ICC Note:
The article reports that there was an escalation in ethnic and religious extremism “fuled by lies and inflammatory speeches that was ripping apart the social fabric of the country.” The Christian Federation of Malaysia urges Malaysians to be united and live in peace and harmony. The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) had raided the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) and seized more than 300 Malay and Iban Bibles in January this year. Even though the Attorney-General announced that there was no case against BSM, the Bibles have yet to be returned.
08/28/2014 Malaysia (The Malaysian Insider)-Still reeling from the seizure of Bibles and the refusal of the Federal Court to grant the Catholic church leave in the Herald case, a Christian group, in its Merdeka and Malaysia Day message, has called on Malaysians to be committed in saving the country from religious extremism and racial polarisation.
In its message titled “We must continue to hope”, the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) called on the people to push harder for personal and institutional changes that will transform the country into a more tolerant and caring society.
“We enjoin our fellow Malaysians to support movements and groups that seek to unite us as Malaysians living in peace and harmony with each other,” said the statement signed by Christian leaders Rev Dr Eu Hong Seng, Archbishop Datuk Bolly Lapok, Bishop Emeritus Antony Selvanayagam and Rev Datuk Jerry Dusing.
CFM said that given its “painful experiences” in the seizure of the Bibles and the unsuccessful leave appeal, it was concerned over the status of the holy books and the outcome of the other cases pending in court related to the use of the word “Allah” by Christians.
It added that there was also an escalation in ethnic and religious extremism fueled by lies and inflammatory speeches that was ripping apart the social fabric of the country.
“We believe that all Malaysians truly have cause for concern.
“Given the many challenges we are facing today, and compounded by insensitive and illogical statements by some members of the government and governing political parties and by the pursuit of economic policies that only add to the rising cost of living, it is not surprising that many have succumbed to pessimism and cynicism,” CFM said.
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