Press
Statement
3 January
2014
2014 has certainly got off to an ugly start.
The high-handed and aggressive raid on the Bible
Society of Malaysia’s premises yesterday is a confirmation of what I have
warned about all along – that the religious authorities would use the Herald
judgment to extend their insidious and strangling tentacles over other aspects
of Christian and non-Muslim practices. So much for the PM’s and other BN
politicians’ assurances that the Court of Appeal’s flawed judgment would only
apply to the contents of the Herald.
This raid and seizure was a clear breach of the
10-point solution, which was highly publicised as the answer to every
Christian’s concerns about the increasing infringement of their rights. What
other proof do we need that the 10-point solution is a meaningless political
ploy to pacify the Christians pre-GE13? Those who presented the so-called
solution had no sincere or serious intent that the points would be strictly observed
by the Islamic authorities. What do the proponents of the 10-point solution
have to say now? What excuse are they going to offer us this time? The Bibles
seized, including the Iban Bibles, conformed to the requirements set out in the
10-point solution. What justification was there for the raid?
Bishop Paul Tan’s description of JAIS as being Gestapo-like
is not far off the mark. Why do they presume that they are authorised to
dictate to Christians how we practice our faith? The Federal Constitution does
not give Islamic authorities any power over non-Muslims. The raid they
conducted was illegal in itself, compounded by the fact that they had no search
warrant and acted in an aggressive and bullying manner. If JAIS is allowed to
escape any consequence for this illegal and brutal action, it will embolden
other Islamic authorities to embark on similar fanatical orgies of Christian harassment
and persecution. Will the PM, captain of our sinking ship Malaysia, do
something to stop the madness?
The ban on the use of the 32 words in the Syariah
Criminal Enactment of Selangor is clearly a violation of our rights to
religious freedom as enshrined in Article 11 of the Federal Constitution. One
of the banned words ‘Injil’ is an integral word in the name of the Church to
which I belong, ie the Sidang Injil Borneo. There are several SIB churches in
Peninsula Malaysia to cater for the many Sarawakian Christians working over
there. Should the church leaders in Selangor expect to be ordered by the
Islamic agencies to change the name of their church?
The education system of this country is geared towards
ensuring that Bahasa Malaysia will be the primary language used by future
generations. How are the future Bahasa Malaysia-speaking Christians going to
practice their religions, to pray, and to read their Bibles if 32 fundamental
words are banned from Christian scripture and worship? Some conspiracy
theorists would argue that the ban of the use of ‘Allah’ and the other 31 words
is part of a wider plan to obliterate Christianity in this country.
The planned demonstrations by UMNO Selangor and Muslim
groups in front of churches on Sunday are potentially dangerous and explosive.
The Prime Minister must not allow groups of extremists to harass people who
will be performing their religious obligations, as they are entitled to under
the Federal Constitution.
The government of this country has attracted worldwide
ridicule and even contempt for allowing a religious group to claim sole
ownership of a word that did not even originate here. In 2013, Malaysia ranked
No 42 in the World Watch list of 50 countries where persecution of Christians
is most severe, a leap of 8 places up from No 50 in 2012. The people are hoping
against hope that the Prime Minister will bring some meaning to the words in
his New Year message uttered a mere 3 days ago. Najib Razak’s call for "commitment to the
peaceful coexistence", “pursuit of
unity," for the country's stability and progress, will join the other
empty words in his bucket of meaningless mutterings of which we have grown so weary.
Unless he takes some firm and fundamental steps to protect the rights of the
persecuted minority, we are doomed to live in a country where the rule of law
has broken down, to be replaced by fascism at its most odious and abominable.
God forbid this would happen to my beloved country Malaysia!
BARU BIAN
ADUN N70 BA’ KELALAN
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