fears of Islamisation among non-Muslims and more liberal Malays.
The gathering will later produce a declaration calling for the enactment of a law to punish individuals guilty of proselytisation, Himpun secretariat secretary Aminuddin Yahaya told The Malaysian Insider.
The contents of the declaration are similar to the views expressed recently by Perak Mufti Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria when the latter suggested a similar law, saying the act of proselytisation violates the Federal Constitution.
The outspoken religious leader, who is scheduled to address this Saturday’s gathering, had said attempts to convert Muslims had gone on unchecked for a long time, likening it to a virus attacking the Malays.
Although no formal figures have been released by the government on proselytisation, Harussani had reportedly said in 2008 that over 260,000 Muslims had left their faith to embrace Christianity.
(End)
