The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism appears to believe the faith of non-Muslims is so fragile (begitu rapuh iman kami) that just by being exposed to the Quran, we will convert to Islam.
The MCCBCHST also seems to think that non-Muslims are easily confused and merely by reading a Quran, our original religious beliefs will be compromised (kami dipesongkan akidah).
Today, it accused a project to distribute one million copies of the Quran as trying to persuade non-Muslims to abandon our faith, and urges us not to accept the translated version of Allah’s holy book even if it is given to us.
The fear expressed by MCCBCHST, and the reason it provides in urging us to reject this free gift from the Islamic Information and Services Foundation, reeks of Christian insecurity.
The Christians are always preaching how they love their neighbours but in this case, they’re not showing love but instead harbouring an unfounded fear of the Quran – their neighbour’s sacred religious text.
Islamophobia much?
Sudah tujuh tahun naik turun masjid tapi Hannah Yeoh masih belum dikurniakan hidayah
They’re demanding equal right to distribute their Allah bibles, is it?
The interfaith group said in its press statement today, “MCCBCHST is of the view that the intended distribution of the translated copies of the Quran to non-Muslims is obnoxious as a similar right is not given to non-Muslims”.
MCCBCHST said this was a covert way of spreading Islam and done in “bad faith”.
MCCBCHST comprises the Christian Federation of Malaysia, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Malaysia, Council of Churches of Malaysia, National Evangelical Christian Fellowship as well as Hindu Sangam, Federation of Taoist Associations, and three Buddhist and Sikh associations/societies each.
See MCCBCHST statement @ http://www.malaysia-today.net/1-million-translated-copies-of-the-quran-to-be-distributed-to-non-muslims-a-cause-for-concern/
Related article, ‘Interfaith group cries foul over free Quran, advises non-Muslims against accepting‘ (Malay Mail, 9 Feb 2015)
Helen Ang 
same fear when malays were given free bible by Christian
You misunderstand. Churches are not allowed to distribute bibles or anything to promote their religion to Muslims. It wasn’t fear. It was anger that the evangelists think they can circumvent the constitution.
“MCCBCHST is of the view that the intended distribution of the translated copies of the Quran to non-Muslims is obnoxious as a similar right is not given to non-Muslims”
Do they know how important Islam is to this nation? It is so important that it is Article No. 3 in the Perlembagaan Persekutuan Malaysia, right after the declaration of the name of the nation and the formation of Persekutuan Malaysia, and above the Undang-undang Utama Persekutuan.
We may not be a full fledged Islamic country but looking at the position of Islam in the constitution, you can bet it is a very important part of the Malay psyche.
So while they have been challenging the position of Islam in this country willynilly on a daily basis, the grand old man turned the table on them. So what do they do? Pretty much what I would expect to see when you light a box of firecrackers.
Sure, and you are saying that the faith of Malay-Muslims in Malaysia is so “weak” that one cannot give them Malay-language Bibles or preach to them about Christianity?
That sounds pretty one-sided to me. Where’s the fairness?
So, if Islam is so important to the Malay psyche in Malaysia, does that entitle you to disrespect or denigrate the pysches of the non-Malays in Malaysia who espouse religions other than Islam?
What happens when you light a box of firecrackers, you ask?
Well, unless it’s done in a “controlled environment”, the result could be a full-blown conflagration.
Is that what you want?
Is that what Helen is pushing for?
Let’s come clean, instead of hiding behind veiled threats.
Nothing’s fair in this world. What is fair to one person will normally be unfair to the other party. But we have laws to ensure that people follow the rules. If you do not like it, you should change the laws not go against the rules.
This is not about weak akidah.
And how is it that when you insists on using Allah even at the expense of good relations with the majority in the nation, it is about your right, but when we exercise our rights we are being disrespectful? And how are we disrespecting other religions? In this past year, it seems like everyone regardless of their religion has an opinion on everything Islam, from the way we pray, to what we eat, wear and preach in the mosques. So now one organization wants to share the Quran, so that at least everyone will have an informed opinion the next time they decide to share their opinion. I don’t see that as disrespectful, at least not in the spirit it is given, anymore than you think that those people who posted their opinions were being disrepectful.
The firecrackers thing – I was writing about the loud noise, even in a controlled environment you still get the noise.
And let’s be honest here. When the oppo-supporters spewed their vitriolic against Malays and Islam, did you tell them that to tone down and show some consideration to their neighbors? Did you advise them to moderate their actions so as not to have things come to that “full-blown conflagration?”
Or are you of the typical Dap-supporters whose opinion is the root cause of everything bad that happens in this country are the Malays?
Dear orangkampung (& Rithmatist),
4/5 of the Aduns in the Selangor state assembly are Pakatan reps.
If the DAP feels strongly that it is unfair how Christians are prohibited from using kalimah Allah in The Herald, then they should use their super majority in the Dewan to repeal or amend the state’s Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Amongst Muslims) Enactment 1988.
Why don’t they do that? The Christian YBs are Selangor legislators. They are the ones making the law and they have the power to unmake the bad old laws.
Bloody hypocrites!
As for the evangelistas trying to teach Malays how to be good Muslims, they’re doing to the extent of in your face. Malays are already showing extreme patience as it is.
orangkampung & Helen
If you are so convinced that the faith of Muslims is secure, then why is there a prohibition against Muslims converting to other religions – the dreaded accusation of “apostasy”?
That doesn’t strike me as a religion that feels secure and confident about itself.
Rather, it’s as if that religion believes that it is under a perpetual stage of siege and has therefore adopted a “bunker” mentality.
So much for being confident in a globalised multipolar world!
‘Or are you of the typical Dap-supporters whose opinion is the root cause of everything bad that happens in this country are the Malays?’
Sudah terang lagi bersuluh!
So you say that the rules prevent proselytising to Muslims in Malaysia? And that it is a fait accompli?
But that it is perfectly ok for Muslims in Malaysia to be able to convert non-Muslims to Islam and be protected by the law?
And further, once they are converted to Islam, to allow them no way out, except through convoluted legal procedures?
Are you claiming, with a straight face and in good conscience, that this is fair?
Islamic authorities claim that Islam is a religion “without duress”.
If that is indeed the case, it doesn’t explain why Islam and Muslims are viewed with suspicion in much of the Western world.
You can’t deny that this is not the case.
You might want to read Rafiq Zakaria’s commentary “Women forced to serve Islamic State war machine” on the Dawn/Asia News Network website.
Maybe Helen can provide a link to this, seeing as how she is all for “fair and balanced” reporting.
‘That sounds pretty one-sided to me. Where’s the fairness?’
Its against the law la brader! Don’t tell me you had ABUed the secular law altogether?
Have you, too, gone HADIed?
‘Only Shariah law would have brought ‘true justice’ to Anwar’s case, Hadi says – See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/only-shariah-law-would-have-brought-true-justice-to-anwar-case-hadi-says#sthash.qVkRJtez.dpuf
Not really.
I suppose that Muslims elsewhere may have a different take on this.
I travel frequently to Singapore and Australia and I have seen for myself how the Muslims there are treated and how they live.
Interfaith matters in Singapore are taken very seriously, for instance. There are regular meetings and consultations between representatives of the major religions in the city-state. Muslims in Singapore are not suspicious of other religions and the Singapore government adopts a strictly secular approach to all religions.
Indonesian Christians in Singapore use Indonesian language Bibles without any problems. The Christian and Catholic churches in Singapore conduct regular services and Masses in Bahasa Indonesia. All without anyone kicking up a fuss.
`I travel frequently to Singapore and Australia and I have seen for myself how the Muslims there are treated and how they live’. I can’t vouch as a muslim for Australia, but for spore, I grew up there from preschool did my A level and moved back here. Sure the Spore Govt treated us fairly, if you’re a muslim, there goes your chance of being a pilot in saf…
SM Lee Kuan Yew, Straits Times, September 19, 1999 on Malays in the Singapore Armed Forces: “If, for instance, you put in a Malay officer who’s very religious and who has family ties in Malaysia in charge of a machine gun unit, that’s a very tricky business. We’ve got to know his background… I’m saying these things because they are real, and if I don’t think that, and I think even if today the Prime Minister doesn’t think carefully about this, we could have a tragedy.”
It was revealed in 1987 that the SAF was cautious about putting Malay officers in key posts. PM Lee Hsien Loong (Second Minister for defence at that time), made the following comment when asked why weren’t there any Malay pilots in the SAF. “If there is a conflict, if the SAF is called upon to defend the homeland, we don’t want to put any of our soldiers in a difficult position where his emotions for the nation may come in conflict with his emotion for his religion, because these are two very strong fundamentals, and if they are not compatible, then they will be two very strong destructive forces in opposite directions.”
Lee Kuan Yew, Jaunary 2011:
“I would say today, we can integrate all religions and races except Islam,” he said in “Lee Kuan Yew: Hard Truths to Keep Singapore Going,” a new book containing his typically frank views on the city-state and its future. “I think we were progressing very nicely until the surge of Islam came and if you asked me for my observations, the other communities have easier integration — friends, intermarriages and so on…” he stated. “I think the Muslims socially do not cause any trouble, but they are distinct and separate,” Lee added, calling on the community to “be less strict on Islamic observances.”
What is the number of senior executives in Singapore blue chips and MNCs?
The malays are a minority in spore, making up barely 15% of the population yet in a 2010 survey of drug abusers arrested, 48% are made up of malays follow by 36% Chinese, 14% Indians, 2% others.
‘The malays are a minority in spore, making up barely 15% of the population yet in a 2010 survey of drug abusers arrested, 48% are made up of malays follow by 36% Chinese, 14% Indians, 2% others.’
Something to be proud of, eh, The Rithmatist?!
Re We may not be a full fledged Islamic country but …..
We’re on the way though. The question is what form will this full fledged Islamic country take. An open question.
Next month Pas will table a private member’s bill in parliament to pave the way for the introduction and enforcement of the Islamic Penal Code in Kelantan.
I believe that, if this bill is approved by parliament, will herald the first step in the institutionalization of Syariah in this country. It will be a very close vote. Either way the question will be answered once the bill is tabled.
TIJ,
We already have Syariah. We just don’t have hudud yet.
Tetapi Cik Helen h.u.d.u.d does accomplish to and irrespectivelly of all including the non muslims compared syriah covers Muslim matrimonial
I hope that DAP makes it clear to their Chinese – whom the evangelical party persuaded to vote in droves for PAS – that hudud will affect us non-Muslims too.
“Sudah tujuh tahun naik turun masjid tapi Hannah Yeoh masih belum dikurniakan hidayah”…..
Cik Helen,
Gelas yang separuh terisi oleh air juga boleh dipanggil separuh kosong. Jadi, utk pernyataan diatas, ia juga boleh dikata sebagai yang empunya diri sedang melarikan diri drpd hidayah. Tak gitu Cik Helen?
Jongoz.
If Christians are allowed to distribute bibles to any other race, and also use whatever word that we want to to call God, then by all means there is not objection if 30 million Qurans are distributed, one for each Malaysian. Fair is fair, and if Malaysia wants to be truly democratic like most western nations, no one will object to what I have just said. If you do, then you are clearly insecure and definitely biased/racists.
‘If Christians are allowed to distribute bibles to any other race, and also use whatever word that we want to to call God, then by all means there is not objection if 30 million Qurans are distributed, one for each Malaysian. Fair is fair’
Alan aah, maksud lu, kalau lu duduk lumah banglo, wa pun boleh duduk lumah banglo lu leh? Fair meh itu macam???
Satu lagi aah, Alan, lu kasi baca itu Perlembagaan Persekutuan aah..okay?? Kasi baca itu undang-undang juga ah…baru datang sini cakiap…
This intervaith council are a bunch of traitors..they actually asked the US embassy to put sanctions on malaysia in a wikileak document.
Patut dah lama kena ISAed!
Heh, heh….taking on the US?
Dream on, brudder.
The government knows exactly how much leeway the US will allow it. Step out of line and there’s a whole bunch of stuff that Uncle Sam can do.
Just ask Iran, Russia, Venezuela…..you get the drift?
So, Wisma Putra can protest till it’s blue in the face. The US Ambassador to Malaysia can be summoned for kueh-kueh and teh tarek. And that’s all that will happen.
Unpalatable to you to you folks, eh?
Welcome to the realities of actual power.
Glad to see you smiling to the brim! The best of luck brader!