‘Nobody wants to visit a Bible grabbing country’

Jaqueline Png, fz.com


Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir took a swipe at the country’s leadership for the handling of the JAIS raid and the Allah issue today, saying it is a shame that they are not making a stand against religious tolerence.

“Everyone has been complaining that the leadership’s silence is deafening. It’s far from elegant and certainly incriminating.”

“The last time when churches were burnt he wasn’t present either,” said the daughter of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, declining to confirm if she was referring to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

She described last Thursday’s raid conducted by JAIS (Selangor Islamic Religious Department) on the Bible Society of Malaysia as “despicable” and something that should have never happened.

During the raid, about 300 copies of the Bible in the Malay and Iban languages were seized.

“You should never enter others’ house of worship without permission. I think they (BSM) should go ahead and take legal action against JAIS as they don’t have jurisdiction (over Christians).”

“Forget Visit Malaysia 2014, who wants to visit a Bible grabbing country?” said Marina.

Marina turned up at the Our Lady of Lourdes Church here this morning with a bouquet of flowers, along with a group of other non-Christian activists, in a show of solidarity with the Christian community.

“I’m so proud of us for resisting to react to such provocation last time. This time we will, as peace loving Malaysians, resist any attempt to disunite us,” she said.

The activists handed flowers to Parish priest Rev Michael Chua and members of the church as a symbol of solidarity and friendship.

“If we believe that God is one, then the word ‘Allah’ is for all,” said Marina.

Marina, who is a member of the National Unity Consultative Council, said this issue will top the agenda in the council’s meeting tomorrow.

Klang MP Charles Santiago was among those who attended the mass at the church this morning.

“If the government and the court cannot uphold our constitutional rights, the people will do it themselves,” he said.

Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, Selayang MP William Leong and Sri Andalas state assembly member Dr Xavier Jeyakumar also turned up to show their support.

Police personnel were present to ensure public safety, and the mass ended peacefully.

On Thursday, Muslim groups had announced plans to gather at the church in protest against the use of the the word “Allah” by Christians.

However, no protests took place outise the church.

Instead, about 50 members of a group calling itself Klang Muslims Solidarity Secretariat opted to gather at the nearby Stadium Sultan Sulaiman.

They criticised The Herald editor Father Lawrence Andrew over his statement that Catholic churches in Selangor would continue to use the word ‘Allah’ in their weekly Malay congregations despite JAIS’ reminder on the ban of its use by non-Muslims.

At a press conference, the group’s president, Mohd Khairi Hussin, said Andrew’s speech was seditious and disrupted peaceful relations between the Muslim and Christian communities.

He urged Andrew to adhere to the Selangor Sultan’s decree that the word ‘Allah’ can only be used by Muslims in the state.