1. Aliran（http://aliran.com）
Unscrupulous actions, unethical behaviour, 19 November 2011
by Aliran
Wild tales are being told and blatant lies are being spread with impunity. What is being done is to deliberately create uneasiness, anger and hatred against the Christians and their faith in order to undo our peace and unity.
Christian bashing has become a way of life for some unscrupulous people that their conduct seriously threatens to undermine our harmony. It would appear that these people are intent on causing chaos to promote their evil political agenda on behalf of the Barisan Nasional and Umno.
All kinds of absurd rumours have been spread to suggest that there is a conspiracy to turn Malaysia into a Christian state. Accusations have been levelled that rampant attempts are underway to convert Muslims to Christianity.
On 5 November 2006, the mufti of Perak, Harussani Zakaria, spread a malicious and vicious rumour that a church in Ipoh was conducting a baptism ceremony for Muslims. As a result, about 300 Muslims gathered at the Ipoh church in Jalan Silibin to protest against the ‘conversion’, forcing the police to be called in. This incident could have led to an ugly religious clash.
According to Sisters in Islam (SIS) programme manager Norhayati Kaprawi, “this is not the first time the mufti has made careless statements and allegations.” She cited a number of previous statements made by the mufti, including in February where Harussani claimed that between 100000 and 250000 Muslims had renounced Islam.
To date he has not been able to furnish any proof for his outlandish claim, which had the potential to outrage Muslim sensibilities. He did not even do the decent thing that is expected of a person who had genuinely committed an error. There was no remorse; there was no apology.
The latest claims by the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) – that it had found that eight ways by which Christian missionaries are spreading the Gospel, one of which is by means of a high-tech device called a ‘Solar-Powered Handheld Talking Bible’ – is ridiculous and appalling.
Selangor state exco member in charge of Islamic affairs Hasan Ali revealed that the other ways in which the ‘Good Word’ is being spread to convert Muslims include setting up welfare groups to extend financial and other forms of assistance to single mothers, the poor, the elderly and others.
He further stated that, in addition to cash, inducements by Christians to the target groups also come in the form of the provision of daily necessities, capital for business purposes and other aid.
If Hassan has so much irrefutable evidence, then he should make a police report. It is a moral responsibility that he should exercise immediately. Very likely, the police will spring into action. In matters of this nature, we can expect the police to be super efficient.
If indeed there was evidence, then the culprits attempting to convert the Muslims should be prosecuted. Aliran very strongly supports such prosecution for any violations of the law.
The very fact that no one has been charged so far would mean that Hasan and the others of his ilk should stop talking nonsense and behave in a reverential manner befitting their religious personage. They bring shame to their office and lose their dignity and they can never be looked upon as respected religious leaders.
This unverified wild claim of conversions to Christianity raises a very pertinent question. Is the faith of the Muslims so weak and superficial that Muslims can be so easily swayed, induced and bribed to renounce their faith in spite of the fact “the al-Quran is disseminated through loud speakers, television, radio and at government functions,” as pointed out by former Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin?
Doesn’t this situation call for some soul searching as to why – in spite of great efforts made and billions of ringgit spent on building mosques, suraus, madrasahs, religious instructions, al-Quran reading competitions – all this had failed to strengthen the faith of the Muslims? Does this suggest that the method of religious teachings undertaken to instil the Islamic faith among the Muslims is either totally wrong or utterly ineffective.
The Attorney-General should have instituted action against those for spreading false information. Their act was blatant, unscrupulous and demeaning to Islam. Wasn’t Lim Guan Eng made to serve 18 months of imprisonment for ‘spreading false information’? Why didn’t he deserve the tolerance that these people seem to be enjoying and benefiting from?
The Prime Minister should take to task these people who spread false information so that others will not be reckless in stating things that are far removed from truth. He has a moral responsibility
to safeguard truth and justice in the national interest and preserve our peace and harmony.
P Ramakrishnan
19 November 2011
2. Malaysiakini（http://www.malaysiakini.com）
Asri is right about the talking Bible, 19 November 2011
'What former Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin said is right. Would you convert to Christianity after merely ‘listening' to the Bible?'
Asri: Solar-powered talking Bible claim insults Muslims
Hidup Rakyats: Selangor exco Hasan Ali has no basis in his allegation.
If what his claim that Muslims can be so easy lose their faith in their religion merely by listening to some solar-powered Bible, then he should ban all shopping malls from playing Christmas songs during the Christmas month as most of the songs are spreading the good word and the joy of Christ.
What former Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin said is right. Do not humiliate and belittle Islam and those who has faith in it. First ask yourself, would you convert to Christianity after merely listening to the Bible or even reading some pamphlet about it?
I have read the Quran, the Bible, Buddha's teachings and ancient Mayan worship. I do that merely to gain a better understanding about others' beliefs so I can learn how to avoid pitfalls and respect their beliefs.
Why don't you ban Malaysians students from furthering their studies in countries highly populated by Christians like Australia and UK?
Proarte: Umno is doing to Islam what is has done to the Malays. That is to make it 'inadequate', 'weak', 'intellectually below par' therefore needing 'protection' by Umno and its trojans in PAS like Hasan Ali, who will safeguard the 'kesucian' and 'kedaulatan' of Islam.
Because it is utterly cynical, ridiculous and bogus, as Asri pointed out, their actions insult Islam and Malays. I hope Malays are beginning to realise that Umno and PAS are abusing them and Islam for their own financial and political benefit.
JusticeKini: Hasan Ali is a modern-day Muslim religious fanatic that deems Allah has given him the right to defend Islam. How come a solar-powered talking Bible can convince Muslims to convert?
Time for Hasan to vacate his place in Selangor exco if he has any gumption of honour left as he is no longer PAS commissioner for Selangor.
YF: Living in Malaysia and having embraced the Christian faith in my later youth, I have never once witnessed Christians stooping so low as that of people of the likes of Hasan, who propagate their religion on TV, in the schools, in the institutions of higher learning, in our school books, in the news (body snatching), in the use of the generic Arabian word ‘Allah'.
DontPlayGod: Hasan Ali, here in Malaysia, the rakyat of all denominations and religions are involved in all types of sins, immorality, crimes, cheating, looting, pirating and corruption. I think combatting all these sins and evils are much more of a priority than a talking Bible.
So please focus your concern and priority on these, rather than the Bible, which is not something evil by the way, compared to the other sins mentioned above. It looks more and more that you are Umno's mole.
YF Hasan: Here in Malaysia the so-called ‘Muslims' produce porn videos (Datuk T) shown in public, indulge in endless NFC-style corruption, blow people up with C4, etc.
And you turn a blind eye on all these ‘kelakuan haram' but instead blame the Christians? No wonder the ‘Muslims' are so weak. Their leaders bark at the wrong tree, and are blind to their own moral demise.
Senhua: I am a Christian, but I do not go around and say the Bible is indeed greater that other holy books.
If you do that, you are no better than other religious bigots who claim their religion is better then your religion based on what it is written in whatever context. For the love of humankind, religion is personal and matters only between the individual and God.
Victor Johan: Quran reading and religious sermons are disseminated through loudspeakers daily and yet we don't see the non-Muslims queue up to convert into Islam. Hasan Ali is a joke.
Up2U: I am a Buddhist Taoist and live within 500 metres from a mosque. I have followed Christian friends to the church many times.
Today I am over 50 years old and have remained a Buddhist Taoist. If people can be so easily swayed to change their religion by listening and visiting other religious places, then the fault is on that person's lack of faith.
Lurker: I really sympathise with my Muslim friends. Politicians are making a mockery of the depth of their faith and belief. All true Muslims should condemn Hasan.
Anonymous_ABG: It's really sad to see how Islam and the Malay community are being exploited by greedy dysfunctional politicians. Are we, the Christians, to assume that the Malay community is hopelessly a weak community?
I feel the dysfunctional politicians are using religion to control the Malays, thus reducing them as a weak race.
Nik V: Well said, Asri. Most embrace or convert to another religion because of some form of enlightenment or life-changing experience.
But if a person can be converted by a solar-powered device, either that person has to be the easiest person to influence in the world or the solar-powered device must be one amazing preacher!
MatrixLYN: This is stupid beyond words. Christian giving away gadgets with a recording of the Bible? Someone please show me where I can get a Samsung Galaxy S2 from the church free of charge.
・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. The Star Online
（http://thestar.com.my）
Mohd Asri: Hasan is insulting , 19 November 2011
by LOH FOON FONG
foonfong@thestar.com.my
PETALING JAYA: Selangor executive councillor Datuk Dr Hasan Ali has been criticised for his claim that Christians are using solar-powered “hand-held audio Bible” to spread their religion to Muslims
Islamic scholar Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin said such a claim was “insulting”.
“It is an insult to Muslims and the Islamic faith.
“As if Muslims who listen to Bible readings will eventually be swayed,” he said in a statement.
He added that it was as if the Bible's influence surpassed that of the Quran.
Dr Mohd Asri said the allegation was also untenable as nowadays, all readings, whether from the Quran or the Bible, could be sourced from the Internet.
“All sorts of gadgets the computer or others can be used to download these readings,” he pointed out.
Dr Hasan had claimed during a state assembly meeting on Thursday that the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) had found a solar-powered “hand-held audio Bible” used to spread Christianity among Muslims in the state.
He had said that Jais discovered the audio device while conducting research on proselytisation among Muslims in the state.
Council of Churches Malaysia secretary-general Rev Dr Herman Shastri called on Dr Hasan to show proof of his allegation, adding that the PAS leader should stop making such inferences and interfere in the affairs of the Christian community.
“The Christians, like any group, seek to impart their scriptures in ways that could be understood by the people and that also involved the use of technology,” he said.
The audio Bible in Bahasa Malaysia, he said, was mainly used by indigenous people whether in their worship or during their personal time.
He said people of various religions, including Islam, also used technology to impart knowledge.
Sisters in Islam executive director Ratna Osman described Dr Hasan's statement as irresponsible and that it created fear in the community.
She said if Christians had found ways of using modern technology, Jais should also step up their efforts in spreading Islam instead of penalising others.
She said Jais should not be worried if they had been in the forefront of spreading Islam and guiding Muslims in their faith.
“They should ask themselves why the Christian missionaries have been effective in reaching out to people's needs without state funds while Jais and the Baitulmal have not,” she said.
Kuala Kubu Baru assemblyman Wong Koon Mun said Dr Hasan's accusation only reflected his contempt against people of different faiths.
“Since he is against modernity and technology progress, why doesn't he take a step further and suggest banning the Internet as there are many websites on Christian teachings and sayings?” he said.
Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory PAS Youth chief Kamaruzaman Mohamad said any attempt to promote other religions to Muslims was strictly prohibited under the law, which should be respected.
・1995-2011 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)
(End）
