Shadow Policy Committee

By Melissa Chi Leaders from the Opposition have described the controversy surrounding Malay bibles and the use of “Allah” by Christians as just the tip of the iceberg in the erosion of non-Muslim rights. DAP publicity chief Tony Pua said the government did not seem to be picking specifically on Christians, but other religions other than Islam as well. “I think that the government has the same treatment to all religions, it’s just that the Christians are speaking up today. If you look at the school system, government departments, you can see mild forms of preferences or restrictions of religions increasing over the years. “It is already happening, it’s just that [followers of] other religions are not speaking up about it,” he said. He said for example there was a limit on the number of temples that can be built, and that if it was in a Malay majority area, no other places of worship could be built in the vicinity. The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, S...

by Wong Choon Mei Umno and its own ‘special’ brand of IsIam have drawn fire from the Muslim community in the country, which is balking at the uproar it has tried to create by accusing the Penang state government of being anti-Islam and wanting to cancel the birthday march of Prophet Muhammad. “Such processions are only held in this part of the Malay world. With or without the procession, Muslims can remember and celebrate Maulidur Rasul. Do not turn this episode into a racial or religious dispute for political gain,” a reader Syed Imran Syed Ahmad wrote in to a popular news portal. Syed Imran's comment was just one of the hundreds of such feedback that have poured in to news websites and blogs in response to the ruckus kicked up over Penang's alleged intention to do away with the annual procession on February 25. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has already denied the accusations, confirming that the march would carry on as usual. “I would urge Umno to remember the history of Abu Ja...

By: Lim Guan Eng, DAP Secretary-General, Penang Chief Minister and MP for Bagan It saddens me that less than one week after the arson attempts on two suraus in Muar, more despicable incidents took place in the Klang Valley today, whereby the heads of wild boars were found at the Masjid Jumhuriyah in Taman Dato Harun and the Al- Imam Tirmizi mosque at Taman Sri Sentosa near Old Klang Road this morning. This reminded us of the infamous “cow head” incident that took place last year in Shah Alam where irresponsible parties tried to fan religious and racial sentiments by hurling insults against fellow Malaysians who are Hindus. Such actions were condemned by Malaysians of all religious backgrounds and similar condemnation must be directed against the culprits who caused today's “pig-head” incident in mosques. Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had downplayed the various attacks on places of worship in the country since early this month as “minor aberrations”. It is not i...

A fourth Klang Valley church, this time in Kampung Subang, was reportedly attacked with Molotov cocktail which failed to explode while police have dismissed reports that cars with Christian symbols having their windscreens smashed in the Bangsar suburb today, hours after arson attacks on three churches. Police have sent a team to investigate the latest church attack in Kampung Subang which is linked to the controversial High Court ruling allowing “Allah” to be used by Catholic weekly Herald in its Bahasa Malaysia section that has outraged Muslim groups. Selangor police chief DCP Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said the Molotov cocktail failed to explode. City police have also increased patrols in the middle-class Bangsar suburb after people reported cars with Christian symbols such as crucifixes and rosaries had their windscreens smashed. However, police say no cars have been found smashed. DAP Bagan Parliamentary Liaison Committee would like to the authorities concerned to gear up their presen...

The Festival of Lights, better known as Deepavali or Diwali, is a public holiday here in Malaysia and is celebrated by the Hindu Community. This festival is celebrated with joy, excitement, bright lights and an even brighter smile! During the wait for the arrival of this festival, homes of the Hindu community is light up with the traditional 'vilakku' which are oil lamps made out of clay, colourful light bulbs and the decorative designs of 'kolam' which are decorated out of coloured rice or beans into fascinating patterns of flowers. In conjunction with this festival, the State Government is featuring 'Deepavali Concert' during Esplanade in Action on 24th October 2009 from 8.30pm - 10pm. Therefore, don't miss out on a night of the enchanting Hindu culture! Happy Deepavali to all our Hindu friends, party members, voters and supporters!