Zambri Vinoth so called religious leader speaking bad about Hindus and Hindu religion

Call on Najib and Cabinet to endorse the Open Letter of 25 Eminents to send a clear message to the nation and the world that Malaysian government fully committed to moderation against intolerance, extremism and bigotry

By Lim Kit Siang Blog

The Open Letter by 25 Malay former top civil servants and personalities on December 8 asking the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to show leadership against festering extremism and intolerance is undoubtedly the No. 1 News Event of the Year.

Never before has an Open Letter by the citizenry struck such a resounding chord in our multiracial, multi-cultural and multi-religious nation, as evidenced by the enthusiastic support from all groups of Malaysian society, not confined to Malays and Muslims, like ‘I am #26’ online petition with over 5,000 supporters; “KamiJuga25″ (We, too, are 25),signed by over 1,600 supporters; 95 NGOs in Malaysia, 22 Muslim activists and a multitude of support demonstrated by diverse groups and strata of Malaysian society in the past fortnight.

But the reaction has started, and the assaults on the 25 Eminents will escalate in personal attacks, character-assassination and viciousness employing the full resources of the intolerant and extremist media and social as we witnessed in the past two days.

This is the time for all moderates, crossing race, religious, gender, age and even political party lines to take a stand for moderation and marginalize, isolate and defeat intolerance, extremism and bigotry which are the greatest threats and enemies of a plural society like Malaysia.

This is the time for the positive politics of inclusion to replace the negative politics of exclusion!

At international fora in the past four years promoting wasatiyyah and the Global Movement of Moderates, Najib had called for a movement of moderates to drown out the extremists.

As he said in one such wasatiyyah conference, “We must ensure that our voices are heard — not just the voices of moderate Muslims but those of moderate Christians, moderate Hindus, moderate Jews and even moderate atheists.
“If these voices are to become loud enough to drown out the extremists, they need to be heard from every corner of the world.”

The voices of moderate Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, gender, age or political affiliation, are being raised to drown out the cacophony of the coarse loud-mouths and thugs from those preaching intolerance, extremism and bigotry.

The question is whether Najib will provide leadership for the voices of moderation to drown out siren calls of intolerance, extremism and bigotry.
It is now two weeks since the Open Letter of the 25 Eminents and the resounding support from all strata and groups of society, both Muslim and non-Muslim for moderation to drown out extremism in Malaysia, have shown the power of their call.

Is Najib prepared to present the Open Letter of the 25 Eminents to the Cabinet to get Ministerial endorsement to show to the nation and the world that the Malaysian government is fully committed to the course of moderation against intolerance, extremism and bigotry?

Is every Minister a moderate and prepared to take a stand against intolerance, extremism and bigotry?

NGO: Build police stations, enough churches

No place for extremism in Selangor, says MB

Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali has vowed that the state will do its best to uphold justice and moderation.

Speaking at the World Forum for Muslim Democrats in Petaling Jaya, he said there are many groups who fail to appreciate the Quranic imperatives of justice and yet call themselves "extremist".

These "extremist" and "fanatical" groups, he said, have "no place" in the state of Selangor.

"In this regard, I must stress that such sentiments will have no place in the administration of the state of Selangor and we will do our utmost to ensure that the principles of justice and moderation will prevail at all times," he said.

Azmin (right) also echoed the words of the newly-installed Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur Julian Leow Beng Kim, who urged mutul respect and cooperation.

Azmin’s urging comes after he was quoted as urging that the fatwa against NGO Sisters in Islam (SIS), for allegedly spreading "liberalism and pluralism" to be "respected".

SIS is seeking a judicial review on the Selangor Islamic Affairs Council (Mais) fatwa, gazetted in July, and has named Mais, the Selangor Fatwa Council and the Selangor government as respondents.

It argues that the fatwa, which bars SIS from publishing anything including online, breaches its fundamental liberties.

Meanwhile, Azmin conceded as a "microcosm of Malaysia", the way the authorities respond in Selangor would have an effect on the nation.

Selangor’s ethnic and religious distribution is reflective of Malaysia as a whole, he said.

NGOs protest new church, say insult to Muslims

VIDEO: 6:12 MINS

A group of NGOs today protested against the planned construction of a church in Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya in what they say is a predominant Malay-Muslim area.

Ishak Maarof, who heads the Protem Committee against the Construction of PJS8 Church, said 70 percent of the population in the area are Muslims.

"We feel that it would be an insult if they (the local council) build a four-storey church in a Malay-Muslim area," he was quoted as saying by KiniTV.

Ishak (below in grey), who led some 50 residents and activists in the protest, said he was not against the construction of churches but it should be located at a suitable area.

He added that aside from the demography factor, the site was also unsuitable as the four-storey church can be seen from Federal Highway and the new LRT extension line.

The protesters also hung up banners which read: "MBPJ don't be a yes-man" and "Long Live Malays" at the planned site for the church.

Ishak said the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) had informed residents of the planned church construction and claimed it had already called for a public hearing.

"But we were never called to attend the hearing, nor were representatives from the surau or mosques or even other residents.

"The fact that it is being done quietly, to our mind, is an ill-intentioned agenda against the Muslims here," he said.

He said the area would be better off with other infrastructure, such as a police outpost.

'Why so slow for mosques?'

Ishak also slammed PKR's Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, who is the state assemblyperson for the area, for not being "sensitive" to the feelings of Muslims in the area.

The NGOs present include Gerak Kerja Gabungan Ayahanda Selangor (Gegas) and the Mentari Court residents' association.

Also present to show support was Martabat Jalinan Muhibbah Malaysia (MJMM) president Abdul Rani Kulup Abdullah (right in picture) who questioned the local authorities’ "haste" in dealing with the church's planned construction.

"I am curious why when there is a planned church, it immediately appears but when there is a surau or mosque to be built, the process if often slow.

"The majority in Selangor are Malays... the sultan is Malay, the menteri besar is Malay, the state police chief is Malay, the administration is also Malay, what religion are they (the local authorities)?" he said.

The Praise Emmanuel Assembly Church is to be situated along Jalan PJS 8/9 and if approved, will comprise one floor for parking, one floor for prayers, and two mezzanine floor for other facilities.

Earlier, pro-Umno blogs had also questioned the church’s location next to a low-cost flat, questioning if there is a hidden agenda to convert to mostly Muslim urban poor to Christianity.