1. The Global News Service of the Jewish Poeple(http://www.jta.org)
National sermon in Malaysia calls Jews the ‘main enemy’, 3 April 2012
(JTA) -- The official government sermon delivered in mosques across Malaysia called Jews the "main enemy."
The sermon, prepared and distributed by the Federal Territory Islamic Affairs Department and delivered on March 30, said that "Muslims must understand Jews are the main enemy to Muslims as proven by their egotistical behavior and murders performed by them.”
It also called on community leaders to increase the awareness and understanding of the importance of Jerusalem, referring to it by its Arabic name, al-Quds.
"The honor of al-Quds and the al-Aksa mosque must be defended by all Muslims, as it is holy land that must be blessed," the sermon said.
The sermon "makes a mockery of Malaysia’s Constitution, which promises that religions other than Islam may be practiced in peace and harmony in any part of the Federation," Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, said in a statement. "Further, it puts to the lie the repeated calls in international bodies by Malaysia’s prime minister, Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib, for religions to forsake intimidation and violence. It threatens the few Jews in Malaysia and millions beyond its borders."
The following day, an officially sanctioned state seminar, "Strengthening the Faith, the Dangers of Liberalism and Pluralism and the Threat of Christianity towards Muslims. What is the Role of Teachers?" was convened by the Johor Education Department and the Johor Mufti Department, which required 55 schools to send two religious teachers each to deal with the "threat" of Christians to Malaysian Muslims.
In light of the two incidents, the Simon Wiesenthal Center announced a travel advisory to Malaysia, calling on its Jewish and Christian supporters "to re-evaluate any travel plans to Malaysia, whether on business or as tourists.”
The center also said it will ask the U.S. State Department to launch its own investigation of state-sponsored religious bigotry in Malaysia.
2. Free Malaysia Today (http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com)
Hasan gets the brickbat over video ‘proof’, 3 April 2012
by Teoh El Sen
It's not real evidence of proselytisation, says the Islamic Renaissance Front and labels him 'a trouble maker' indulging in scare tactics in the run-up to the general election.
PETALING JAYA: The screening of videos by sacked Selangor executive councillor Hasan Ali as “proof” of proselytisation has earned him the ire of doubtful Christians and Muslims alike.
Two vocal personalities FMT spoke to said that the “evidence” that Hasan claimed to have produced would hardly stand the test of people’s intelligence, much less hold up in court.
Progessive Muslim think-tank, the Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF), labelled Hasan as “a trouble maker” indulging in “scare tactics in the run-up to the general election”.
“It is not real evidence, it has two people claiming to be converted. It doesn’t count. There is yet to be real clarification on the issue,” said Ahmad Fuad Rahmat, a research fellow at IRF.
“For now, it’s just polemics and conjecture. Other people have difference counts of the numbers of Muslims seemingly converted to Christianity.
“Perak Mufti Harussani Zakaria Zakaria puts it at 260,000. Associate professor Mohd Ridhuan Tee Abdullah says there are 135 apostasy cases. Why the big disparity?” asked Ahmad Fuad.
Ahmad Fuad said that if Hasan’s intention and objective was to expose the truth, he “still has lots more to do”.
However, he added that Hasan’s role was more about playing the race and religion card to confuse Muslims and “polarise opinions”.
“To him, he is fulfilling his obligations to cast doubts on PAS’ credibility. The narrative is this: Muslims are being turned into Christians and PAS does not care since it is aligned to DAP.”
Crying wolf all the time
Ahmad Fuad said that the matter was a very sensitive one and has split views among Muslims.
“He [Hasan] is polarising opinions. Based on my own observations on urban Malays, there are some Muslims who find him convincing while others are sceptical.
“Conversion is a very, very sensitive issue for Malays. There are a lot of them who have been put on the defensive. To what extent it is influencing voters is another matter,” he said.
Meanwhile, Father Lawrence Andrew, the editor of the Catholic weekly Herald, said that there are certain people who are “crying wolf all the time”.
“Christianity is not a threat, that’s what I’m saying. There is no proof, and from the sporadic incidents that have been happening, it gives the impression that this is an induced treat. And these are attempts to justify that ‘threat’, which is unjustified,” he said.
“If this is genuine, then he [Hasan] should be able to show us something more solid. But if you don’t have evidence, even I can concoct a story like that, ask a few people to say something.”
Lawrence asked: “Which court would be able to accept such evidence? If it is really true that they returned to Islam, then what’s the big deal about hiding their faces?
“The government or the police would surely support them. Christians won’t attack them, they are not known for that kind of thing.”
Lawrence said that in the controversial “Allah” case in which he was involved, there was no evidence adduced in court to prove that Christianity was a threat to the nation.
“Where is the threat? There is not one shred of evidence that there is a threat to the nation. Now the story is that Christians are a threat to Muslims.
“If we are a threat to the nation, there shouldn’t be a Christian minister in the Cabinet, that is the test of logic,” Lawrence said.
“To all Christians, I say, stay calm, and pray for all these people. Just pray that God’s wisdom will dawn on them. There is no point trying to make this a big issue,” he said.
Rev Dr Thomas Philips, vice president of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism also called for calm, saying no one should incite unnecessary tension.
“We’ve made it very clear. If you have any evidence, give it to the authorities. It is up to the laws of the countries to say such (if there is proselytisation). What is the purpose of showing clips here and there.
“It is just inciting the people… don’t incite people and create suspicion. It is not the healthy way of doing things. Let the police investigate and take the necessary action if there is merit to his claims,” he said.
Christian threat unfounded
Yesterday, Hasan screened video clips showcasing three people, their faces blurred and voices distorted for “their safety and reputation”, whom he claimed were apostates.
This was the alleged proof of proselytisation he promised he would provide last week.
The issue blew up last year after the Selangor Islamic Religious Department raided a dinner held at the Damansara Utama Methodist Centre (DUMC) claiming Muslims were being proselytised. No one has been charged over the incident.
Since then, Hasan, the controversial ex-Selangor PAS chief who was also in charge of Islamic affairs of the state, had been pressured to provide proof of his claim that Christians were proselytising Muslims.
Last week, a seminar organised by the Johor mufti and the education department for religious teachers, drew flak over its theme which made mention of a “Christian threat”.
Originally it was titled, “Strengthening the Faith: The Dangers of Liberalism and Pluralism and the Threat of Christianity towards Muslims. What is the Role of Teachers?”
After an outcry from non-Muslim religious groups, the organisers dropped the reference to Christians.
The “Christian threat” was dismissed as “unfounded and unjustified” by Bishop Ng Boon Hing, chairman of the Christian Federation of Malaysia, who called for moderation.
3. The Malaysian Insider（http://www.themalaysianinsider.com）
Can someone shut Hasan Ali up?, 3 April 2012
by Kamal Amzan
We now have Ibrahim Ali the second.
According to Datuk Hasan Ali, “Westernisation and modernisation brings hedonism, the desire to be entertained without limits.” This is why it is easy to convert Muslims to Christianity.
Let me put on record that he does not speak for me, my family and my patients. In fact, I’m not sure who he is speaking for, and can only opine who he should be speaking to. Perhaps a psychiatrist from the comfort of Kamunting town, that was the home for so many gazetted “enemies of the state.”
Since when are Christians associated with materialism and liberalism? And before he puts his big foot in his even bigger mouth, on what basis did he make this accusation?
Why can’t he point his pointless gun at Astro, Indonesian sinetrons, Jom Heb*h concert by a local TV station instead? Don’t they promote Westernisation, modernisation and liberty?
The government should either take his words and put them into action by investigating and acting on his claims, or silence him for creating a storm in his small teacup. Letting him go without even a slap on the wrist speaks volumes of intolerance, and the death of the government’s 1 Malaysia effort.
It is unbecoming of a politician to speak without facts, proof, what more when it involves issues and topics relating to religion in a multi-religious country that promotes moderation and tolerance.
Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism are not a threat to Islam, but people who are insensitive are. They cast a bad image not only onto the religion but to the billions of Muslims worldwide.
It is ridiculous not to expect conversion between religions among the 28 million Malaysians. We are humans, with independent minds and ability to discern what is best for us.
To punish those who convert away from Islam, while debatable as it is, shouldn’t be at the expense of other religions. We Muslims can think, and insinuating that we are at the mercy of the Christians is the highest insult anyone can dish out to us.
We are all responsible for our own actions. And it is time to make Hasan Ali responsible for his.
・Dr Kamal Amzan reads The Malaysian Insider.
・This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.
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