Allah Issue and Church Attacks

It was indeed a sad day for Malaysia when 10 churches, 1 school and 1 Sikh temple in Malaysia were attacked. Violence will never solve problem. In fact it will only escalate to more problems. Malaysians don’t behave as terrorists except that some people who want political mileage and fan up emotions of others thus resulting in such a mess.

Now the finger is pointing at each other as who is the one who has started this problem. According to the news, one government leader accused the Catholic Church for starting the court case and thus led to such violence. I am pretty sure this leader is not wide read or informed at all.

Let me trace some historical facts before we can decide. Of course, there are those who refuse to accept even the true fact of life is revealed. They will go on with their own selfish wishes.

Ever since pre-Malaya or Malaysia, the issue of Allah was never there. The British granted Malaya the Independence with a great respect to the muslim community, here is the Malays, with the law inscribed in the Constitution forbidding the propagation of other religions to the muslims. Christians were happy with it and did not challenge it at all. Since 1957, every community lived happily together. There was never any religious conflict at all.

It was in 1982 suddenly out of a blue, our former PM Dr. Mahathir introduced an enactment stating that the Christian Holy Book - the Alkitab - is now a threat to the national security. The Alkitab was banned. Delegations of Christian leaders went to see the PM many times and pleaded that this was unfair to our Holy Scripture and urged to remove the enactment. The then BN with all the component parties did not object to the ban or their objection was over-ruled. How can a Holy Book be a threat to national security? There was also no sign at all. Later another enactment was created stating that the Alkitab can only be used by Christians and in Churches.

Conitnual delegations met the PM and in 1986 a circular from the Home Ministry stated that 25 words cannot be used by non-muslims and this was superseded by another circular in the same year that only 4 words cannot be used without the following condition adhered to i.e. The Alkitab must be printed on its cover with the word “For Christianity” and to be used only by Christians.

Even with this decision from the Home Ministry, the custom officers at the ports continued to seize many imports of Alkitab (the reason is local printer was not granted with license). Each time the Christian leaders have to send delegations to meet the PM and HM to resolve this seizures. The officers (like napolean) never followed the HM circular.

In the 1990s, the Iban Bibles were confiscated. Again delegations were made and then then DPM Abdullah Badawi found out that it was not BM Bibles but Iban Bibles and that were released.

In 2009, another gazette was issued and stated exactly what was decided in 1986 that any publication with the 4 ‘forbidden words’ can only be used with its cover printed with the words “For Christianity”.

Unfortunately, the so-called government leader in the PM department who called himself a lawyer did not know the law of the country. The gazette clearly stated that as long as the cover of the publication is printed “For Christianity”, it can be used throughout the country Malaysia. The ‘Herald’ is clearly a Christian publication with the big Catholic Church title written there. Furthermore it is for internal circulation only and not for sale in the public.

Just to recollect our thoughts again:

1.  Christians love, respect and loyal to the Agung and all the Sultans in the nation, and have been praying for their welfare always.
2.  Christians have never challenge Islam or muslims in this country ever.
3.  Christians want to live in peace and harmony with other people, including the muslim brethren, in this nation Malaysia.
4.  Christians want to worship their God freely in the Christian way and expression and in each own language.
5.  Christians have always taken the approach to dialogue with other faiths, and are always looking forward to dialogue with muslims together. But not very successful.The muslims are not in the MCCBCHST - inter-faith council for Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism. They don’t want to join. Tunku Abdul Rahman, our first PM, declared the inauguration of the Council.
5.  Christians have always taken the restriction and false accusation by the government authorities positively without retaliation with violence, even when Christian Holy Book is considered as a threat to national security.
6.  Christians have taken the import ban and confiscation of our Holy Book without making a big issue in the press or demonstration in the street, but only to dialogue and sending delegations to meet the PM or HM.
7.  Christians have requested for printing permit in Malaysia for Christian own Holy Book and it was rejected. It was against the spirit of freedom of worship.
8.  Christians have willingly agreed to print the cover of Christian own Holy Book with the word ‘For Christianity’ though it is infringing on one’s right of worship.
9.  Christians, after 25 years, have silently taken in all the false accusations and endured all the inconveniences of the import ban and have to pay all the port charges because the government authorities and officers do not heed to the government gazette which they themselves have enacted.
10. The Christian Church has no choice but to take the government to court so that they can uphold the law they have created.
11. Christians are against all forms of violence, more so to holy places of worship.
12. Christians are urged to forgive all the perpetrators of the church/temple attacks.
13. Christians are encouraged to pray for the peace and harmony of Malaysia, and for all government authorities to act justly and practise fairly.
14. Christians are praying for an amicable solution to the heighten issue of word use.
15. Christian are peaceful citizens and only wish to see the reality of 1Malaysia.

(January 16th, 2010 posted in another blog)