1. Malaysiakini (http://www.malaysiakini.com)
(1) Are Christians a threat or a blessing?, 16 April 2012
by Dr SK Teoh
Why are Christians regarded as a "threat" by some Muslims, not only by extremists like Hasan Ali but even by the Johore Education department which is under the Minister of Education, Muhyiddin Yassin?
Are the Muslims (including Najib), who studied in many Christian mission schools established by the sacrifice and generosity of the Christian churches, being threatened or did they benefit from the wholesome quality education?
Are the Muslims, who seek treatment in a number of hospitals run by Christian missions, being threatened or did they receive the healing touch of the medical and nursing staff?
Are the Muslims with dadah addiction, who are being rehabilitated in Christian Drug Rehabilitation centres, being threatened or did they receive freedom from their addition?
Are the Muslim HIV patients who received treatment in Christian homes, being threatened or did they receive compassion and treatment for their deadly disease?
Are the divorced or widowed Muslim women, who received financial aid from Christian social organizations being threatened or did they receive useful support for their family?
After all Christians are obeying the command given by Jesus Christ (called Isa Al-Masih by Muslims) to "love our neighbours as ourselves", regardless of race or creed.
Christians should not prevent anyone from receiving their assistance.
Some years ago, Marina Mahathir said that "victims" are not concerned about which religion is helping them as long as the organisation provides the assistance to their needs.
It is possible that some of them are so touched by the compassion and care shown by Christians that they would like to be part of the Christian faith.
Out of 16 million Malays, there could be a few who are attracted to the Christian faith, just as there are many more who are interested in the Shia and Sufi traditions or even turn to worldly pursuits.
After all, the Christian faith started in the Middle East (just like the Islam faith), then spread to Europe and the west, and then came to Asia.
There are still more than 20 million Christians in the Arab countries and another 20 million Christians in Indonesia.
Christians would not be truthful to their faith if they believe that Malays should be "prohibited" from becoming Christians if they choose willingly.
Of course they should not be influenced by unethical or illegal means. Most Christian churches are however aware of the laws in Malaysia which restrict propagation of other religions to Malays.
However this does not prevent them, like all other Malaysians who have the freedom of choice in religion under Article 11(1) of the Constitution.
This was declared in the Supreme Court judgment in 1987 in the case of Joshua Jamalluddin, a Malay who was put in jail under the ISA for becoming a Christian.
In fact, most churches in Malaysia are now fearful of allowing Muslims to receive their social and economic help for fear that their services would be disrupted or banned by the authorities.
Recently in the "soup kitchens" run by some churches to feed the poor, signs are being displayed "for Non-Muslims only"! This would betray the all-inclusive commandment given by our Lord Jesus Christ to love all, even our enemies!
Why was the "blurring of the faces and the use of false names" done in the video shown by Hassan Ali? Has there been any threat from Christians or churches to those who have "decided" to return to Islam?
Were there any threats from Christian families when their spouses or children covert to Islam?
When churches were burnt after the High Court judgment in favour of the Church being allowed to use "Allah" in their publication, did the Christians threaten the country? Even the throwing of pig's head into a mosque was probably done by Muslims.
When Christian "bodies" were being snatched during the funeral mourning, did the Christians run to the streets to protest violently?
When their Bahasa Malaysia Bibles were confiscated for several years, did the Christians threaten with violent action?
All the Christians did were to pray - not only for ourselves but also for the government. Each Sunday, most churches would pray for the welfare and health of our Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, the sultans, the cabinet ministers and menteri besars.
Yes we do pray for God to bestow wisdom on our government to rule the country with justice, freedom and welfare of the people.
We also pray that the love and compassion Christian churches have shown to all who are in need, including Muslims, will not be considered as a threat but as a blessing to the country.
Allow their services be part of the contributions Christians can share towards the betterment of the less fortunate, no matter what race or religion they belong to.
(2) Bishop: Revoke restrictions on al Kitab too, 17 April 2012
A Christian group today raised its concern that the passing of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Bill 2012 will not lift restrictions placed on the Malay language al Kitab (bible) under the Internal Security Act 1960.
Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) chairperson Bishop Ng Moon Hing said this is because a clause in the Bill states that any order issued under the ISA will remain, even after the Act is repealed.
The ISA will be repealed once the Security Offences (Special Measures) Bill 2012 comes into effect. The Bill was passed by the Dewan Rakyat today after about 10 hours of debate.
“Pursuant to Clause 32 of the Bill, such orders (on the al Kitab) will remain in force notwithstanding the repeal of the Internal Security Act 1960. This is wholly unacceptable,” Ng said in a statement.
“Clause 32 reads that the repeal of the ISA will not affect any order issued or made under the repealed Act prior to the date of coming into operation (the replacement law), unless earlier revoked by the minister.”
An ISA restriction order was placed on the al Kitab on March 22, 1982, prohibiting the possession, sale, circulation or use of the Malay language bible by non-Christians throughout Malaysia.
The following year, another ISA restriction order was imposed on the Kalam Hidup, a Malay language Christian publication, citing it as “prejudicial to the national interest of the federation”.
The Perjanjian Baru (the second book of the al Kitab) was restricted in 1983 for the same reason but was allowed “subject to the possession or use in churches of such publication by persons professing the Christian religion, throughout Malaysia".
Illegitimate restriction
Calling on the revocation of the order, Ng said it is an “illegitimate restriction of the right to profess, practice and propagate one’s religion” as provided for under the Federal Constitution.
“It adds insult to injury if they are allowed to remain on our statute books,” he said, urging the prime minister to live to the spirit of the global movement of moderates which he champions.
About 35,000 copies of the al Kitab were impounded in Port Klang and Kuching last year, with the Home Ministry citing a 1986 cabinet directive banning non-Muslims from using the terms “Allah”, “solat”, “kiblat” and “Kaabah”.
The holy books were, however, released last year just before the Sarawak election when the government came up with a 10-point solution, which among others allowed the import of the al Kitab.
The al Kitab is also allowed to be printed locally but copies circulated in peninsula Malaysia must have the words ‘Christian publication’ and the symbol of the holy cross printed on the front cover.
2.The Malaysian Insider (http://www.themalaysianinsider.com)
(1) Revoke ISA ban on Alkitab, Christians tell PM, 17 April 2012
by Debra Chong
KUALA LUMPUR, April 17 — The Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) today urged Datuk Seri Najib Razak to lift immediately the government’s outdated orders banning the import of the Alkitab to prove his global movement of moderate reforms.
The umbrella body, representing over 90 per cent of Christian groups in the country, reminded the prime minister of three outstanding orders dating back 20 years under the Internal Security Act (ISA), which is being replaced by a new security law currently the subject of hot debate in Parliament.
The first, signed in March 1982 under the Internal Security (Prohibition of Publications) (No. 4) Order 1982, outlaws the Indonesian version of the Alkitab published by the Lembaga Alkitab Indonesia and printed in Korea.
The other two orders ban the publication of a book titled “Kalam Hidup”, published by the Kalam Hidup (Kemah Injil Gereja Masehi Indonesia), and “Perjanjian Baru” (New Testament), published and printed by the Lembaga Alkitab Indonesia, in 1983.
“This order deems the Alkitab (the Bible in the Malay language) to be prejudicial to the national interest and security of the Federation and prohibits the printing, publication, sale, issue, circulation or possession of the publication with the condition that the prohibition ‘shall not apply to the possession or use in churches of such publication by persons professing the Christian religion, throughout Malaysia’.
“Pursuant to Clause 32 of the Bill, such orders will remain in force notwithstanding the repeal of the Internal Security Act 1960. This is wholly unacceptable,” Bishop Datuk Ng Moon Hing, who chairs CFM, said in a statement today.
He added that all three orders must be lifted to be in line with Najib’s raft of law reforms.
“As long as they remain part of the corpus of legislation in Malaysia, they represent an odious and obnoxious derogation from the freedom of religion in Malaysia,” Ng stressed.
The Federal Constitution, the country’s highest law, states that Islam is the religion of the federation but provides for Malaysia’s diverse ethnic and religious groups the freedom to profess their faiths.
While Christians make up only about 10 per cent of the country’s 28 million population, it forms the biggest religious group in East Malaysia, where bibles in the national language are widely used as a common denominator.
In recent years, the Christian and Muslim religious communities have been engaged in a tug-of-war over the word “Allah”, with the latter group arguing that its use should be exclusive to them on the grounds that Islam is monotheistic and the word “Allah” denotes the Muslim God.
Christians, however, have argued that “Allah” is an Arabic word that has been used by those of other religious beliefs, including the Jews, in reference to God in many other parts of the world, notably in Arab nations and Indonesia.
A 2009 High Court ruling in favour of the Catholic Church using the word to also refer to God has however been blocked pending an appeal by the Home Ministry for the past three years.
A number of conservative Muslim groups have also accused Christians of attempting to convert Malays, resulting in heightened tension between followers of the two religions.
Last month, an officially-sanctioned seminar focusing on the “threat of Christianisation” jointly-organised for religious teachers by the Johor Education Department and the Johor Mufti Department saw another flare up among Christians and Muslims.
(2) Revoke ISA Orders – Christian Federation of Malaysia, 17 April 2012
APRIL 17 – The Christian Federation of Malaysia welcomes the Honourable Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib bin Tun Razak’s tabling of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Bill 2012 for second reading in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday, 16 April 2012.
Once the Bill comes into operation, at a date yet to be fixed, the Internal Security Act 1960 will be repealed.
We acknowledge the Prime Minister’s attempt to remain true to the announcement he made on 15 September 2011 that he would abolish the Internal Security Act 1960.
Nonetheless, the CFM is concerned that as part of Clause 32 of the Bill dealing with the saving provisions, “The repeal of the Internal Security Act 1960 shall not affect – (a) any order issued or made under the repealed Act prior to the date of coming into operation of this Act, unless earlier revoked by the Minister.”
There are 3 orders issued under the Internal Security Act 1960 which are particularly offensive to the Christian community.
These are: Internal Security (Prohibition of Publications) (No. 4) Order 1982.
This is a prohibition order on the Alkitab published by the Lembaga Alkitab Indonesia and printed in Korea. This order deems the Alkitab (The Bible in the Malay language) to be prejudicial to the national interest and security of the Federation and prohibits the printing, publication, sale, issue, circulation or possession of the publication with the condition that the prohibition “shall not apply to the possession or use in churches of such publication by persons professing the Christian religion, throughout Malaysia”. The order was signed on 22nd March 1982.
Internal Security (Prohibition of Publications) (No.2) Order 1983.
The publication “Kalam Hidup” published by the Kalam Hidup (Kemah Injil Gereja Masehi Indonesia) was prohibited throughout Malaysia and was stated as “prejudicial to the national interest of the Federation”. The order was signed on 4th May 1983.
Internal Security (Prohibition of Publications) (No.3) Order 1983.
The “Perjanjian Baru” published and printed by the Lembaga Alkitab Indonesia was prohibited because it was “prejudicial to the national interest of the Federation” but was allowed “subject to the possession or use in churches of such publication by persons professing the Christian religion, throughout Malaysia.” The order was signed on 4th May 1983.
Pursuant to Clause 32 of the Bill, such orders will remain in force notwithstanding the repeal of the Internal Security Act 1960. This is wholly unacceptable.
We call on the Prime Minister, in the spirit of the Global Movement of Moderates which he himself has launched and championed, to take immediate steps to revoke these orders.
As long as they remain part of the corpus of legislation in Malaysia, they represent an odious and obnoxious derogation from the freedom of religion in Malaysia.
Article 149 of the Federal Constitution, under which provisions the Internal Security Act 1960 was passed, clearly prohibits any inconsistency with Article 11 of the Federal Constitution that guarantees freedom of religion.
As such, these orders violate the Federal Constitution and should NEVER have been made in the first place.
These orders represent an unwarranted and illegitimate restriction of the right to profess, practice and propagate one’s religion.
It adds insult to injury if they are allowed to remain on our statute books.
We urge the Malaysian Government to take this golden opportunity to remove once and for all this stubborn stain on the rule of law in Malaysia.
・Bishop Datuk Ng Moon Hing, Chairman and the Executive Committee, The Christian Federation of Malaysia.
・This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.
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