CCM Youth

Sudah Tiba Masa Untuk Kita Bersuara: Kenyataan Pastoral dari Gereja-Gereja Bumiputera di Sabah dan Sarawak

2013-05-03T15:15:00.001+08:00

Kenyatan Pastoral dari Gereja-Gereja Bumiputera di Sabah dan Sarawak

Salam damai dalam nama Tuhan dan Penyelamat kita, Kristus Yesus.

Kami mengambil nasihat dari seorang pengkhotbah purba yang mengatakan ada mas

a untuk segala-galanya, "masa untuk berdiam diri dan masa untuk bersuara" (Pengkhotbah bab 3 ayat 7).

Sebagai Tubuh Kristus yang ingin hidup sesuai dengan tujuan dan misinya, kami sedar bahawa Gereja dipanggil untuk menjadi sebuah berkat kepada negara, serta berusaha untuk mencapai apa yang benar, mulia, adil dan terpuji demi kepentingan semua orang (Filipi 4:8).

Tetapi di tengah-tengah semua ini, timbul pula isu-isu yang melibatkan gereja serta penggunaan Kitab Suci kami. Kami, Bumiputera Kristian dari Sabah dan Sarawak telah berdiam diri untuk tempoh yang sangat lama. Ada yang telah menggunakan keputusan kami untuk berdiam diri ini bagi sesuatu maksud yang lain. Oleh itu, masanya telah tiba untuk kita bersuara.

Apabila Perdana Menteri sementara mula-mula membangkitkan Pergerakan Kesederhanaan Global, kami memberi sokongan untuk inisiatif tersebut dengan penuh semangat. Tetapi ironinya, pergerakan itu secara terang-terangan dan tanpa henti-henti terganggu oleh unsur-unsur yang tidak bertanggungjawab dari kalangan mereka sendiri, yang lebih cenderung ke arah perkauman dan pelampau.

Ia adalah satu kesilapan yang besar untuk membiarkan pelampau-pelampau ini walaupun itu disebabkan oleh keterdesakan kecil politik. Dengan berbuat demikian, ia telah mendedahkan masyarakat kita untuk sesuatu yang sememangnya asas dan begitu jahat.

Ia adalah seperti membuka diri kita kepada satu kekejian yang boleh melakukan kejahatan yang tidak terperi, malah kemudaratan yang tidak boleh diperbaiki. Kegiatan melampau memanfaatkan kelemahan dan rasa tidak selamat manusia. Jika dibiarkan tanpa sebarang pantauan, ia boleh merompak identiti kita yang sebenar, bahkan jiwa kita.

Satu manifestasi sikap yang ekstrim itu adalah sejauh mana puak pelampau dalam masyarakat kita menyatakan sikap perkauman dan fanatik agama mereka terhadap kontroversi penggunaan perkataan 'Allah' bagi merujuk kepada Tuhan oleh orang bukan Islam. Malah mereka mencadangkan satu pesta untuk membakar Alkitab. Ini adalah satu unsur hasutan pembakaran yang sangat tidak bertanggungjawab. Namun perbuatan mereka ini diterima oleh pihak berkuasa.

Kita harus jelas bahawa kontroversi 'Allah' itu adalah lebih daripada sekadar suatu perkataan. Sesungguhnya, beberapa negeri di Malaysia telah pun meluluskan undang-undang yang melarang orang bukan Islam menggunakan lebih daripada tiga dozen perkataan. Undang-undang ini berlaku dan memang diarahkan secara nyata kepada orang bukan Islam.

Sebagai contoh, satu fatwa yang mempunyai kuasa undang-undang telah diwartakan pada 1 Jun 2003 di Sabah di bawah Enakmen Pentadbiran Undang-Undang Islam 1992, di mana penggunaan 32 perkataan oleh orang bukan Islam adalah dilarang. Ini termasuk "Allah", "Ibadah", "Iman", "Rasul", "Injil", "Nabi", "Wahyu" dan banyak lagi. Ini dilakukan walaupun undang-undang syariah Islam tidak berlaku ke atas orang bukan Islam.

Undang-undang yang sedemikian pertama kali diperkenalkan oleh kerajaan negeri Terengganu pada tahun 1980. Pada tahun berikutnya, penggunaan Alkitab atau Bible berbahasa Melayu dilarang atas alasan bahawa ia adalah satu ancaman kepada keselamatan negara. Larangan tersebut kemudiannya telah diubah menjadi satu sekatan tetapi Alkitab masih dianggap sebagai satu ancaman kepada keselamatan negara. Pada Disember 1986, Kementerian Dalam Negeri mengeluarkan surat pekeliling melarang penggunaan perkataan ‘Allah’ dengan alasan bahawa tindakan itu adalah perlu bagi maksud mengekalkan ketenteraman awam dan untuk mengelakkan salah faham antara penganut Islam dan Kristian. Keputusan pentadbiran ini dikuatkuasakan dengan menggunakan Akta Mesin Cetak dan Penerbitan 1984.

Pada tahun 2003, Bup Kudus atau Alkitab dalam bahasa Iban telah diharamkan kerana ia mengandungi perkataan 'Allah'. Pengharaman itu kemudiannya ditarik balik ekoran daripada bantahan oleh orang Kristian.

Di Sarawak dan Sabah, perkataan ‘Allah’ telah digunakan atau dituturkan oleh masyarakat Bumiputera sejak bergenerasi yang lalu, jauh sebelum pembentukan Malaysia dan merupakan sebahagian daripada bahasa ibunda mereka. Suku-suku Bumiputera telah menggunakan istilah ‘Allah’ dalam semua aspek bidang dan amalan agama Kristian mereka daripada pembaptisan sehinggalah upacara pengebumian. Ini termasuklah dalam pelayanan perkhidmatan, doa, pujian, liturgi, ibadah, dan pendidikan agama. Kalimat "Allah" juga digunakan dalam penerbitan dan sumber multi-media Kristian. Hak Bumiputera untuk mengguna atau bertutur dalam bahasa mereka sendiri, serta mengamalkan agama mereka di negera ini adalah dilindungi oleh Perlembagaan Persekutuan.

Kontroversi 'Allah' in sebenarnya bukanlah tentang agama, tetapi adalah mengenai dasar-dasar dan undang-undang Kerajaan yang tidak munasabah. Dalam menghadapi perkara yang tidak masuk akal inilah kami tidak boleh dan tidak harus berdiam diri. Sudah tiba masa untuk kita bersuara.

Dua pertiga daripada umat Gereja di Malaysia adalah terdiri daripada orang Kristian Bumiputera di Sabah dan Sarawak. Dalam hal ini, kami berbicara dengan tanggungjawab pastoral dan moral serta kewibawaan terhadap pelampau agama, perkauman dan sebarang bentuk sikap yang ekstrim. Tetapi kita tidak keseorangan, kerana saudara dalam Kristus kita yang bukan Bumiputera juga telah menyatakan kebimbangan yang sama tentang isu 'Allah' ini. Oleh itu, kita bersuara sebagai satu suara.

Kita memerlukan lebih daripada sekadar paparan ad hoc belas ikhsan. Kita memerlukan satu komitmen yang ketara daripada pihak berkuasa untuk menghormati dan mempertahankan kebebasan beragama yang sudah pun dijamin oleh Perlembagaan Persekutuan, iaitu undang-undang tertinggi di negara ini. Kami percaya bahawa orang bukan Kristian, termasuklah umat Islam, juga berkongsi akan kebimbangan kita ini.

Kami juga mengakui dan menegakkan bahawa Islam adalah agama Persekutuanmengikut Perkara 3 Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Dengan peruntukan yang sama agama lain juga diberikan jaminan kebebasan sesuai dengan perlembagaanuntuk menganut, mengamalkan dan menyebarkan agama masing-masing denganaman dan damai di mana-mana bahagian di negara ini. Kami tidak meminta apa yang bukan hak perlembagaan kami.

Sesungguhnya jalan penyelesaian bukanlah satu status quo yang menjangka Gereja Bumiputera di Sabah dan Sarawak untuk berdiam diri.

Tahun ini kita menyambut tahun kelima puluh pembentukan Malaysia. Secara kebetulan ia juga adalah Tahun Jubli bagi orang Kristian, tahun di mana kita menunggu dengan penuh harapan dan dalam doa bagi Tuhan untuk campur tangan dan mengembalikan apa yang telah ditetapkan sebagai hak kita.

Untuk sekian lamanya kita telah berdoa bagi melihat pembetulan kepada kesalahan yang telah dilakukan terhadap orang-orang asal atas nama pembangunan dan politik. Kita juga berdoa untuk menghormati dan mematuhi Perjanjian 20 Perkara bagi Sabah dan Perjanjian 18 Perkara bagi Sarawak, yang ditandatangani bersama dengan Malaya semasa pembentukan Malaysia. Perkara yang pertama dalam perjanjian itu adalah kebebasan beragama. Sabah dan Sarawak bersetuju untuk membentuk negara Malaysia pada tahun 1963 dengan Islam sebagai agama persekutuan, tetapi dengan syarat nyata bahawa akan ada kebebasan beragama tanpa sebarang sekatan dikenakan ke atas agama-agama lain. Oleh itu Kertas Kerajaan Malaysia dan Sarawak yang diterbitkan oleh Kerajaan Negara Sarawak bertarikh 4 Jan 1962 (dan ini juga dapat dilihat dalam Kertas Kerajaan Borneo Utara) yang menyatakan tanpa ragu-ragu seperti yang dapat dilihat dari teks berikut dalam dokumen perlembagaan dasar:

"Orang ramai tertanya-tanya sama ada hakikat bahawa Islam adalah agama rasmi Persekutuan Tanah Melayu akan menjejaskan kebebasan beragama di Sarawak sebagai sebahagian daripada Malaysia. Ini telah dijelaskan pada Mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Perundingan baru-baru ini. Walaupun Malaysia akan mempunyai Islam sebagai agama rasmi Persekutuan, tetapi tidak akan ada halangan dikenakan ke atas amalan agama-agama lain. Kebebasan agama akan dijamin sepenuhnya dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Sarawak pada masa ini tidak mempunyai agama rasmi dan ia tidak diwajibkan untuk menerima Islam sebagai agama negeri itu."

Terdapat keperluan yang mendesak untuk pihak berkuasa mengakui kekecewaan kami dan berjanji untuk tampil dengan satu penyelesaian jangka panjang.

Masanya telah tiba untuk kita bersuara tetapi kita berbuat demikian dengan cara yang aman sama seperti Kristus Yesus yang adalah Raja Damai (Yesaya 9:6). Kita tidak akan berdendam atau berniat jahat terhadap orang-orang dari agama lain termasuklah saudara dan saudari Muslim kita.

Sesungguhnya, kami sedar kami tetap akan menunjukkan kasih sayang kepada orang-orang yang mungkin tidak bersetuju dengan kita. Intipati Allah adalah kasih (1 Yohanes 4:8).Sebab itulah kita diajar untuk mengasihi bahkan musuh-musuh kita (Matius 5:44).

Oleh itu, adalah menjadi tanggungjawab rakyat Malaysia dari setiap agama untuk bertolak ansur dan menerima antara satu sama lain dalam kasih, dalam kebenaran, dan dengan rendah hati.

Marilah kita bersama-sama berusaha untuk membina negara tercinta ini bagi kebaikan semua orang supaya kita semua dapat menikmati hasil kemakmuran dan kebaikan di bumi yang telah diberkati oleh Allah Yang Maha Kuasa.

Semoga Allah Yang Maha Kuasa memberkati anda dan melindungi anda, dan membuat wajah-Nya bersinar ke atas anda dan memberi anda ketenangan.

Tuhan memberkati Malaysia.

Archbishop Datuk Bolly Lapok (chairman of ACS) and
Rev. Datuk Jerry Dusing (president of SIB Sabah)

THE TIME HAS NOW COME FOR THE BUMIPUTERA CHURCH TO SPEAK: A PASTORAL COMMUNIQUE

2013-05-03T15:10:00.000+08:00

"THE TIME HAS NOW COME FOR THE BUMIPUTERA CHURCH TO SPEAK"
A Pastoral Communiqué from the Bumiputera Church in Sabah and Sarawak
dated 3 May 2013

Greetings in the name of our precious Lord and Saviour, Christ Jesus.

We take counsel from the ancient preacher that there is a time for everything, “a time to keep silence and a time to speak” (Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verse 7).
As the Body of Christ seeking to live out his purpose and mission, we are mindful that the Church is to be a blessing to the nation, to strive for what is true, honourable, just and commendable in the interest of all people (Philippians 4:8).

But in the midst of this, issues affecting the church and the use of our Holy Scriptures have arisen. We, the native Christians of Sabah and Sarawak have kept silent for a considerable length of time. Some have taken our silence to mean something else. Therefore, the time has now come for us to speak.

When the caretaker Prime Minister first mooted the Global Movement of Moderates, we were enthusiastic in extending our support for the initiative. But ironically, the movement is being incessantly and blatantly distracted by unscrupulous elements from within its own ranks, whose strange proclivity is leaning more towards racism and extremism.

It is a grave mistake to condone extremism even for a minor political exigency because to do so is to expose our society to something so inherently base and so evil.

It is like opening ourselves to a kind of vile pervasion which could do untold, even irreparable harm. Extremism feeds on human weakness and insecurity. If left unchecked it could rob us of our true identity and eventually our soul.
A manifestation of such extremism is the extent to which fringe groups within our midst would go to advance their racism and religious bigotry over the controversy of the use of the word ‘Allah’ to refer to God by non-Muslims. They have even suggested an open season for burning Bibles (pesta membakar Alkitab). Nothing can be more seditious and incendiary. Yet they were tolerated by the authorities.

Let us be clear that the ‘Allah’ controversy is more than just about a word. Indeed, various States have passed legislation prohibiting more than three dozen words from being used by non-Muslims. This legislation is applicable and is indeed expressly directed at non-Muslims.

For instance, a fatwa which has the force of law was gazetted on 1 June 2003 in Sabah under the Enakmen Pentadbiran Undang-Undang Islam 1992 whereby the use of 32 words is prohibited to non-Muslims. These included “Allah” (God), “Ibadah” (Worship), “Iman” (Faith), “Rasul” (Apostle), “Injil” (Gospel), “Nabi” (Prophet], “Wahyu” (Revelation) and much more. This is done notwithstanding that Islamic syariah law do not apply to non-Muslims.

The first of such state legislation was introduced by the Terengganu state government in 1980. The following year, the use of the Alkitab or the Malay language bible was prohibited on grounds that it is a threat to national security. The ban has since been modified to a restriction but the Alkitab is still considered a threat to national security. In December 1986 the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a circular prohibiting the use of the word Allah’ on the purported grounds that such action was necessary for the purpose of maintaining public order and to avoid misunderstanding between followers of Muslims and Christians. This administrative decision was enforced using the draconian Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.

In 2003, the Bup Kudus or the Iban language Bible was banned as it contains the word ‘Allah’. The ban was subsequently lifted following protests by Christians.

In Sarawak and Sabah, the word ‘Allah’ has been used or spoken by the native communities of the state for generations and long before the formation of Malaysia and is part of their native language. Native Bumiputeras have always been using the term “Allah” in all aspects of the profession and practice of their Christian faith from baptism to final rites and these include in services, prayers, praise, liturgy, worship, and religious education. The term “Allah” is also used in Christian publications and multi-media resources. The right of the native Bumiputeras to use or speak their own language and to practice their religion in the state is safeguarded by the Federal Constitution.

The ‘Allah’ controversy is not really about religion as such but about unreasonable government policies and laws. In the face of such unreasonableness we cannot and should not remain silent. The time for us to speak has come.

Two thirds of the Church in Malaysia is made up of Bumiputera Christians in Sabah and Sarawak. In this respect, we speak with pastoral and moral responsibility and authority against religious bigotry, racism and extremism in any form. But we are not alone as our non-Bumiputera brothers and sisters in Christ have also expressed similar concern over the ‘Allah’ issue on other occasions. We, therefore, speak as one voice.

We need more than just a display ad hoc benevolence. We need a tangible commitment from the authorities to respect and uphold the freedom of religion guaranteed by the Federal Constitution – the supreme law of the nation. We believe non-Christians, including Muslims, also share our concern.

We also acknowledge and uphold that according to Article 3 of the Federal Constitution that Islam is the religion of the Federation. By the same token people of other faiths are also accorded the cons

titutional guarantee of freedom to profess, to practise and to propagate their respective religions in peace and harmony in any part of the country. We are not asking for what is not already our constitutional right.

Surely the way forward is no longer found in the status quo which expects the Bumiputera Church in Sabah and Sarawak to remain silent.

This year we celebrate the fiftieth year of the formation of Malaysia. It is also fortuitous that this is also the Year of Jubilee for Christians, a year where we wait in hope and prayer for God to intervene and restore what has been ordained as rightfully ours.

We have been praying for long time now to see the righting of wrongs done to indigenous peoples in the name of development and politics. We are also praying for full respect and adherence to the Sabah 20-point and Sarawak 18-point Agreements signed with Malaya upon the formation of Malaysia. The first of these is freedom of religion. Sabah and Sarawak consented to form the greater Malaysian nation in 1963 with Islam as the religion of the federation on the express condition that there will be complete freedom of religion without hindrance placed on other religions. Thus the Government Paper “Malaysia and Sarawak published by Authority of Government of Sarawak dated 4 Jan 1962 (and this is reflected in the corresponding Government of North Borneo Paper) states unequivocally as can be seen from the following text in the foundational constitutional documents:

“People have wondered whether the fact that Islam is the official religion of the Federation of Malaya would affect religious freedom in Sarawak as part of Malaysia. This has been clarified at the recent Consultative Committee Meeting. Although Malaysia would have Islam as the official religion of the enlarged Federation there would be no hindrance placed on the practice of other religions. Complete freedom of religion would be guaranteed in the Federal Constitution. Sarawak has at the present has no established religion and it would not be required to accept Islam as its State religions.”

There is an urgent need for the authorities to acknowledge our frustration and to commit to come up with a long term solution.

The time has come for us to speak but we do so in a manner of peace just as the Christ Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). We harbour neither ill will nor malice toward people of other faiths including our Muslim brothers and sisters.

Indeed, in speaking we are mindful to extend love to those who may not agree with us. The essence of God is love (1 John 4:8) thus we are compelled to love even our enemies (Matthew 5:44).

Therefore, it is incumbent on Malaysians of every faith to tolerate and embrace one another in love, in truth, and in humility.

Let us together seek to build this beloved nation for the good of all peoples so that all can enjoy the fruits of prosperity and goodness in this land the Almighty God has blessed us with.

May Almighty God bless you and keep you, may His face shine upon you and give you peace.

God bless Malaysia.

Signed by:

Archbishop Datuk Bolly Lapok (chairman of ACS) and
Rev. Datuk Jerry Dusing (president of SIB Sabah)

Malaysia Needs to Get Off the Road to Mediocrity by William Pesek

2013-04-23T11:29:00.003+08:00

Malaysia Needs to Get Off the Road to Mediocrity

By William Pesek Apr 23, 2013 10:00 AM GMT+0800 Bloomberg

Fresh off the press - A BRILLIANT commentary by William Pesek, Bloomberg columnist on Malaysia and the 13th General Elections.

"In his bid for re-election, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has dispensed with all shame. Vote for me, he has essentially declared, or Malaysia will suffer “catastrophic ruin” and an “Arab Winter” of the kind that has undone economies from Egypt to Libya.

Both warnings are ludicrous -- signs of how worried Najib’s National Front coalition is of losing power for the first time since 1957. They speak to the desperation of a government that has come to serve itself, not Malaysia’s 29 million people. And they are emblematic of a leader whose talk of bold change hasn’t been matched by action." - William Pesek, Bloomberg columnist

To READ MORE please click on link http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-23/malaysia-needs-to-get-off-the-road-to-mediocrity.html

AN EPISCOPAL LETTER TO ALL IN THE FAMILY OF THE METHODIST CHURCH IN MALAYSIA ON GE13

2013-04-23T11:23:00.002+08:00

AN EPISCOPAL LETTER

TO ALL IN THE FAMILY OF THE METHODIST CHURCH IN MALAYSIA

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ

Warm greetings.

As the 13^th General Election is scheduled to take place on the 5 May 2013, please note that the Prayer United movement will soon issue a call for a “3-day National FAST and PRAY” to all in the Church in Malaysia. It will be good for as many as possible in our Methodist Family, to unite and do this together with others in the Body of Christ in Malaysia, although participation is not compulsory.

It is the strategic call to humble ourselves to seek the Lord with one earnest spirit for the welfare and the needed foundational breakthroughs for this beloved nation of ours - at a very historic and crucial time. Some have even termed this GE 13 as the mother of all elections for Malaysia.

I and our leadership in the Methodist Church in Malaysia, call on all in our church family at the ground level, to do all they can to encourage each other

to pray [at all levels - personal, family, workplace, local church and also combined church efforts where possible],
to engage in relevant and helpful roles in the polling/ election process [ eg as observers/ “pematau”etc],
and to ensure that we responsibly cast our votes on the 5 May 2013 with wisdom, discernment and a good conscience.

Let us heed the words of Paul in Romans 13: 4- 6 – as we pray for a clean and fair election that will give Malaysia an incoming government that is the “servant of God for your good”; a government that has a genuine fear of God that makes it do all that is good for the people but brings fear to wrongdoers.

Let us pray with fervent and expectant hearts for the GE 13 as we humble ourselves to seek and pursue God.

Psalm 123:1-2 says: “I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven. ² As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he shows us his mercy.”

Let us sincerely keep our eyes on the Lord together – and seek His mercy and grace .

Thank you.

Bishop Ong Hwai Teik

The Methodist Church in Malaysia

Dated this 15 April 2013

PRAYER UNITED: GENERAL ELECTIONS 2013 (GE13) MOBILISING PRAYER FOR POLLING DAY: MAY 5, 2013

2013-04-18T23:09:00.002+08:00

PRAYER UNITED

ANNOUNCEMENT to the CHURCHES

17 April 2013

GENERAL ELECTIONS 2013 (GE13)

MOBILISING PRAYER FOR POLLING DAY: MAY 5, 2013

FOR DOWNLOAD

ENGLISH

MANDARIN

Now that the nomination and polling dates are known, i.e April 20 and May 5 respectively, Prayer United encourages all churches, cell groups and campus fellowships to mobilise and coordinate prayer in the final run up to polling day in the following ways:-

April 28 (Sun) – PRAY DURING SUNDAY SERVICES. To uphold the nation and the GE in prayer during Sunday services. Please identify and commission PACA volunteers, poll observers, election officials and security forces in your congregations before they depart to serve in the various constituencies and locations.

April 29 (Mon) to May 1 (Wed) – PRAYER GATHERINGS, PRAYER DRIVES AND PRAYER WALKS. Churches and prayer networks are advised to mobilise their congregations to meet together in prayer each evening for GE13 to pray at least for an hour together. Activating unbroken 24-7 Prayer is greatly encouraged – preferably on-site at your church or your prayer rooms. Please saturate your constituencies in prayer by activating prayer drives or prayer walks. Even better, hold combined churches prayer gatherings in all constituencies, towns and cities are great encouraged. Identify all candidates in your areas and pray for each one.

May 2 (Thurs) to May 4 (Sat) – UNBROKEN 3 DAYS OF 24-7 FAST AND PRAYER. Please coordinate and mobilise a 3-day 24-7 fast and prayer for GE13. Pray strategically to cover all states and the whole nation in prayer. Provide a prayer shield for the nation.

May 5 (Sun) – PRAYER DURING SUNDAY SERVICES AND COMMISSIONING. Church leaders are encouraged to uphold GE13 in prayer during Sunday services (or Saturday services) before commissioning and releasing the congregation to perform their duties to vote. Sunrise services and breaking the fast together are some suggestions. Take turns to pray from 8am to 5pm before and after voting.

May 5 (Sun) 6pm to May 6 (Mon) 12 noon – PRAYER DURING VOTE COUNTING AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESULTS. Continue to pray throughout the night until 12 noon Monday as results flow in.

Full Message by Bishop Sebastian Francis, Catholic Bishop of Penang

2013-04-11T22:41:00.002+08:00

Full Speech by Bishop Sebastian Francis (Roman Catholic Bishop of Penang) delivered on 7 April 2013

Mandarin version
BM Version

I begin by citing from the speech by Pope Francis’ during his public audience with journalists held a few days after his election. He said “The Church is a spiritual, rather than a political institution”. The Pope also added, “No one can understand the Church without understanding its spiritual purpose” and that “Christ is the pastor of the Church but his presence passes through the freedom of human beings.”

To me, this means that, although the Church does not involve herself in party politics as such, she has the duty to speak up on all areas of human life, including politics. It also means that being spiritual, the Church, as people of God, has the right and responsibility to speak up for a just society. In all religious traditions, spirituality is primarily a personal relationship between God and the individual.

However, spirituality will also have consequences on the human, social, political, economical and religious dimensions of an individual. Therefore, this is a God-given right, given not only to institutions, but also to every person.

The Church must act and safeguard this right which allows for the freedom of conscience, responsible freedom of expression and freedom of religion. Freedom of conscience, which is formed by divine teaching, freedom of expression and freedom of religion are supreme gifts given by God Himself and the reason why all people can and must speak up.

And why does the Church have to speak out for a just society? Again I quote Pope Francis. In his homily at the inaugural Mass, he said the Church must exclaim and “embrace especially the poorest, weakest and the least important…” She does this because she represents Jesus Christ in the world today.

The upcoming 13th General Election is critical and important for the growth of the democratic structure in Malaysia. The last general election in 2008 and the ensuing five years have shown us its importance of having multiple choices which serves as a check and balance.

In the last few years, and more so, in recent times, people have received much gifts and money from the government of the day at both Federal and State level.

Please exercise your duty and freedom of conscience as formed by divine teaching, which transcends all financial, economic and social benefits offered to you. Therefore, I join all groups, movements and organisations, whether political, social and religious, to speak up for a free, just and fair election.

We must also pray seriously for the nation at this crucial point of time. I pray that God will provide us with a government made up of political leaders who are just, honest and incorrupt. I quote from the recent circular by the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) dated 18 July, 2012 entitled “Vote wisely; vote for a better Malaysia”:

We appeal to all Christians to remain faithful, that in our exercise of leadership and stewardship in obedience to God’s Word, that we exercise our duty to nation building to vote as well as to soak in prayer the nation’s well being; ahead, during, and after the general elections.

As such, your vote should not only be secret but sacred as well. The guarantee of your secret vote is that no human power should manipulate it for any reason.

For this reason, the Election Commission has the legal and sacred responsibility to ensure that it is independent, credible and accountable. The sacredness of the vote, however, is also the responsibility of all the people of God as individuals based on the freedom of conscience which is a God given right.

In conclusion, the 13th General Election is critical in the nation’s history. The Church must work for and live out a spirituality that serves all humankind. As stated in the Vatican II document, Gaudium et Spes:

There is no human law so powerful to safeguard the personal dignity and freedom of man as the Gospel of Christ entrusted to the Church; for the Gospel announces and proclaims the freedom of the sons of God, it rejects all
bondage resulting from sin, it scrupulously respects the dignity of conscience and its freedom of choice…”
(Gaudium et Spes 41)

Wishes of Grace and Truth,
Rt. Rev. Sebastian Francis
Bishop of Penang

Singapore Straits Times: Prayer Guide, Video to Help Christians Vote Wisely

2013-04-09T16:07:00.000+08:00

Singapore Straits Times published 9 April 2013 written by Yong Yen Nie

"WITH the polls just weeks away, the Malaysian Church has, for the first time, come up with a prayer guide for the elections, as well as a YouTube video calling on the community to vote wisely.

Churches have felt under siege from the government in recent years, particularly over a prohibition on the use of "Allah" in Malay-language Bibles, a controversy which led to firebomb attacks on several churches in 2010.

The move is to mobilise Christians to vote in upcoming polls, which will likely see a fierce fight between the ruling Barisan Nasional and opposition Pakatan Rakyat."

READ MORE - http://www.stasiareport.com/the-big-story/asia-report/malaysia-elections/news/story/prayer-guide-video-help-christians-vote-wise

GE13 Prayer Booklet - Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin translations

2013-04-08T23:21:00.001+08:00

To download the GE13 Prayer Booklets, below are the links:

BM version - PDF file
BM version - powerpoint slides

Chinese version - PDF file
Chinese version - powerpoint slides

General Elections 2013 Prayer Booklet Ready for Free Download!

2013-03-08T00:03:00.002+08:00

The GE13 Prayer Booklets are available in 2 versions for download: the ABRIDGED (20 pages) and the FULL version with appendix (60 pages).

POWERPOINT SLIDES are also available to accompany both versions respectively, i.e. both 20 slides and 60 slides (a big file >7MB) that accompanies the Prayer Booklet and is also available for your free download.

This full set of slides (60 pages) is the MOST COMPLETE VERSION, which helps everyone to understand the history of the general elections, the state and parliamentary constituencies for more informed prayer, and also practical things that we can do as voters and observers.

The slides are intended for your use so that it can be made easier for you to share in church or in a group when you want to present it for group/combined prayer. PLEASE SHARE with as many churches, cell groups and Christian friends so that we can soak Malaysia in prayer!

Don't just download! Remember to mobilise prayer. Remember to pray!

Download - click here.

1. Abridged 20 Pages - PDF
2. Abridged 20 Pages - POWERPOINT SLIDES
3. FULL 60 Pages - PDF
4. FULL 60 Pages - POWERPOINT SLIDES

"Gangnam Style" Dances into Malaysian Politics - William Pesek

2013-02-16T16:49:00.003+08:00

'Gangnam Style' Dances Into Malaysian Politics

By William Pesek Feb 16, 2013 1:17 AM GMT+0800 Bloomberg article

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has enough to worry about. A dwindling hold on power, a sluggish world economy, waning competiveness, rising religious extremism, you name it. Who knew rapper Psy would find his way onto Najib's list of headaches?

Photo by The Star

It's not that the South Korean's ubiquitous "Gangnam Style" is blaring too loudly in Najib's ears. It's the controversy over Psy's recent government-arranged performance in the Malaysian state of Penang. Critics claim Psy was paid handsomely with public funds for his gig. Najib denies it.

Yet the real scandal here should be how the rapper's visit spotlighted where Malaysia finds itself in 2013 relative to Psy's homeland. Four decades ago, resource-rich Malaysia was ahead of resource-poor Korea on a per capita gross-domestic-product basis. Today, Korea is far ahead and widening the gap. Make that galloping ahead, in a nod to Psy's crazed horse-riding dance.

Source: http://www.zunar.my/toons/oppose-penang-style/

The reason Korea is in the spotlight is human and innovative capital. Asia's fourth-biggest economy invested aggressively in education and productivity-enhancing technologies. Corporate names like Samsung, LG and Hyundai steadily upped research-and-development spending. Today, Samsung Electronics Co.'s Galaxy phone is the only thing standing between Apple Inc.'s iPhone and world domination. Hyundai Motor Co. is gaining market share, while Malaysia still toils with its laggard automaker Proton Holdings Bhd.

The problem? Najib's party, which has dominated Malaysian politics for more than six decades, is a bit too stuck in time for the good of the nation's 29 million people. It talks a good game of economic reform and change, but fails to address the reason many investors look elsewhere: a four-decade-old affirmative-action program that benefits ethnic Malays, hurts productivity and impedes foreign investment.

And it's not just foreigners. Take Tony Fernandes, the Malaysian who founded budget carrier AirAsia Bhd. and is often called Southeast Asia's answer to Richard Branson. Last year, he decided to move his regional headquarters from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta.

Jakarta AirAsia flight map

Malaysia is a great place and its potential is boundless. Yet the government has been slow to raise the economy's game at a time when the global playing field is growing and its players are galloping faster than ever. Psy could show Najib a thing or two about that. He could show his native Korea, too.

(William Pesek is a Bloomberg View columnist. Follow him on Twitter.)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-15/-gangnam-style-dances-into-malaysian-politics-.html

A REPORT FROM THE CHURCH LEADERS’ PRAYER RETREAT: A CALL TO UNITY, HOLINESS AND PRAYER

2013-01-31T16:18:00.000+08:00

A REPORT FROM THE CHURCH LEADERS’ PRAYER RETREAT

The 3-Day Fast and Prayer Retreat held at Peacehaven, Genting Highlands

from 24 to 26 January 2013

A CALL TO UNITY, HOLINESS AND PRAYER

1. What happened

a. It was a defining moment for the nation

i. We held a 3-day fast and prayer retreat, where 9 major prayer networks came together, with 170 people attending, made up of intercessors and church leaders from both the CCM and NECF-related churches.

ii. It was a very moving time where we saw reconciliation and seeking forgiveness between churches, church ministry organisations and networks.

2. What we discerned

a. God desires for us to know His heart.

b. We need grace to accept God’s sovereignty over the future of the nation, and the faith to believe that God’s way is best.

c. We are to love the nation as God has placed us here to fulfill His purposes for this country.

d. God desires His Church - who is His bride - to be holy. He is most concerned with the current condition of the Church, as well as the nation.

i. Unity – Unity must be based on the right motives, that is, not because of self-preservation, but that we come together because of who we are in Christ.

ii. Humility – We need to serve others as greater than ourselves, as seen by the exemplary act that we saw during the prayer retreat, of seeking forgiveness and reconciliation between churches, church ministry organisations and networks.

iii. Holiness – The holiness of His church is key to transforming the nation. The church has backslidden and is being “built on sand.” If we are to seek revival, we must return to holy living in our personal and corporate lives.

iv. Compassion – To seek the prosperity and care for the poor and oppressed. We are to love and embrace neglected groups focusing on breaking down the following walls:

· Wall of fear

· Wall of unbelief

· Wall of racial prejudice

v. Sacrificial – We are to return to counting the absolute cost of discipleship and be prepared to take up our cross and follow Jesus.

vi. Prayerful – God desires His church to be prayerful if she hopes to see revival. The church is presently suffering from prayerlessness and we need to build up more intensity in prayer.

vii. Loving our neighbours – to intentionally build relationships across cultures and races.

e. General Elections

i. God reminds us that He is the chessmaster for the nation. We are to pray for righteous men and women to be voted in to govern the nation, to be protected from evil men plotting mischief, to pray against alliances that promote extremism and oppression, and against any parties capable of causing further polarization.

f. We affirm today that God is working in His world and in Asia, both in the seen and unseen Church; claiming the verse, John 5:17 – “Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at work to this very day, and I too, am working.”

g. We recognise that the Malaysian Church is two-thirds Bumiputra, and we want to affirm the significance of raising the stature of the indigenous church, and its leadership.

h. We affirm that the Church is called to dual roles as the prophetic voice and peacemaker in nation building.

i. We continue to uphold the current generation for strength to continue running the race, setting the pace and leading the way, and to journey together with the next generation to bring His kingdom to come.

3. Action Plans

a. To issue a Prayer Booklet for the General Elections to prepare the church to cover the nation in prayer before, during and after the elections.

b. To circulate this statement which is to be shared to all churches as an encouragement and a call to unity, holiness and prayer.

Issued on behalf of Prayer United,

JOINT SECRETARIES

(signed)

Chrisanne Chin (CCM)

Rev Andy Chi (NECF)

Dated this January 31, 2013

CFM: PROPOSED BIBLE-BURNING AN ABHORRENT ACT

2013-01-22T23:14:00.001+08:00

CHRISTIAN FEDERATION OF MALAYSIA
(PERSEKUTUAN KRISTIAN MALAYSIA)
Address: 26 Jalan Universiti, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Mobile : + 6016 3689543

Email: cfmsia@yahoo.co.uk

22nd January 2013

CFM MEDIA STATEMENT
PROPOSED BIBLE-BURNING AN ABHORRENT ACT

This morning a notice was found in the post box of a Christian priest in Butterworth which provided information that there would be a "pesta" of burning the Bahasa Melayu version of the Bible and inviting people to attend.

This terrible event is to be held this Sunday 27th January 2013 at 10am in front of the Dewan Ahmad Badawi at the Bagan Luar municipality field in Butterworth.

The Christian Federation of Malaysia vehemently abhors this Bible-burning proposed action which was first mooted by the Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali who is also the Member of Parliament for Pasir Mas and now it seems someone or a group (the Anti-Bahasa Melayu Bible Action Group) has threatened to make Bible-burning a reality this Sunday on a day most sacred to Christians as they worship the Almighty God.

All religious Scriptures are sacred books and we should not threaten to burn them or to desecrate any such holy book in any manner.

Christians are peace-loving people who will continue to seek peace and harmony across all religious groups for the well-being of our great country. We pray that good sense and moderation will prevail for all people in times such as these. We call on those who desire to foment hatred for political gain to cease and desist from such a vile act - an act unbecoming of us as Malaysians who uphold the Rukunegara of which the first pillar is "Belief in God".

CFM encourages all Malaysians and especially the Christians to be in prayer that such a thing will not happen in our beloved Malaysia.

May the Almighty God confound the plans of such devious people who threaten to burn the Holy Scripture of the Christians in the Bahasa Melayu version.

Bishop Datuk Ng Moon Hing
Chairman and the Executive Committee
The Christian Federation of Malaysia

NB : The scanned copy of the notice is attached to this statement.

Kes Penganiayaan Membakar Alkitab Hari Ahad Ini Di Butterworth (Translation)

2013-01-22T12:48:00.001+08:00

KES PENGANIAYAAN MEMBAKAR ALKITAB DI BUTTERWORTH PADA HARI AHAD INI

Seorang paderi di Butterworth menerima nota dalam peti surat pos tanpa sebarang alamat pengirim atau asal notis itu, menyeru umat Islam untuk membakar Alkitab Bahasa Malaysia yang mengandungi perkataan Allah. Dalam nota ini, "pesta" pembakaran Alkitab akan diadakan pada hari Ahad 27 Januari pada 10 pagi di padang berhadapan Dewan Ahmad Badawi yang sangat berhampiran Gereja Anglikan.

Mari kita berdoa untuk yang berikut:

1. Kebijaksanaan untuk semua pemimpin gereja supaya mereka dapat membuat keputusan bagaimana menguruskan hal ini selanjutnya;

2. Berdoalah bahawa jika mereka teruskan niat mereka untuk membakar Alkitab, mereka akan dikelilingi oleh kehadiran Roh Kudus and Yesus Kristus, kerana mereka tidak berjuang dengan manusia, tetapi dengan Allah sendiri.

3. Berdoalah untuk orang umat Kristian supaya tidak ketakutan, tetapi saling mengasihi dan berdoa kepada sesiapa yang mempunyai niat buruk, dan akan terus menyembah pada Hari Ahad dengan kegembiraan dan keberanian.

4. Berdoalah untuk keamanan negara kita ditegakkan, bahawa niat-niat jahat yang ingin membawa kerosakan, memprovokasi dan kebencian antara kaum dan agama tidak akan berjaya dengan rancangan jahat mereka untuk membangkitkan ketakutan, kebencian dan keganasan.

5. Berdoalah terutamanya untuk saudara Ibrahim Ali dan pengikut-pengikutnya. Kami memberkati dia, keluarga beliau dan pengikut-pengikutnya dengan kasih sayang Tuhan. Kita berdoa bahawa dia juga akan dapat mengalami kehadiran Yesus Kristus, seperti apa yang berlaku kepada Paulus ketika perjalanannya ke Damsyik.

Threat to burn BM Alkitab on Sunday 27 Jan, 2013 in Butterworth

2013-01-22T11:48:00.004+08:00

URGENT NEWSFLASH FOR PRAYER: A pastor in Butterworth received a note in his post box without any address of the sender or the origin of the notice, calling Muslims to burn Malay Bibles with the word Allah. The burning is to be held on Sunday 27th January at 10 am at the field in front of Badawi Town Hall here very near to the Anglican Church.

Let's pray for the following:

1. Wisdom for all church leaders as they decide how to proceed.
2. Pray that if they should burn the Bibles, they will be overwhelmed by great fear of the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ appearing before them, because they are not fighting men, but God Himself.
3. Pray for Christians not to fear or be intimidated, but to love and pray for our enemies and go about celebrating the Lord's Day with joy and courage.
4. Pray for peace to be upheld, that men intent on provoking mischief and hatred between races and religions will not succeed with their evil plans to stir fear, hatred and violence.
5. Pray especially for Ibrahim Ali and his followers. We bless him, his family and his followers with God's love. We pray that he too may have a life-changing encounter with our Lord Jesus Christ, just as Paul did on the road to Damascus.

CCM Heads of Churches Statement on the use of the word "Allah"

2013-01-17T12:35:00.002+08:00

CCM Heads of Churches Statement on the use of the word "Allah".

The Heads of Churches of the Council of Churches of Malaysia, meeting in Ipoh at its retreat has noted the current discourse over the use of the word " Allah" by non-Muslims. We wish to reiterate our stand that Malaysian Christians have been using the word "Allah" in their Malay Bible and devotional life for centuries. Also, many indigenous communities in our nation have incorporated this word in their everyday language. That being the case, we shall continue this practice - a right guaranteed to us in our Federal Constitution ( Art 11 ) and call on all parties to respect this fundamental right.

CCM Heads of Churches, dated 9th January, 2013

Malaysia's 'Darling' Status Isn't What It Seems

2013-01-12T21:47:00.001+08:00

Malaysia's 'Darling' Status Isn't What It Seems

By William Pesek Jan 11, 2013 10:37 PM GMT+0800

Never underestimate the power of delusion. Just ask Muhyiddin Yassin, the deputy prime minister of an Asian economy that last year almost beat Hong Kong as a destination for initial public offerings. The market in question: Malaysia.

The Southeast Asian nation topped Group of Seven-member Canada in 2012, ending the year as the world's fifth-largest IPO market. Not bad, considering Malaysia is Asia's ninth-biggest stock market, hardly a regional powerhouse. Malaysia was deemed a safe haven from Europe's debt crisis and a reasonable play on the China growth story.

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Yet Malaysian officials shouldn't get ahead of themselves in thinking their economy has suddenly become a "darling of investors," as Muhyiddin has said. There's a strong whiff of complacency in his recent comments about how the government is raising its economic game. If only it were.

Muhyiddin's boss, Prime Minister Najib Razak, has talked a great game of reform. But Malaysia has yet to tackle the reason so many investors and multinational companies underweight the place: affirmation-action policies that hold back its growth and dynamism in the world's most competitive region.

Malaysia is sandwiched between industrial heavyweights Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan, and a cast of fast-rising upstarts including China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. Malaysia needs to act boldly and expeditiously to dismantle productivity-killing quotas that benefit only ethnic Malays.

"It's losing relevance and refuses to change its politically entrenched affirmative-action policies to gain back its economic prowess," said Chrisanne Chin, capital-markets consultant at IABT Research Malaysia. "The government is only interested in keeping power."

That creates a counterproductive brain-drain dynamic that encourages many non-Malays to seek opportunities overseas, especially in Singapore. "The brain drain is very real as the government continues its downward slide into mediocrity and decay," Chin said. "A darling of investors? I think not."

Muhyiddin and Najib must be careful about believing their own good press and get to work. Talking about leveling the playing field in Malaysia isn't the same as doing it. Until that happens, many executives and investors may take their business elsewhere.

(William Pesek is a Bloomberg View columnist. Follow him on Twitter.)

Read more breaking commentary from Bloomberg View at the Ticker.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-01-11/malaysia-s-darling-status-isn-t-what-it-seems.html

Orang Asli can keep chapel in Machap Umboo

2013-01-10T10:15:00.002+08:00

Orang Asli can keep chapel in Machap Umboo

Malaysiakini article by Hafiz Yatim: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/218457

Jan 9, 2012

A consent judgment has been recorded in the Malacca High Court between the Orang Asli of Machap Umboo and three government agencies over the attempted demolition of a chapel built on native customary land.

The consent was recorded yesterday by Judicial Commissioner Abdul Karim Jalil who made no order as to costs.

Litigant Heerby Siam, who is from the Temuan tribe, had filed a judicial review application to challenge the Alor Gajah Municipal Council’s order to demolish the chapel via a notice dated Nov 25, 2011.

She named the Land and Mines Department and the Malacca government as the other respondents.

On Nov 25, 2011, the Malacca High Court had allowed a stay of the demolition order.

On May 11 last year, the litigant’s lawyers had been granted leave to initiate a judicial review.

Malacca state legal advisor Meor Hashimi Abdul Hamid had on Dec 10 last year - at the start of judicial review hearing - indicated that parties were attempting to resolve the dispute.

This resulted in the consent judgment, the main terms of which are:

The land in Kampung Orang Asli Macap Umboo is to be gazetted immediately as aboriginal reserve land under Section 62 of the National Land Code 1965.

The proposed gazetted land is to be produced to Heerby via her lawyers for approval.

she is then to submit her application to the council and pay the processing fee - pending this, the council will not impose a fine on her and will withdraw the demolition notice.

Pending the issuance of approval, the chapel will not be demolished.

In accordance with the special position of the Orang Asli as enshrined in Article 8(5)(c) of the federal constitution, the respondents shall not impose disproportionate conditions on Heerby.

Heerby undertakes to file the application within a month from the consent order or within a reasonable extention of time.

Heerby was represented by Steven Thiru, Victoria Ng Yiow Kheng, Yoges Subramaniam, Aaron Mathews and Gregory Das.

Sugandra Rao Naidu appeared for the municipal council, while Meor Hashimi represented the other two respondents.

Letter from Solicitors to MAIS on Allah Issue

2013-01-10T09:43:00.003+08:00

Letter from Solicitors to MAIS on Allah issue (Published with permission) urging MAIS to respect the decision of the court case and the rights of every ethnic religious freedom in our land in order to foster unity among Malaysians of all races.

Ruj Kami : LSS/3.12/3356/08/AX/vic
Tarikh : 10.1.2013

MAJLIS AGAMA ISLAM SELANGOR Serahan Tangan/Faks:
Aras 9, Menara Utara [5512 4042]
Bangunan Sultan Idris Shah
Persiaran Masjid, Seksyen 5,
40000 Shah Alam,
Selangor Darul Ehsan.
[Y.B. Dato Haji Mohd Misri Bin Haji Idris]

PER: KEPUTUSAN MAHKAMAH TINGGI MALAYA MENGENAI PENGGUNAAN KALIMAH ALLAH

Dengan segala hormatnya, kami adalah peguamcara dan peguambela yang telah mewakili pihak pemohon dalam satu tindakan guaman di Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur Kes No: R4 (2)-25-256-2008 (“kes Mahkamah tersebut”)

1. Kami ingin membawa keperhatian pihak Majlis Agama Islam Selangor (“MAIS”) bahawa melalui keputusan kes Mahkamah tersebut, Mahkamah yang Mulia telah memerintahkan bahawa pemohon, selaku seorang bukan Islam, diberi hak sepenuhnya untuk terus memiliki, memperolehi dan menggunakan apa-apa penerbitan dan bahan-bahan yang menggunakan perkataan “Allah” dalam mengamalkan agama sendiri.

2. Antara terma dalam perintah kes Mahkamah tersebut menyatakan sedemikian: -

“Pemohon diberikan suatu deklarasi bahawa ianya harapan sah (legitimate expectation) untuk Pemohon menggunakan dan/atau terus menggunakan istilah “Allah” serta mempunyai hak memilik, memperolehi, menggunakan dan mengimpot bahan yang dicetak dan diterbit termasuk Penerbitan, walaupun bahan dan penerbitan tersebut mengandungi perkataan “Allah” bagi menjalankan kebebasan pengamalan ugama sendiri.”

3. Sesalinan perintah kes Mahkamah tersebut bertarikh 4.5.2009 dilampirkan untuk rujukan senang pihak MAIS.

4. Justeru itu, melalui surat bertarikh 11.4.2011, No. ruj. JPM.PEMANDU.600-23/1/2011(2), Perdana Menteri Malaysia, Y.A.B. Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib telah menandatangani satu surat pekeliling di mana Kerajaan Malaysia telah bersetuju secara saksama bahawa mana-mana pihak yang mengamalkan agama mereka tersendiri boleh mengimpot, membeli, mencetak, menerbit, mengedarkan, membaca dan menggunakan kitab injil (Bible) dalam mana-mana bahasa termasuk Bahasa Malaysia.

5. Sesalinan surat pekeliling bertarikh 11.4.2011 yang ditandatangani oleh Perdana Menteri Malaysia serta Memo dari Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Dalam Negeri bertarikh 8.4.2011 dilampirkan di sini, untuk rujukan senang pihak MAIS.

6. Ekoran daripada keputusan Mahkamah yang Mulia di atas, kami ingin memaklumkan pihak MAIS bahawa mana-mana pihak yang mengamalkan agama mereka sendiri boleh mengimpot, membeli, mencetak, menerbit, mengedarkan, membaca dan menggunakan apa-apa bahan yang mengandungi kalimah “Allah”.

7. Tujuan kami untuk membawa keperhatian MAIS perintah kes Mahkamah tersebut serta surat pekeliling dari Jabatan Perdana Menteri adalah disebabkan baru-baru ini, pihak MAIS telah menyuarakan dan menimbulkan isu penggunaan kalimah “Allah” secara satu hala dan gagal serta abai untuk mempertimbangkan keputusan kes Mahkamah tersebut serta surat pekeliling dari Jabatan Perdana Menteri di atas.

8. Tindakan MAIS yang tidak sejajar dan bertentangan dengan perintah kes Mahkamah tersebut seolah-olah memperlekehkan dan tidak menghormati keputusan Kes Mahkamahtersebut.

9. Justeru itu, kami ingin membawa keperhatian MAIS bahawa setiap kumpulan agama di Malaysia berhak untuk menguruskan hal-ehwal agamanya tersendiri tanpa campur tangan oleh pihak-pihak lain. Ini adalah tertera di bawah Perkara 11(3)(a) Perlembagaan Persekutuan Malaysia.

10. Tindakan MAIS baru-baru ini yang menyarankan orang bukan Islam tidak boleh menggunakan kalimah “Allah” jelas bertentangan dengan Perkara 11(3) Perlembagaan Persekutuan serta perintah kes Mahkamah tersebut yang dilampirkan di atas.

11. Kami berharap pihak MAIS tidak akan mengungkitkan lagi isu penggunaan kalimah “Allah” oleh orang bukan Islam di media massa sebaliknya menghormati keputusan kes Mahkamah tersebut serta hak kebebasan beragama setiap kaum di tanah air kita demi memupuk perpaduan di kalangan rakyat Malaysia yang berbilang kaum.

Sekian, terima kasih.

Yang benar,

………………………..
Annou Xavier
b/p Tetuan Azri, Lee Swee Seng & Co

s.k. pihak-pihak berkenaan

Selangor Sultan stirs "Allah" controversy

2013-01-08T14:18:00.000+08:00

Articles gleaned in the news today over Selangor Sultan's statement banning BM speaking Christians from calling God, "Allah".

If I call my father, "Pa" and you call your father, "Pa", who are you to tell me I can't call my father "Pa" but "Dad"?

This is the Selangor state anthem that all school children sing in school every week at recess time.

Duli Yang Maha Mulia
Selamat di atas takhta
Allah lanjutkan usia Tuanku
Rakyat mohon restu bawah Duli Tuanku
Bahagia selama-lamanya
Aman dan sentosa
Duli Yang Maha Mulia

So suddenly, today, all of us are condemned for having sung this song of blessing for the Sultan all these years because we used the word "Allah"?

Please.

______________________________________________________________________

Malaysiakini Article: Selangor sultan shocked at Guan Eng's 'Allah' demand

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/218340

11:09AM Jan 8, 2013

Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah was shocked and has expressed regret over the earlier statement by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng urging the government to allow all Malay Bibles to use the word ‘Allah’, said the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais).

In a statement issued today, Mais secretary Mohd Misri Idris (right)said the sultan has decreed that all non-Muslims in the state are banned from using the word ‘Allah’ as it is a holy word exclusive for Muslims.

According to him, the decree was issued after the sultan convened a special meeting with several members of Mais, the Selangor mufti and top officers of Mais and Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) on Sunday following Lim’s remark.

The decree is in line with the earlier fatwa (edict) gazetted on Feb 18, 2010.

“His Highness had issued the same decree related to the use of ‘Allah’ three years before when this issue was first raised.

“His Highness felt deep regret because his decree has been taken lightly by certain quarters until the same issue was raised again,” said Mohd Misri.

The sultan has instructed Mais and Jais to take stern action against any Muslim or non-Muslim who still questions or disparages the fatwa issued according to Selangor laws.

Section 9 of the Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation amongst Muslims) Enactment 1988 prohibits the use of ‘Allah’ by non-Muslim in any matter related to their religions.

“The sultan also instructed non-Muslim not to interfere in Islamic affairs to avoid hostility and misunderstanding among races in this country,” said Mohd Misri, adding that the ruler also urged all quarters not to abuse Islam to gain political mileage.

After Lim’s Christmas message, which urged the BN-led federal government to allow Christians to use ‘Allah’ in the Bahasa Malaysia version of the Bible, drew flak from various quarters, DAP later clarified that the statement only referred to the Malay language Bible in Sabah and Sarawak.

However the clarification failed to quell the controversy.

TMI Article: Non-Muslims must not use ‘Allah’, says Selangor Sultan

UPDATED @ 01:15:22 PM 08-01-2013

January 08, 2013

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/non-muslims-must-not-use-allah-says-selangor-sultan/

Shipments of the Alkitab were blocked or confiscated at ports before the government finally bowed to pressure and released them in 2011. – File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 8 – The Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah is shocked at Lim Guan Eng’s remarks over the word “Allah” and has called for an emergency meeting with state Islamic religious officials to bar non-Muslims from using the Arabic word for god, the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) said today.

In December 2009, the High Court ruled that the word “Allah” was not restricted to Muslims and the Catholic Church had the right to published the word in the Malay section of its weekly newspaper, Herald.

“His majesty the Selangor Sultan has made a decision and decreed that the word ‘Allah’ is a sacred word specific to Muslims and is strictly forbidden to use by any non-Muslim religion in Selangor as stated in a fatwa and gazetted on 18 February 2010,” MAIS secretary Datuk Mohd Misri Idris said in a statement.

Mohd Misri (picture)added that Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah had issued a similar decree three years ago when the “Allah” issue first erupted and regretted that his statement was taken lightly.

He also said the Selangor Ruler had instructed MAIS and the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (JAIS) to take firm action against all groups, including non-Muslims, who continued to question the state fatwa.

He pointed out that the Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Amongst Muslims) Enactment restricting the use of the word was passed in the state assembly 25 years ago and enforced in July 1988.

He said the state law was also in keeping with Article 11(4) of the Federal Constitution governing the spread of non-Muslim doctrine.

“Section 9 of the Enactment strictly forbids the word ‘Allah’ to be used by non-Muslims in any matter related to their religions.

“Those who breach this provision can be charged and sentences meted out against them,” he said.

The Selangor Sultan also chided those who would use Islam for political purposes and warned them against destroying the existing peace enjoyed by Malaysia’s multireligious community, Mohd Misri secretary said.

Further information on the state laws and fatwa regarding the use of the word “Allah” can be read on its website, he said.

The “Allah” storm was reignited recently when Lim, the opposition DAP’s secretary-general, raised the controversial “Allah” issue in his Christmas message urging the federal government to lift its ban on the word published in the Malay bibles shipped in to Sabah and Sarawak, who form the bulk of Malaysia’s 9.2 per cent Christian population.

In recent years, the Christian and Muslim religious communities have been engaged in a tug-of-war over the word “Allah”, with the latter group arguing that its use should be exclusive to them on the grounds that Islam is monotheistic and the word “Allah” denotes the Muslim god.

Shipments of the Alkitab, the Malay-language Bible catering to the Bahasa Malaysia-speaking Bumiputera Christians, were blocked or confiscated at ports, before the government finally bowed to pressure and released them in 2011.

Selangor and the term ‘Allah’ — The Malaysian Insider

January 08, 2013

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/selangor-and-the-term-allah-the-malaysian-insider/

JAN 8 — Today, the Selangor Sultan ruled that non-Muslims cannot use the term “Allah” in their religion. Apart from Muslims, Christians from Sabah and Sarawak, and the Sikhs, use that Arabic term.

The state Ruler is repeating what Islamic authorities have been saying for years, based on a fatwa gazetted three years ago.

Fact is, non-Muslims need not get excited by today’s statement. It really does not change anything for those who use the term in their prayers.

Fact is, Christians and Sikhs and people of other faiths apart from Islam do not look to the Selangor Sultan for guidance or direction in the practise of their religion

He is the leader of Muslims in the state. Period.

For non-Muslims, he is the head of state and is accorded all respect for that but he has no say in how non-Muslims practise their faith or call their god.

That is the reality of the situation in Malaysia, that no one or no faith can legislate how people want to worship or name their god.

After all, Selangor today is more cosmopolitan, having hosted Sikhs for more than a century and now Malaysians from Sabah and Sarawak who have used the term all their lives without affecting the Muslims.

So, keep calm and pray the way you have all these years.

After all, those in Selangor have to use the Arabic term when singing the state anthem. There has been no objection or any cleric wondering who “Allah” is in the lyrics.

This too will pass. And come up again from time to time. Move on from this. Pray as you will. Live in peace. That is as important as how you call God.

Malaysiakini Article: Orang Asli dept: No control over logging, pollution

2013-01-07T12:42:00.003+08:00

Orang Asli dept: No control over logging, pollution

A Malaysiakini Article

by Nigel Aw

Kuala Lumpur - Jan 7 2013

The Kelantan and Terengganu Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) has acknowledged that the Orang Asli community in Gua Musang, Kelantan is being threatened by widespread logging and water pollution, but that the causes are beyond its control.

"Jakoa constantly takes note of the water pollution around Orang Asli villages as a result of logging activities,” it said in an email response to Malaysiakini.

"However, the department does not have power to stop these activities as it is under the state government's jurisdiction."

Nonetheless, it said, the situation is being monitored. Jakoa will also communicate with the state Forestry Department, which issues logging licences, should logging encroach into the water catchment area.

Last month,Malaysiakini had reported that the traditional way of life of the Orang Asli community in Gua Musang is beingthreatened by endemic logging for mass plantation under the Kelantan government's Ladang Rakyat programme.

Furthermore, the logging activities have destroyed the water catchment areas of several villages there and turned rivers murky with muddy water.

Jakoa denied that it has failed to safeguard these communities against logging activities, instead fingering the state government for keeping it out of the loop.

"Such allegations are untrue as the Ladang Rakyat project is by the Kelantan government and carried out on state land even though some may be near Orang Asli settlements.

"Jakoa has never been invited by the state authority to discuss the Ladang Rakyat project.”

The department said all Orang Asli settlements in Kelantan are considered to be on state land, as none of these areas have been gazetted for the community except for that in Kampung Jedip, which was gazetted on March 29 last year.

"However, Jakoa had in 2011 appointed 15 surveyors to measure an area of 5907.72 ha for gazetting as Orang Asli settlements. In 2012, Jakoa appointed 45 surveyors involving an area of 5,875 ha," it said.

Utility supplies

Asked about the Orang Asli villages not having functioning basic amenities despite having solar panels and water treatment plants, Jakoa said the problems are being rectified.

With regard to solar panels that are no longer functioning, it said these are too expensive to be repaired.

"The solar panels were installed in 2002 under a project by the Rural and Regional Development Ministry... due to prolonged use, the damage is not economical to repair.

"However, Jakoa is in the process of supplying electricity through a solar hybrid system to the Orang Asli villages.”

For starters, the department said two clusters of Orang Asli settlements, namely Pos Brooke and Pos Tohoi, will be linked to an electricity grid that will provide round-the-clock power supply.

As for water, Jakoa said the infrastructure is functioning but cannot be operated due to the lack of fuel supply.

"Fuel cannot be supplied for now as the contract has expired. The ministry and department are in the process of appointing a contractor for maintenance of the water treatment plants," it added.

A Call to Pray for the Nation

2013-01-06T01:25:00.002+08:00

A Nationwide Call to Prayer for Malaysia - 3 Days Fast and Pray for the Nation from January 24-26, 2013. Light up Malaysia wherever you are! Mobilize prayer at your churches, schools, colleges, universities and youth fellowships! Pray for Malaysia! Please share and get all Christians praying!

Malaysiakini: Whither RM207 Billion Death Railway Compensation?

2013-01-06T00:13:00.002+08:00

Malaysiakini Report
Kuala Lumpur - 5 January 2013

'Whither RM207bil Death Railway compensation?'

Until today, neither hide nor hair of the estimated RM207 billion Japanese compensation, for using over 30,000 Malayans as forced labour for the infamous Death Railway from Siam to Burma during World War II, has been seen by surviving victims or their heirs, claimed former Perak menteri besar Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin.

"We don't know if the money is still in the keeping of the government or has been disbursed to the victims.

"There were 30,000 who had survived to come back to Malaysia, though some had died, they have heirs who formed the Association of former labourers and heirs of the Siam-Burma 1942-1946 railway construction," Nizar was quoted in a Harakahdaily report.

According to records, Nizar (right) detailed that out of the some 30,000 survivors, 60 percent are Malays, 20 percent Indians, 15 percent Chinese and five percent from other races.

If his calculation holds true, heestimated that each family stands to receive at least RM 3 million each.

Since their official registration on January 11, 2011, the association involved had applied several times to recover the monies from the Malaysian government, which had accepted the compensation from the Japanese government, but to no avail.

No explanation from gov't

Nizar said that until today, they do not know if the compensation is in the national treasury of Amanah Raya, as no explanation has been given by the government despite repeated applications by the NGO representing the Death Railway victims and their heirs.

This, he said is despite the Japanese embassy already confirming that the monies had been transferred to the Malaysian government long ago.

He claimed he has met with Japanese embassy officials and has sighted official documents which detailed the transfer.

During World War II, the Japanese occupation authority had conscripted Malayans as forced labour and used prisoners of war to build the infamous Death Railway, which it needed to bolster its supply route for its forces in Malaya and nearby Asian countries.

Tens of thousands of labourers suffered greatly in the process with many perishing in the effort.

Stories depicting the harrowing tale behind the construction of the infamous railway were immortalised in Landasan Maut, a local novel by Salleh De Ran, and the Hollywood movie Bridge on the River Kwai.

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/218138

True Fasting - A 40 Day Journey: With Bishop Hwa Yung's Foreword (Update 2)

2012-11-21T23:14:00.000+08:00

Foreword by Bishop Emeritus Hwa Yung for
"True Fasting - A 40 Day Journey"

Bishop Emeritus Hwa Yung
Methodist Church of Malaysia

"All who are aware know that we live in a difficult time in the history of our nation. If we are to see the power of God entering into the hearts of men and women, redeeming individuals and transforming the nation, we must humble ourselves before God and seek His mercies once again.

For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,

Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:

‘I dwell in the high and holy place,

and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit…’ (Isaiah 57:15).

If the Malaysian church is to become God’s instrument of blessing for the nation, we must indeed learn to turn to God in prayer and fasting. When we do so, the powers of heaven will be released upon earth once again in our time!

‘True Fasting’ is a simple and solid guide to the spiritual disciplines of prayer and fasting. I would happily recommend it for your use in the next 40 days. May God use you as one of those He is seeking to use to release His saving and transforming power upon Malaysia!"

To download UPDATED versions of A4 Booklet (21MB) and Customised Square Booklet (19MB) click on links.

True Fasting - A 40 Day Journey (21 Nov-31 Dec 2012)

2012-11-20T23:23:00.001+08:00

As we commit the end of this year with a 40 days fast and pray yet again, we hope that many of you will join us. It begins tomorrow on 21st November 2012 culminating in an Esther 24/7 3-day fast for the nation from 29th-31st December 2012 and a New Year's Eve countdown on 31st December 2012.

The theme of this year's 40 day journey is based on Isaiah 58 which speaks about the meaning of true fasting. It is a very powerful chapter for us to reflect on as we prepare our hearts for next year, and look at the road before -- whether we have pleased the Lord.

We have 40 days more to go before the year ends. Therefore, let us fix our eyes on Jesus and take up this challenge. Come and journey with us as 2013 will be a critical year in every aspect. Hence, as we end this year, let us come before God and set our hearts, motives, intentions, purpose and mission right, as we look to Him as our only hope for our own lives and for our nation.

To download booklet - click on the preferred format ..

For A4 format

For customised format

Join FB group True Fasting - A 40 Day Journey.https://www.facebook.com/groups/473007606072108/

Prayer United Mobilises Prayer for Upcoming General Elections

2012-11-13T21:48:00.000+08:00

PRAYER UNITED is calling all churches in Malaysia to mobilise prayer for the approaching general elections. This call to prayer is embodied in the principles laid out in the recent circular from the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) dated 18^th July, 2012 entitled “VOTE WISELY; VOTE FOR A BETTER MALAYSIA.”

The appeal is to all Christians to remain faithful, that in our exercise of leadership and stewardship in obedience to God’s Word, that we exercise our duty to nation building to vote as well as to soak in prayer the nation’s well being; ahead, during, and after the general elections.

This election season is expected to be one of the most critical of our nation’s history as it will be held during the Jubilee year, a spiritual reset for the nation, which is not a coincidence. The choices made today will impact the nation’s course and our children’s future for decades to come. Hence, is imperative for Christians to humble ourselves and seek God’s heart and favour for our nation.

To download the full announcement which include prayer points and guides, please click on the following links to download the file in different translations.

We call upon all youth and prayer networks to mobilize prayer at all grass roots, cells and campuses! The time is NOW.

CCM Youth

Sudah Tiba Masa Untuk Kita Bersuara: Kenyataan Pastoral dari Gereja-Gereja Bumiputera di Sabah dan Sarawak

THE TIME HAS NOW COME FOR THE BUMIPUTERA CHURCH TO SPEAK: A PASTORAL COMMUNIQUE

Malaysia Needs to Get Off the Road to Mediocrity by William Pesek

Malaysia Needs to Get Off the Road to Mediocrity

AN EPISCOPAL LETTER TO ALL IN THE FAMILY OF THE METHODIST CHURCH IN MALAYSIA ON GE13

PRAYER UNITED: GENERAL ELECTIONS 2013 (GE13) MOBILISING PRAYER FOR POLLING DAY: MAY 5, 2013

Full Message by Bishop Sebastian Francis, Catholic Bishop of Penang

Singapore Straits Times: Prayer Guide, Video to Help Christians Vote Wisely

GE13 Prayer Booklet - Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin translations

General Elections 2013 Prayer Booklet Ready for Free Download!

"Gangnam Style" Dances into Malaysian Politics - William Pesek

'Gangnam Style' Dances Into Malaysian Politics

A REPORT FROM THE CHURCH LEADERS’ PRAYER RETREAT: A CALL TO UNITY, HOLINESS AND PRAYER

A REPORT FROM THE CHURCH LEADERS’ PRAYER RETREAT

The 3-Day Fast and Prayer Retreat held at Peacehaven, Genting Highlands

from 24 to 26 January 2013

A CALL TO UNITY, HOLINESS AND PRAYER

CFM: PROPOSED BIBLE-BURNING AN ABHORRENT ACT

Kes Penganiayaan Membakar Alkitab Hari Ahad Ini Di Butterworth (Translation)

Threat to burn BM Alkitab on Sunday 27 Jan, 2013 in Butterworth

CCM Heads of Churches Statement on the use of the word "Allah"

Malaysia's 'Darling' Status Isn't What It Seems

Malaysia's 'Darling' Status Isn't What It Seems

About William Pesek»

More from William Pesek:

Orang Asli can keep chapel in Machap Umboo

Letter from Solicitors to MAIS on Allah Issue

Selangor Sultan stirs "Allah" controversy

TMI Article: Non-Muslims must not use ‘Allah’, says Selangor Sultan

Selangor and the term ‘Allah’ — The Malaysian Insider

Malaysiakini Article: Orang Asli dept: No control over logging, pollution

A Call to Pray for the Nation

Malaysiakini: Whither RM207 Billion Death Railway Compensation?

True Fasting - A 40 Day Journey: With Bishop Hwa Yung's Foreword (Update 2)

True Fasting - A 40 Day Journey (21 Nov-31 Dec 2012)

Prayer United Mobilises Prayer for Upcoming General Elections