Removal of the Cross at Taman Medan - Selangor Press Statement

21 April 2015

On the forcible removal of the Cross at Taman Medan

1. Following the unwarranted and disturbing incident outside a Church at Taman Medan, a meeting was convened this morning with representatives of the Community of Praise Petaling Jaya Church, advisors to the State Committee on Non-Islam Affairs (HESI), councilors of Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) Mr FK Tang and Mr Peter Chong, Member of Parliament Petaling Jaya Selatan YB Hee Loy Sian and state representatives YB Hannah Yeoh and YB R. Rajiv.

2. In the meeting, several matters were clarified. They include:-

2.1 That the Church has been meeting since August 2014, serving Christians from the community;

2.2 That the Cross was put up on 17th April 2015 outside the premises;

2.3 That the violent protest held by Umno branch on 19th April 2015 had intimidated the Christians who were there at their regular Sunday service and had forced the Pastor to bring down the Cross out of fear for the safety of the congregation.

3. In addition, MBPJ Councillors also clarified that since 2008, the previous State Committee on Non-Islam Affairs (then known as State Committee on Non-Islam Places of Worship or RIBI) has allowed Churches to operate in commercial premises or offices without the need for application of permits, only by way of notification to the committee. This is based on the principle that Article 11 of the Federal Constitution embodies freedom of worship.

4. Therefore, today's statement by the Public Relations Officer of MBPJ as reported in The Star newspaper that Churches in office blocks need to apply for permits is not accurate. There is no such policy put forward by the state committee HESI. A notification to HESI committee suffices. And if any local councils have any issues or questions, they are to refer back to the HESI committee.

5. There are however existing guidelines on stand-alone Non-Islamic Buildings of Worship which cover land applications, land conversions, buildings, demolitions and applications for funds.

6. As firmly expressed by the Menteri Besar YAB Azmin Ali yesterday, the State Government finds the forcible removal of the Cross to be abhorrent to Christians and to the fundamentals of freedom of worship enshrined in the Federal Constitution. In the meeting, we have advised the Church to return the Cross to its origin site to stop this precedent of mob rule by politically-aligned extremists.

7. At the same time, we call upon the Royal Malaysian Police to take this matter very seriously in order to ensure the safety of worshippers are protected at all times and there will be no repeats of such cases in Selangor.

Released by:
YB Elizabeth Wong
Co-Chair, State Committee on Non-Islam Affairs
Selangor State Executive Councillor

Churches have right to display cross under Constitution, say lawyers

Published: Monday April 20, 2015 MYT 10:47:00 AM 
Updated: Monday April 20, 2015 MYT 11:03:48 AM

BY TAN YI LIANG

Intolerance: Protesters outside the Taman Medan church before the cross was removed

PETALING JAYA: Churches have a right to display the cross on their buildings under the Federal Constitution and should not be forced to take it down.

“Under Article 11, all Malaysians have a right to practise their own religion and the cross is an integral and indispensable part of the Christian faith – so it comes under the rights of Malaysians under Article 11(1) of the Federal Constitution,” said constitutional lawyer New Sin Yew.

He said that Article 11(1) reads that every person has the right to profess and practice his religion and, subject to Clause (4), to propagate it.

Article 11(4) reads that state law and in respect of the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Labuan, Federal law may control or restrict the propagation of any religious doctrine or belief among persons professing the religion of Islam, he added.

He further questioned the argument put forward by the demonstrators in Taman Medan on Sunday that the sight of the cross in a Muslim-majority area “challenged Islam” and could influence the young.

A group of 50 demonstrators had gathered outside a church in Taman Medan on Sunday to protest against a cross on the facade of the building.

They had demanded for the cross to be taken down, claiming that it challenged Islam.

It is understood that the cross was taken down by church authorities several hours later.  

“You need strong and credible evidence to prove that hanging a cross outside a church would constitute propagation of the Christian faith to Muslims. It would be absurd to suggest that hanging a cross outside a building would amount to propagating Christianity to Muslims,” said New.

He noted also that the group should not have taken matters into their own hands.

“Even if the church should not use a shophouse as a church, the mob should not take matters into their own hands and ignore the whole legal system. They should report the matter to the relevant local authorities or file a suit in court and let the relevant public bodies decide,” he added.

Similar views were shared by Lawyers for Liberty co-founder Eric Paulsen, who also said the church has a right to place the cross outside their building due to Article 11 of the Federal Constitution.

“The issue is much more one of local council, and if the church authorities have received the relevant approvals from the MBPJ, they have a legal right to put the cross on the building. It is quite misguided to say that because an area is majority-Malay Muslim, it is misguided to say that only their rights count,” said Paulsen.

He said that in any society, the rights of minorities deserved as much protection as those of the majority in an area, and cited an international example.

Source: http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/04/20/Churches-right-to-display-cross/

圣诞节传达包容和中庸信息

陈亚伦牧师与孙女安娜

2014年12月19日

作者：陈亚伦牧师

        圣诞节是传达包容别人和中庸信息的大好时机，尤其在一个日益排斥别人和极端的世界更合时宜。在马来西亚一个多元种族和宗教的国度，人民仍然在个别的佳节彼此祝贺。

        近年在购物广场互相竞争下，无不想尽办法摆设吸引人的圣诞节装饰，我们不是看到不同种族的人士都以它们为背景拍照吗？不少广场播放着传统的圣诞圣诗，也邀请教会来报佳音。这些动作都传达大马人民的和谐气氛，彼此尊重对方，国家才能安稳地前进。

        在一个教会神圣的12月份，竟然发生警方没收麻坡天主教会的31本圣诗簿，实在遗憾。长辈都记得马来亚独立及马来西亚成立初期，大家和睦共处，各种族持守信仰都相安无事。其实大马人普遍上都爱好和平的，只是，有一小撮政客为议程制造极端课题，让人以为这般情况是一个事实。

       极端的行动包括只要自己不喜欢的东西，就设法禁止别人去做。以美国为例，一群非基督徒不喜欢到了圣诞节佳期使用“Merry Christmas”（圣诞节快乐），施压政府推行“Happy Holidays”（假期快乐）来取代。虽然这群人得逞，越来越多人弃用前者而使用后者，但庆幸美国的圣诞节还看到教会聚会的来宾比平常要多。这证明了美国人仍然是喜欢圣诞节的。

        大马12月份发生上述不愉快的事，但也有愉快的事。即有25名马来显要公开促请政府推动中庸行动，继再有33名华、巫、印三大种族社会知名人士也如此呼吁政府，这些行动已经点燃了良性的“星星之火，足以燎原”之希望。我断定还会有更多有影响力的人士表态支持中庸！

        几年的伤害种族宗教之言论，越演越激，只有一群在野政治人物在抗拒，当想到“为何那些有识之士不敢发言，或者难道他们认同？”时，人民就对国家前途失信心。哦，沉默不等于认同，沉默的大众有多少人，没人知道。不过，这已经是第21世纪，马来西亚成立超过半世纪，人民已经很有见识了。沉默人士好比一个被压缩的弹簧，一旦把它释放，那个爆发力是不容忽视的！他们的行动，是大马的雨后甘霖！

        这也是第一个圣诞的原意：“在至高之处，荣耀归与上帝！在地上，平安归与祂所喜悦的人。”人民互相打斗，上帝不喜悦，所以他们失去平安。只有和睦共处，才能获得祂的喜悦，他们才有平安。同时使徒保罗形容祂的降世是取了奴仆的形象，这意味着谦卑。所以我们不要自私自利，只要谦卑，看别人比自己强。如果国人都这样做的话，就会彼此包容，秉持中庸，国家即幸福矣！

ISOLATE & PUNISH EXTREMISTS: To ignore is FOOLISH & DANGEROUS - NUCC pans Najib

(For Najib Razak's message, please visit: 
A National Reconciliation Update 
http://www.1malaysia.com.my/en/blog/rekonsiliasi-nasional-perkembangan-terkini/）
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Wednesday, 26 February 2014 12:45
Written by Ramon Navaratnam

I refer to Prime Minister Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak's well meaning advice to ``just ignore Extremists ``

With due respect sir , there are many Malaysians who will sincerely agree with me that that is not the way to deal with Extremists.

Their inflammatory statements and worse still ,their dangerously provocative and evil acts , based on racial and religious hatred , must instead be nipped in the bud !

Their seditious statements and incendiary acts , which undermine our fragile national unity , have to be exposed and those responsible , from any quarter , should be named , shamed , arrested and prosecuted . They have to be publicly exposed and harshly dealt with rather than inadvertently encouraged to do their dirty work stealthily , secretly ,and without scrutiny from the Rule of Law !

No reason to tolerate extremism, great necessity to take action

Malaysians should not tolerate extremists and extreme acts of any kind , in our multiracial, multi-religious and highly complicated and sensitive society

If we "just ignore Extremists", they can incite hatred and strife through the social media and get away Scott free , while most Malaysians who are Moderates , will be penalised and suffer from racial and religious persecution, from the very small minority of extremist lunatic fringe elements ,who will have a field day spewing poison in our society , without any inhibition

The security authorities too may take the cue and do little to restrain the Extremists and stop the rot of degradation in National Unity .

Ignoring would be most dangerous

I dare say that some members of the enthusiastic National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) , of which I am Chairman of the Inclusive Development Committee, may feel that their best efforts at helping to build National Unity , could be eroded by ignoring Extremists .

How can we ignore Extremists and their hate mails , when we all know that they go all out to destroy National Unity , so that they can as PM says , "overpower us"! We have to alert our family and friends to keep them on their guard.

But we will naturally and rightly expect the Government and the Security Authorities to be more vigilant and quick to arrest the growing mischief of the evil Extremists !

So Mr Prime Minister sir , please get tough and don't be soft on Extremists !Please do not introduce any thinking or policies, that may curtail the necessary and justified criticism and condemnation of extremists and extremist acts, that could "incite fear and hatred", that would undermine presently relatively peaceful and blessed Malaysia.

Ramon Navaratnam is Chairman of the Inclusive Development Committee in the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) and a past president of Transparency Int'l Malaysia

Source: http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=232862:isolate-punish-extremists-to-ignore-would-be-foolish-dangerous-najib-panned&Itemid=2#ixzz2uP8typyn