KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 — Non-Muslims should not question a planned
seminar on “the threat of Christianisation” to Islam as the Federal
Constitution empowered Muslims to organise such events, a conservative
pressure group asserted today.
The Muslim Organisations in Defence of Islam (PEMBELA) defended the
event jointly organised by the Johor state education and mufti
departments, saying that opposition towards the event meant questioning
guaranteed Muslim rights.
“There is a trend to question the efforts to strengthen the faith of
Muslims, and this is ignorance towards the special rights of Muslims
enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
“Efforts like this seminar are guaranteed rights under Article 11(4)
of the constitution... the powers under this [Article] puts Islam at its
proper place, as the religion of this country,” PEMBELA
secretary-general Abdul Karim Omar told reporters.
“This is a position that cannot be questioned by anyone,” he said.
Article 11(4) of the Federal Constitution simply states that “state
law and... federal law may control or restrict the propagation of any
religious doctrine or belief among persons professing the religion of
Islam.”
Abdul Karim stressed that as the seminar was only meant for Muslim
teachers and did not involve non-Muslims, “there was no need to get
upset” over the matter.
“[Participation at] the seminar is by special invitation... it
focuses on intra-religious matters of Muslims, it’s about challenges
faced by Muslims,” he said.
Abdul Karim said there was no need for the Malaysian Consultative
Council of Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) to get
involved in the matter, reiterating that the seminar was “exclusively”
for Muslims.
“PEMBELA wants the irresponsible remarks made by several parties
withdrawn immediately, and for the Johor state education department and
the mufti state department to receive due respect for their noble
efforts in upholding the faith of Muslims,” added Abdul Karim.
The seminar themed “Pemantapan Aqidah, Bahaya Liberalisme dan
Pluralism Serta Ancaman Kristianisasi Terhadap Umat Islam. Apa Peranan
Guru?” (Strengthening the Faith, the Dangers of Liberalism and Pluralism
and the Threat of Christianity towards Muslims. What is the Role of
Teachers?), requires the attendance of two religious teachers from each
of the 55 national schools across Johor.
The Johor Mufti and Education departments have come under fire for
endorsing the unproven claim that Christians are threatening the Islamic
faith.
De facto Islamic affairs minister Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom has
defended the controversial seminar, saying that it was needed to
safeguard the interests of Muslims.
The Johor Mufti Department has said its seminar on Saturday is to
ensure young Muslims are not influenced by “the threat of
Christianisation.”
The officer in charge of the seminar told The Malaysian Insider
yesterday the department was jointly organising the event with the state
education authorities because they “fear young Muslims will be confused
and not understand” when faced with attempts to convert them.
“Even if there is no threat, we must be careful so that the faith of
Muslims will not be influenced,” the official, who declined to be named,
said when asked if he had proof of proselytising by Christians.
Chrisanne Chin, Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM) Youth
Moderator, expressed shocked and in disbelief over the seminar, saying
yesterday “why is there a perceived threat? Do they have to create this
sense of fear?”
Chin, who is also an executive council member of CCM, stressed that
while she was not against religious teacher training programmes, one
such as this would put pressure on the teachers to spread religious
tension and fear among unsuspecting pupils.
The Cabinet’s interfaith panel head Datuk Azman Amin Hassan said the
“provocatively-titled” seminar flies in the face of the government’s
school-level interfaith harmony week launched last month by Deputy Prime
Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
He added that while “it is fine to improve your faith”, such seminars
“will cause the [non-Muslim] community to feel uncomfortable.”
Azman also said in a text message that he has informed the federal
government’s “education director-general for immediate action.”
Pakatan Rakyat (PR)’s de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
yesterday labelled the seminar as “a disgusting political manoeuvre to
use religion to frighten the people”.
But the Malaysian Ulama Association (PUM) and Malay rights
organisation Perkasa supported the seminar as necessary, insisting that
the threat of proselytism is real.
The Johor Mufti Department officer also said that as part of their
responsibilities to Muslims, similar seminars have been held to “educate
(Muslim) youths and rural folks so there would be no misconception when
these issues arise.”
Christians form 9.2 per cent of Malaysia’s 28.3 million-strong 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.
Christians, however, have argued that “Allah” is an Arabic word that
has been used by those of other religious beliefs, including the Jews,
in reference to God in many other parts of the world, notably in Arab
nations and Indonesia.
Conservative Muslim groups have also accused Christians of attempting
to convert Malays, resulting in heightened tension between followers of
the two religions.
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