Di Mana Mereka? Where Are They?

Pastor Joshua Hilmy and wife, Ruth; Pastor Raymond Koh; and Amri Che Mat had two things in common – they were all religious workers helping the poor and needy. The other similarity among the four is more ominous – they have all disappeared without a trace. The first to disappear was Amri on November 24 last year, followed by Hilmy and wife several days later on November 30 and Koh on February 13 this year. And it is their disappearance, which has raised concerns among their families, civil society and religious bodies, who want answers from the authorities. Below are details of the missing four:

Pastor Raymond Koh

The 62-year-old was abducted after a group of well-trained men stopped his silver Honda Accord along Jalan SS4B/10 in Petaling Jaya. CCTV footage of Koh’s abduction went viral on social media, showing a professionally executed abduction involving more than 10 men in three black SUVs. Police had previously arrested 31-year-old Lam Chang Nam, who was later charged with blackmailing Koh’s son, Jonathan. But police said he was not involved in the abduction of Koh. There has been no ransom demand made for Koh’s release. His family have offered a RM100,000 reward for information on his whereabouts. Local media reported that Koh and his NGO, Haparan Komuniti, were accused of proselytising Muslims, following a raid by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) at a thanksgiving dinner in 2011. Church groups have been rallying around Koh’s family in a show of support.

Pastor Joshua Hilmy and Ruth

Hilmy’s disappearance was first highlighted in an Australian website, xyz.net.au, on February 23, 10 days after Koh’s abduction. It was reported that the pastor of Malay descent, who was also a former Muslim, went missing on November 30, 2016. The article stated that Hilmy had received threatening phone calls prior to his disappearance. It said Hilmy’s car was also missing. Petaling Jaya police chief Mohd Zani Che Din had told TheSun daily that police didn’t have enough information on the background of Hilmy and his wife Ruth, who is believed to be missing, too. Police, however, confirmed that a report was lodged by a man who claimed to be a close friend of Hilmy and his wife on March 6. Zaini told TheSun that the report was lodged in Klang but the case was referred to PJ police, as the complainant said the missing duo lived in Kampung Tunku, Petaling Jaya. The case was classified as a missing persons’ report.

Amri Che Mat

Amri’s case resurfaced after opposition leader Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail held a press conference on March 23, highlighting the disappearance of the 43-year-old social activist from Perlis. Amri, who was part of the 1997 Mount Everest Malaysian expedition team, went missing on the night of November 24, 2016, after he reportedly told his eldest daughter that he was going out. His wife, Norhayati Ariffin, 43, who lodged a police report the next day, said there were cars and bikes parked near their house when her husband left home. The vehicles had their lights off despite having occupants. Amri’s car was found about 20km away from his house, near an abandoned sports school. Norhayati said her husband did not receive any threatening calls and there were no abnormal transactions in his bank accounts. 

Read more here: https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/1347/

Kisah 2 Seminar: Yang Mana Kebenaran Dan Yang Mana Ajaran Sesat?

Diterbitkan pada 1 Julai 2014 oleh The Malaysian Insider.

Jawatankuasa Fatwa Negeri Terengganu sebulat suara memutuskan bahawa kenyataan bekas aktivis politik dan sosial Kassim Ahmad pada satu seminar Februari lalu sebagai pemikiran yang kufur dan murtad.

Pesuruhjaya Hal Ehwal Agama Islam Terengganu, Datuk Mohd Rozali Salleh berkata keputusan itu dicapai dalam satu mesyuarat khas kali pertama jawatankuasa itu yang bersidang pada 9 Mac lalu.

"Seminar Pemikiran Kassim Ahmad: Suatu Penilaian" itu berlangsung di Putrajaya.

Mohd Rozali berkata, "Fahaman atau golongan tersebut adalah sesat, menyeleweng dan menjadi ancaman kepada ketenteraman awam serta merosakkan akidah mereka.

"Berdasarkan kepada ucapan yang telah disampaikan oleh Kassim Ahmad, terdapat unsur penyelewengan antaranya mempertikaikan syahadah yang kedua, mengingkari dan mempertikaikan hadis sebagai sumber hukum, mempertikaikan hukum rambut perempuan sebagai aurat, hukum selawat dan membenarkan jenayah murtad berlaku dalam masyarakat," katanya dalam sidang media hari ini.

Sehubungan itu, jawatankuasa fatwa turut memutuskan apa jua fahaman yang berunsurkan penolakan hadis ini perlu disekat dari berkembang.

Mohd Rozali berkata sebarang penerbitan, penyiaran dan penyebaran apa-apa buku, risalah, filem, video dan apa sahaja berhubung fahaman ini adalah diharamkan dan orang Islam dilarang memiliki, menyimpan mencetak, menjual atau mengedarkan semua bahan terbabit.

"Mana-mana orang Islam sama ada secara individu atau berkumpulan yang mengikuti fahaman anti hadis ini dengan berselindung di sebalik aktiviti ekonomi, perniagaan, pendidikan, kesenian dan sebagainya yang mempunyai unsur persefahaman anti hadis ini adalah dianggap mengamalkan fahaman yang bercanggah dengan syariat.

"Oleh demikian, orang ramai di negeri ini hendaklah menghindarkan diri daripada terlibat dengan fahaman golongan tersebut," katanya.

Mesyuarat jawatankuasa itu juga bersetuju supaya keputusan berhubung fahaman anti hadis ini diwartakan untuk dijadikan fatwa yang mengikat bagi membolehkan tindakan diambil terhadap kesalahan yang terbabit, katanya. – Bernama, 1 Julai, 2014.

Link: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/bahasa/article/jawatankuasa-fatwa-terengganu-putuskan-kassim-ahmad-kufur-dan-murtad

Oleh Uthaya Sankar SB. Diterbitkan oleh The Malay Mail Online pada 19 Mei 2014.

Maklumat mengenai “Seminar Kalimah Allah dan Kristologi Nusantara” anjuran Majlis Agama Islam Selangor (Mais) dan Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) sebenarnya sudah saya ketahui sejak bulan lalu.

Akhbar Utusan Malaysia (21 April 2014) melaporkan pengerusi Mais, Datuk Mohamad Adzib Mohd Isa sebagai berkata, “ia bertujuan meningkatkan kefahaman masyarakat Islam dan mencari penyelesaian berhubung isu tersebut (kalimah Allah).”

Kononnya, seminar itu “akan memberi penjelasan kepada umat Islam tentang isu penggunaan kalimah Allah serta mencari penyelesaian secara efektif dan menyeluruh untuk menangani masalah yang timbul.”

Pada waktu itu, dilaporkan bahawa apa yang bakal berlangsung adalah “satu seminar yang besar dengan melibatkan lebih 5,000 peserta daripada pelbagai lapisan masyarakat seperti penuntut institusi pengajian tinggi, pertubuhan bukan kerajaan dan ulama dari seluruh negara.”

Bagaimanapun, apa yang sebenarnya berlaku pada 6 Mei 2014 ternyata adalah sebaliknya. Bukan sahaja jumlah peserta hanya sekitar 1,000 orang (berbanding jangkaan 5,000 orang), malah seminar ini dijadikan medan untuk mempersenda ajaran Kristian dan penganut Kristian secara keseluruhan.

Sebagai seorang pengamal media, penulis dan pengamal multifaith (percaya pada ajaran semua agama), saya amat terkejut dan kecewa apabila UiTM bersekongkol dengan Mais dalam menganjurkan sebuah seminar yang secara terang-terangan berciri anti-Kristian, anti-perpaduan, berniat jahat serta tidak mengambil kira sensitiviti masyarakat.

Kandungan seminar berkenaan juga secara jelas membawa unsur-unsur serta anasir-anasir yang mampu mengancam ketenteraman awam dalam kalangan masyarakat pelbagai kaum, agama, etnik, kepercayaan dan mazhab.

Saya bersama-sama Perzeus James membuat laporan rasmi di Balai Polis Taman Sri Muda, Shah Alam pada 8 Mei 2014 selepas berpeluang meneliti laporan berita mengenai seminar itu di beberapa portal berita dalam talian. Rujuk www.uthayasb.blogspot.com untuk maklumat.

Pada 7 Mei 2014 pula, salinan fotokopi buku atur cara seminar tersebut diberikan kepada kami oleh seorang individu yang tidak dikenali semasa kami sedang minum di sebuah restoran.

Maklumat ini juga telah kami berikan (bersama-sama salinan atur cara tersebut) kepada pegawai penyiasat jenayah, Inspektor Rohaini Baharom apabila kami dipanggil ke Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah (IPD) Shah Alam pada petang 16 Mei 2014.

Usaha terancang oleh UiTM dan Mais?

Perkara-perkara di atas juga saya dan Perzeus nyatakan kepada peguam kami, Annou Xavier dan Bernard Scott yang menjadi tempat rujukan memandangkan isu berkaitan agama adalah amat sensitif. Mereka berdua turut mengiringi kami ke IPD Shah Alam.

Seperti yang saya ceritakan kepada Rohaini, peserta seminar ternyata bukan hanya orang Islam. Pelajar beberapa sekolah menengah turut dibawa bagi memenuhkan ruang di Dewan Agung Tuanku Canselor UiTM.

Malah, fakta yang pasti tidak boleh dikatakan “terlepas pandang” oleh Mais dan UiTM adalah bahawa pelajar institusi pengajian tinggi itu sendiri terdiri daripada orang Islam (majoriti) dan Bumiputera beragama Kristian (minoriti), khususnya dari Sabah dan Sarawak.

Usahlah penganjur memberikan alasan bahawa pelajar terbabit diberikan pilihan sama ada mahu hadir atau tidak ke seminar berkenaan. Beberapa pensyarah, tutor dan pelajar UiTM yang saya hubungi mengesahkan bahawa rata-rata pelajar diwajibkan hadir.

Mereka adalah pelajar diploma dan sarjana muda yang mengambil mata pelajaran wajib seperti Tamadun Islam dan Tamadun Asia (Titas), Hubungan Etnik, serta Islam dan Agama. Kehadiran mereka ke seminar ini telah diwajibkan oleh pensyarah.

Sekiranya diperhatikan, pengendalian dan pelaksanaan seminar ini dilakukan secara terancang. Maknanya, UiTM tidak ada alasan untuk mengatakan bahawa ia tidak tahu apa yang akan berlaku dalam seminar berkenaan.

Naib Canselor UiTM, Dr Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar menjadi penaung sementara Dekan Akademi Pengajian Islam Kontemporari (ACIS) UiTM, Dr Mohamad Rahimi Osman bertindak sebagai penasihat.

Terdapat jawatankuasa yang lengkap dan nama-nama mereka dipaparkan pada buku atur cara. Memandangkan bekas perdana menteri, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi diundang sebagai tetamu khas, tentulah perancangan seminar tidak dibuat secara ala kadar.

Malah, dalam buku atur cara diakui bahawa “adalah menjadi tanggungjawab pihak UiTM bersama-sama dengan Warisan Ibnu AABY untuk mengambil inisiatif bagi menganjurkan seminar ini bagi menyebarluaskan lagi kefahaman masyarakat Islam terhadap isu (kalimah Allah) yang sedang diperkatakan serta mencari jalan penyelesaian bagi menangani masalah ini secara efektif dan menyeluruh”.

Jika benarlah itu “niat” sebenar UiTM, maka terbukti institusi pengajian tinggi itu telah “ditipu” pihak tertentu sehingga akhirnya ia menjadi platform untuk mengendalikan sebuah seminar yang secara terang-terangan berciri anti-Kristian.

Menghancurkan reputasi pusat pengajian tinggi

Mungkinkah juga akhbar Utusan Malaysia, Kumpulan Media Karangkraf, TV Al-Hijrah, Kumpulan Zikay dan Kumpulan Pantai Bharu turut “terpedaya” untuk menyokong seminar anti-Kristian ini?

Kalau kita teliti akhbar Utusan Malaysia dan Sinar Harian, liputan terhadap seminar ini tidak meluas. Mungkin mereka akhirnya menyedari kandungan, motif dan niat sebenar seminar tersebut dan memilih untuk tidak melaporkannya.

Hasil luahan perasaan masyarakat pelbagai kaum dan agama menerusi laman rangkaian sosial seperti Facebook, amat jelas bahawa rata-rata orang ramai tertanya-tanya bagaimana sebuah institusi pengajian tinggi seperti UiTM boleh melakukan “pekerjaan terhina” seperti ini yang menghancurkan reputasi dan kedudukan UiTM serta para pensyarah dan graduannya.

Kualiti pensyarah dan graduan UiTM memang sudah sedia dipertikaikan pada peringkat kebangsaan dan antarabangsa. Malah UiTM memang dikenali sebagai “lubuk” melahirkan gnerasi muda dan pemimpin masa depan yang etnosentrik, ultra kiasu, rasis dan pelampau. Maklumat ini saya peroleh menerusi komen orang ramai di pelbagai portal berita dalam talian.

(Mungkin UiTM perlu “belajar” daripada Datuk Seri Najib Razak untuk segera menyaman semua portal berita terbabit supaya orang ramai tidak akan berani lagi untuk mengkritik institusi pengajian tinggi itu sewenang-wenangnya.)

“Budak-budak UiTM yang berdemonstrasi untuk memboikot pelajar bukan Bumiputera masuk UiTM tu mesti hendak bekerja dengan majikan yang menjual pisang goreng di tepi jalan,” kata Komrad Haizal menerusi catatan di Facebook baru-baru ini dan ia menggambarkan realiti.

Memanglah kita mengalu-alukan UiTM menggunakan hak kebebasan akademik untuk menganjurkan seminar, forum, dialog dan debat berkaitan pelbagai topik yang mampu mengembangkan minda dan intelektualiti pelajar.

Akan tetapi, apa yang kini mengundang kemarahan dan kekecewaan masyarakat pelbagai kaum adalah apabila UiTM menggunakan tiket “kebebasan akademik” untuk menganjurkan seminar anti-Kristian yang ternyata tidak ada sebarang unsur “akademik” dan “intelektual” di dalamnya.

Tindakan terbaik, paling bijak dan paling waras bagi UiTM pada masa sekarang adalah dengan tampil membuat kenyataan terbuka bahawa institusi pengajian tinggi itu telah “dimanipulasi pihak tertentu” dan UiTM tidak tahu-menahu mengenai kandungan seminar berkenaan.

Apa-apa pun, apabila “lubuk perkauman” tampil mengatakan ia tidak terlibat dalam penganjuran “seminar anti-perpaduan” di tempatnya, tentulah orang tidak akan menjadi bodoh dan percaya begitu sahaja. Sebaliknya mereka akan ketawa terbahak-bahak.

Dalam pada itu, memandangkan laporan polis sudah dibuat oleh sekurang-kurangnya enam orang dan kertas siasatan di bawah Seksyen 298 dan 298A sudah dibuka di IPD Shah Alam, eloklah para penganjur dan penyokong seminar anti-Kristian itu disiasat sepenuhnya.

Link: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/opinion/uthaya-sankar/article/uitm-dan-seminar-anti-kristian

Mais has refused to comply with instruction of AG & state government

By Md Izwan. Published by The Malaysian Insider on 25 June 2014.

The Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) today insisted it will continue to seize Bibles that contained the word Allah in the state, adding that it had every right to destroy the holy books it had already seized earlier this year from the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM).

Its chairman Datuk Mohamad Adzib Mohd Isa (pic) said operations to counter the distribution of such Bibles in Selangor will continue and warned that it will not hesitate to arrest those distributing it. "This process will go on and we will also make arrests," he said in his speech at an event in the Tabung Haji Complex in Kuala Lumpur today.

Adzib also stressed that Mais will not accept the decision of Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail in the seizure of the BSM Bibles, adding that it will not return them to the BSM. Gani decided to close the case against BSM after finding the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) had erred in the seizure of the Bibles, which he said were not a threat to national security as alleged. However, Mais has refused to comply with instruction from the A-G and the state government but instead said that it would be getting a court order to dispose of the holy books.

The religious council said that it will not close the case as was ordered by Gani and insisted that there is a provision in the 1988 state enactment to charge BSM. Adzib today said that although the council would accept the A-G's decision not to prosecute BSM but it maintained that the reason given not to take action against the society was not valid. "We accept the decision not to prosecute as it is under the purview of the A-G. But we do not agree with the reasons he gave," he added.

"On the seized Bibles, actually Jais could dispose it themselves. But because we care about harmony and justice, we leave it to the prosecutor to decide."

On January 2 this year, Jais seized the 321 AlKitab (Bahasa Malaysia Bible) and Bup Kudus (Iban-language Bible) from the then BSM office in Damansara Kim, sparking an outcry and criticisms aimed at the religious authority.

Read more here: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/we-will-continue-to-seize-bibles-with-banned-words-says-muslim-body

Published by The Malay Mail Online on 23 June 2014.

Malaysian Christians are free to call their God “Allah” in churches, a government official said today, reiterating the Najib administration’s commitment to its 10-point solution from 2011... The official stressed that the Federal Court’s decision only upheld a ban on the Catholic Church from publishing the word in its newspaper, Herald. “Malaysia is a multi-faith country and it is important that we manage our differences peacefully, in accordance with the rule of law and through dialogue, mutual respect and compromise,” the statement added.

Christians make up about 10 per cent of the Malaysian population of 30 million. Almost two-thirds of the Christians are Bumiputera and live in Sabah and Sarawak, where they routinely use Bahasa Malaysia and indigenous languages in their religious practices, which include describing God as “Allah” in their prayers and holy book.

Christian groups and churches nationwide voiced concern today over the validity of the government’s 10-point solution allowing the distribution of Christian bibles containing the word “Allah” in the select states in the wake of the Federal Court’s refusal to hear an appeal on the usage of the word.

Bishop Datuk Dr Thomas Tsen, president of the Sabah Council of Churches, said the Federal Court’s decision in dismissing the Catholic church’s application to appeal the government ban on the word “Allah” in its weekly was a “huge disappointment”.

“People will bring this decision of the highest court and say no, even though the prime minister has the 10-point solution, the highest court still says you cannot freely use the term ‘Allah’ to address your God,” Tsen told The Malay Mail Online today.

“Even though the prime minister did say this will not affect East Malaysia, it’s no guarantee because this is the law. And we wanted the guarantee from the legal side,” he said. Tsen said Christians in Sabah and Sarawak have for centuries worshipped in the Malay language and have been using the Al-Kitab replete with the word Allah to refer to God. “Our freedom of religion is being restricted,” he said. “Since we were born, we have been using the term. That is our language,” Tsen added.

He also expressed concern that the Selangor Islamic authorities might use the Federal Court ruling to justify their seizure of 321 copies of the Malay and Iban-language bibles from the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) last January.

A seven-member bench at the country’s highest court decided by a 4-to-3 majority this morning to deny the Catholic Church the right to appeal a lower court decision preventing it from using the word ‘Allah’.

Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria, Court of Appeal President Tan Sri Md Raus Sharif, Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin and Federal Court judge Tan Sri Suriyadi Halim Omar had rejected the Catholic Church’s application.

The dissenting judges were Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Richard Malanjum, and Federal Court judges Datuk Zainun Ali and Tan Sri Jeffrey Tan.

Last year, the Court of Appeal ruled that “Allah” was not integral to the Christian faith and that the home minister was justified in banning the Herald from using the Arabic word on grounds of national security and public order... The Cabinet, through Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jala, stated in the resolution that the large Bumiputera Christian population in Sabah and Sarawak could use their holy books in the Malay, Indonesian, and indigenous languages.

Read more here: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/malaysian-christians-can-use-allah-in-church-putrajaya-says

Ignore letter to remove Bibles from hotel rooms, lawyers tell hoteliers

By V. Anbalagan, Assistant News Editor. Published by The Malaysian Insider on 29 April 2014.

Lawyers have urged hoteliers in Pahang to ignore the directive from the state Islamic council to remove non-Muslim religious materials from their premises as it has no authority over such matters.

The constitutional and administrative lawyers said the Pahang Islamic and Malay Customs Council (Muip) was not in any position to penalise any individual or company as hoteliers were not licensed by religious bodies.

They were responding to a recent directive from Muip prohibiting hotel proprietors in the state from placing religious reading materials of other religions other than Islam in their rooms.

Lawyer Razlan Hadri Zulkifli said hoteliers could just ignore the letter because the council had no jurisdiction over them. "They cannot raid to seize any non-Muslim religious material like the Bible," he told The Malaysian Insider.

Razlan said the council could be hauled to court if its officers conducted raids to seize non-Muslim religious books and literature. "The council as a public authority can be subjected to a judicial review and the court can make a declaration that its action was illegal," he said. Razlan said at this point of time, there was no reason for hoteliers to seek judicial intervention because they had not been adversely affected by mere issuance of the letter.

It was reported that the state religious body had sent a letter to 147 hotels across the state since March 6, warning that those who defied the directive could be subjected to legal action. The letter was issued under the Control and Restriction of the Propagation of Non-Islamic Religions among Muslims Enactment 1989, in line with Article 11 (4) of the Federal Constitution.

Muip deputy president Datuk Seri Wan Abdul Wahid Wan Hassan reportedly said the placement of the materials in the hotel rooms could be regarded as an act of spreading other religious beliefs to Muslims. If convicted, those involved could be fine up to RM5,000 or jailed for up to two years, or both.

Another lawyer Shukor Ahmad described the letter to the hoteliers as "irrational, unreasonable and unconstitutional". He said assuming even if the non-Muslims religious books, like the Bible, were banned by the Home Ministry, the council officer had no business to seize them. Furthermore, the council, he added, had no power to act against non-Muslims or business entities. "At best, they can only advise Muslims about non-Muslims religious books and symbols being placed in hotels. Anyway, it is for the hotel guests to decide where they would like to stay."

He said some hotels distributed mainstream newspapers to their guests but that did not mean the management compelled their guests to read the newspapers. "You have the option. Similarly, Muslim guests may have access to non-Muslim religious books but that does not mean they can be influenced by reading them in the hotel rooms," he said.

Shukor said the council was acting outside the scope of the enactment and misreading the article on freedom of religion under the Federal Constitution. "The council's action is so ridiculous that no reasonable person could accept," he added.

Hotel proprietors have called on Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob to intervene since Islamic matters came under the jurisdiction of the state.

Non-governmental organisation Centre for a Better Tomorrow (Cenbet) said the council directive went against the freedom of choice of the hotels to supply such materials in their rooms. "Conversely, it is the freedom of choice of anyone not to stay in such hotels if they disagreed with the hotel policy," said its co-presidents Lim Chee Wee and Gan Ping Sieu in a statement last week.

Politicians from both side of the political divide have also expressed concern over the council's directive.

Link: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/ignore-letter-to-remove-bibles-from-hotel-rooms-lawyers-tell-hoteliers

#Allah: Government figures suggest Christianisation did not happen

By Leven Woon. Published by Free Malaysia Today on 24 March 2014.

The widely-touted theory that Christianisation is taking place in Malaysia cannot be valid when official data suggests that no Muslim has converted to Christianity in the last 10 years, said Kampar MP Ko Chung Sen.

He said according to a government reply in Parliament today, no Muslim including those who are new converts to Islam had renounced the religion. This was based on Syariah Court records whereby no such applications had been received.

There were however, applications by individuals seeking to verify conflicting recording of their religion status on their birth certificate and identity card.

“A lot of them have said Islam is under threat, Christiantionisation is happening in the country. But actual figures suggest that none of this has ever happened in this country,” Ko told FMT.

He said politicians and NGO’s should not raise the spectre of Christianophobia out of thin air, and should only speak based on concrete evidence. “And this figure comes from the Prime Minister’s Department,” he said.

Meanwhile, the ministry said there were at least 4,520 individuals who had embraced Islam between 2008 -2012.

Read more here:

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2014/03/24/govt-figures-suggest-christianisation-did-not-happen/

Diterbitkan oleh Malaysiakini pada 24 Mac 2014.

Setakat ini tiada penganut Islam termasuk saudara baru yang keluar daripada Islam, tegas Menteri Di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom.

Ini, katanya, berdasarkan rekod, tiada permohonan untuk keluar Islam dibuat di Mahkamah Syariah.

Dalam jawapan bertulisnya, Jamil bagaimanapun berkata terdapat permohonan menentukan status agama yang dipohon oleh individu berikutan kekeliruan pada sijil kelahiran, kad pengenalan atau sijil akuan memeluk Islam.

"Mahkamah Syariah akan menimbang permohonan tujuan menentu status agama dalam keadaan berlakunya kekeliruan semasa pendaftaran nama terutama di negeri Sabah dan Sarawak di mana nama mereka seperti nama orang beragama Islam tetapi mereka bukan beragama Islam," kata Jamil.

Jamil (BN-Jerai) berkata demikian bagi menjawab soalan Dr Ko Chung Sen (DAP-Kampar) mengenai jumlah orang Muslim-Melayu yang keluar daripada Islam dalam tempoh 10 tahun lalu.

Bagi menjawab soalan Ko berhubung jumlah bukan Islam yang memeluk Islam, Jamil berkata maklumat yang tepat hendaklah dirujuk kepada jabatan agama atau majlis agama Islam negeri-negeri.

Beliau berkata pendaftaran masuk Islam berada bawah kuasa jabatan dan majlis itu, seperti yang termaktub dalam Senarai 2 Jadual Kesembilan, Perlembagaan Persekutuan.

"Dalam konteks ini, bagi Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur mengikut rekod Jabatan Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan (JAWI), bilangan orang yang memeluk Islam bagi tempoh 2008-2012 adalah seramai 4,520 orang," kata Jamil.

Link: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/258048

从《联邦宪法》角度看我国宗教自由

这是我整理的一篇关于阿拉事件的文章. 刚重修过. 这篇文章从法律角度, 厘清一些錯误的见解. - 杨培根  [6 -2- 2014 重修].

最近 (2013年10月14日), 我国上诉庭三司会审, 对 “阿拉” 上诉案作出判決, 推翻高庭的判決. 这是违反我国 《联邦宪法》 的一个判決.

从《联邦宪法》角度来看, 上诉庭三司的判词是錯误的. 他们在判词中所提出的理由, 无法令人折服. 他们对相关法律作出了錯误的诠释. 他们所达致的结论, 会令那些念过宪法的学生, 感到滿头雾水. 他们的判決, 不仅仅是錯误的, 而是錯得太离谱了. 在我国法律史上, 它成了一个污点. 这个判決只能由联邦法院 (我国最高层的法院) 加以纠正.

这场官司从高庭打到了上诉庭. 令人震惊的是, 上诉庭的判決竟然是违宪的. 这究竟是怎么一回事呢? 让我们先了解案情, 才进一步从宪法角度, 剖析上诉庭三司的违宪判词.

1. 案情:  2013年上诉庭 - 禁止基督教徒使用 “阿拉” 字眼

其实, 案情很简单. 天主教教堂在他们的內部周刊《先鋒报》(Herald) 使用了 “阿拉” 的字眼.  (“阿拉” 译自基督教 “上帝” 一词.) 上诉庭却判決, 基督教徒不能使用 “阿拉”这个字眼. 上诉庭公开判定, 不准基督教徒使用 《阿拉》 字眼, 那是史无前例的事.

2. 1999 - 高庭承审法官维护宗教自由

事情经过是这样的:

1986年21月5日, 时任內政部长马哈迪医生发出禁令, 不准非伊斯兰教出版刊物使用 “阿拉” 字眼. 1999年, 天主教堂出版了一本周刊《先鋒报》. 內政部于是发出警告信, 要天主教堂遵守禁令. 同年, 內政部只允准 《先鋒报》继续出版, 但附带条件是: 不准使用 “阿拉” 字眼. 可是, 大主教不接受这个条件, 故入禀高等法庭, 要求高庭对此禁令进行司法审查.  1999年12月31日,  吉隆坡高庭法官 (Lau Bee Lan J.) 撤销内政部长的禁令. 法官作出判決时, 所提出的一些理由是:

(1). 內政部长沒考虑到一个不争的历史事实: 几百年来, “上帝” 一词,     马来文和印尼文都译成 “阿拉”.

(2). 內政部长錯误地考虑一些无关紧要的因素, 如:  伊斯兰教是 “联邦宗教” 的地位; 任何人不得向穆斯林 (回教徒) 传播其他宗教.

(3). 內政部长并沒提出确凿的证据证明, 使用 “阿拉” 字眼对国家安全或公共秩序会构成威胁.

(4). 內政部长的禁令, 侵犯宪法保障下的基本权利, 如: 言论自由, 宗教自由和教育权利等.

[见 Dr Ronnie Ooi 的文章(Aliran 期刊 2013 第 37 卷 第30 页)]

这篇论述文章探讨的是技术性的宪法问题. 不过, 本文将尽量采用淺显易懂的文字, 来阐明有关法律条文和法理.

高庭司法审查程序

高等法庭进行的是司法审查的程序, 不需要证人亲身出庭供证. 法庭只依赖证人的宣誓书和律师的陈词来作出判決. 于是, 高庭法官依据基督教堂所提呈的书面证据, 作出下列裁定:

(1)  圣经的马来文译本中, “阿拉” 是 “上帝” 的正确翻译.

(2)  自15世纪以来, 使用阿拉伯语国家的基督教徒和穆斯林, 谈到一个 “上帝” 时, 都一直在用 “阿拉” 这个字眼. 马来西亚和印尼的天主教以及其他基督教徒都认为, “阿拉” 是在马来文中 “上帝” 的合法用词.

(3)  在1631年出版的马来文- 拉丁文词典里,  “上帝” (Deus) 在马来文中译为 “阿拉” (Alla) .

(4)  在旧版本的 “阿拉伯文圣经” 以及在现代版本的 “阿拉伯文圣经” 中, 基督教徒一直都在惯用 “阿拉” 字眼. 时间已相当久远,  伊斯兰教产生前就已采用了. 当时, 这些基督徒生活在埃及、黎巴嫩、伊拉克、印尼、马来西亚、汶萊等亚非国家.

(5)  从1629年起, 印尼和马来亚的马来文 “马修的福音” (圣经) 中, 就已使用 “阿拉” 字眼. 从1733年起, 第一部完整的马来文圣经, 以及从1879年起, 第二部完整的马来文圣经, 都使用 “阿拉” 的字眼, 从未曾间断过.

(6)  现代马来文学之父孟希.阿都拉 (Munshi Abdullah) 曾经把基督教的福音译成马来文. 他也把 “上帝” 一词译为 “阿拉”.

(7)  讲马来语的马来半岛、沙巴、砂劳越的原住民基督教徒, 世世代代都在使用 “阿拉” 字眼; 整个马来西亚都在使用印尼文圣经, 也采用 “阿拉” 字眼.  

(8)  至少在过去的30年, 天主教堂都一直在自由使用印尼文的圣经 (Alkitab) . 印尼文的圣经也在使用 “阿拉” 字眼.

(9)  所有使用阿拉伯文、印尼文、马来文的国家中, 基督教徒都在使用 “阿拉” 字眼, 沒产生过问题, 也沒破坏或违反公共秩序, 也沒影响伊斯兰教徒的情绪.

            上面所说的, 就是本案的实情. 每个案件的判決都必须以实情为依据. 但是, 料想不到的是, 上诉庭三司的判词完全沒考虑到高庭法官判词所查实的案情. 这点肯定是严重的錯误.

3. 最高法院有重要案例可遵循, 但上诉庭判词却只字不提

不可思议的一件事就是, 上诉庭三司各自分別写的判词, 其中沒有一个判词提起过我国宪法以往极其重要的案例. 上诉庭法官必须考虑与遵循这些案例, 因为这些案例和本案有密切关联.

1992年最高法院《诺丁沙列案 》 : 不得使基本人权变得 “虚幻,毫无意义”

举例说, 1992年, 我国最高法院有个重要案例 《诺丁沙列案 》 (Nordin Salleh case) [1992 MLJ 697]. 这个案例确认： 在检测政府的行动是不是侵犯宪法所阐明的基本人权时, 法庭的职责所在就是, 关注这政府的行动所引起的后果. 如果其后果会使到基本人权变得 “虚幻、毫无意义” 的话 , 那就是违宪的行动.

如果 《先鋒报》一案中, 上诉庭三司曾考虑过上述最高法院的案例, 判決可能就不同了. 禁止基督教徒在膜拜时使用《阿拉》字眼 , 将使宗教自由基本权利变得 “虚幻与毫无意义”. 这是简单不过的道理. 仅仅以这个理由, 上诉庭就应驳回內政部长的上诉.  

4.  上诉庭误解 “伊斯兰教是联邦宗教” 的含义

上诉庭误解了“伊斯兰教是联邦宗教” [宪法第3条] 的含义. 同时, 还忽略了其他两项重要条文的內容. 毫无疑问, 伊斯兰教是联邦宗教, 但是, 有关条文下半段已交代清楚, 人民可以和平与和谐地信奉其他宗教. (宪法第3 条)

参照一下加拿大的宪法 《前言》: “加拿大国体是建立在确认上帝至高无上与法治的原则上的”. 要注意的是, 我国宪法条文沒赐予伊斯兰教 这样的 “至高无上” 的地位. 我国宪法起草人非常了解法律与权利, 有高低主次之分.

5.《联邦宪法》 才是我国 “至高无上” 的法律

宪法规定了伊斯兰教是我国联邦宗教后, 接下去另一项条文立即就阐明, “我国《联邦宪法》 是国家 “至高无上” (supreme) 的法律”. 这就是说, 宪法高于其他一切法律 [第4(1)条], 包括第3 条文的伊斯兰教是联邦宗教的条文.  伊斯兰教是联邦宗教的宪法条文 (第3 条) 沒有 “至高无上” 这个词语. 也就是说, 这项条文必须屈服于 (而不可凌驾于) 第4 条文 “宪法至高无上” 的条文.

另外一点, 新兴的马来亚独立后, 沒有意思把国家变成一个 “神权国”, 而是长期保留了 “世俗国” 的地位. 这点, 有历史事实、独立前东姑等对我国宪政所发表的言论、独立前的相关备忘录等文件、最高法院对宪法作出的、有权威性的判例等等, 足以证明我国是个世俗国. 这不是別有居心者随心所意, 基于政治权宜之计, 发表毫无事实根据、无视法治精神的言论, 所能抺煞的!

更重要的是, 信奉自己所选择的宗教权利, 是宪法基本自由权利的章节里所明文规定的. (第11条). 基本自由权利就是基本人权. 其他基本人权的条文, 包括: 人身自由、法律面前人人平等、不得有歧视现象存在、言论自由、集会结社自由等, 对享有宗教自由都有密切的关系.  

6.“宗教自由” 是绝对的基本人权

在 《联邦宪法》 下, 宗教自由是基本人权之一. 宪法保障人民可信仰、奉行、传播自己的宗教 [第11(1)条]. 每个宗教社群有权管理自己的宗 教事务[第11(3)条].

要注意的是, 宪法对待所有的基本人权, 不是一视同仁, 不是一律平等的. 在宪法下,  基本人权可分为两类:

(1)  有些基本人权是绝对的, 不受任何限制.

(2)  另一些基本人权是有限度的; 可以受到某种限制.

膜拜宗教的权利是绝对的, 不可加以限制 (见第10, 11条). 自由信仰宗教的权利, 就包含了以下的绝对权利:

a.信仰和奉行任何宗教的权利; 

b..豁免或不必为某特定宗教 (不是自己所信仰的宗教) 缴纳稅务的权利; 

c..每个宗教社群有权管理自己的宗教事务, 建立和维持宗教和慈善机构的权利. 

d. . 有权不接受其他宗教的膜拜仪式或膜拜行为.

“绝对权利” 和 “有限权利” 如何区分?

   要如何区分宪法保障下的绝对权利和有限权利呢? 一个最好的例子就是: 国会可制定法律限制言论自由和集会结社自由 (第10条). 但是, 国会不可制定法律限制或削弱宗教自由[第11(1), 11(3)条]. 

   举个具体的例子: 某些人想组织一个气功协会. 这和行使结社自由权利有关. 政府可以施加条件, 控制和监管太极协会的活动. 宪法对待宗教团体的情況则不同. 国会不能通过法律, 对宗教团体施加类似的限制或监管. 宪法所施加的唯一限制是: 在享有绝对宗教自由时, 宗教团体的活动不可触犯一般的法律, 如: 维护 “公共秩序、公众健康、或道德准绳” 的一般法律 [第11(5)条].

再举一个实际例子: 每年在大宝森节, 到黑风洞朝圣的印裔族群, 不得侮辱其他宗教. 不然的话, 政府就有权以破坏公共秩序为理由, 采取措施对付相关人士. 不过, 公共秩序是不是已受到影响, 政府必须拿出证据来证明.

在私人场地, 情況则不同. 如果有宗教社群在基督教堂或庙堂里祈祷膜拜, 或者家庭成员在自己家里膜拜祈祷, 政府就不可以援引相关的限制条文 [第11(5)条], 以破坏公共秩序等为由, 来对付他们. 这是因为教堂、庙宇、住所, 都是私人场地, 不是公共场所. 

7. 人人都享有绝对的宗教自由权利

此外, 在《联邦宪法》下, 言论自由、集会自由、结社自由的基本人权, 只限公民才能享有. 非公民不能享有这些自由权利. 但是, 宗教自由基本人权则不同. 在我国, 不论是公民, 还是非公民, 人人都可享有宗教自由的权利.

   只要身在马来西亚的每个人, 都可享有绝对的宗教自由权利. 这就是宗教自由基本人权和其他基本自由权利不同之处. 上面已说过, 每个人都享有宗教自由的基本人权, 不分公民、国民、 或戶籍.  只要他身在马来西亚, 他就可享受宗教自由的基本人权. 他有权选择信奉任何宗教. 他可以信仰、奉行、传播任何宗教.

   政府或有关当局无权规定, 你必须选择某个宗教, 放弃某个宗教 (穆斯林除外), 改变宗教信仰, 或完全不信教 (指无神论者、不可知论者等). 这个宗教自由是绝对的权利, 不可剥夺的权利.

如何检验宗教自由是绝对的基本人权?

要检验宗教自由的绝对性, 可从三方面着手：

(1)  我国宪法有对付危害社会秩序的条文. 那就是, 如果有大批人采取行动 (或威胁要采取行动) 危害国家,  国会可以制定法令, 剥夺人民的许多基本人权, 如: 人身自由、行动自由、言论自由、集会结社自由、财产权等. 但是, 宗教自由则是一个例外; 国会不可制定法令限制或削減宗教自由. (宪法第149条,)

(2)  同样的, 我国宪法有条文规定, 在某些情況下, 元首可以颁布紧急状态, 接着, 可以制定紧急法令, 削減或剥夺我国人民的一切基本人权; 但是, 这类紧急法令, 不可削減或剥夺宗教自由权利 [宪法第150(6A) 条].

(3)  我国法庭早已有判例, 确认宗教自由基本人权的重要性. 自从制定 《1960年內安法令》 以来, 总共有将近10,000人在 《內安法令》 或其他防范性扣留法令下, 被扣留. 他们是在未经法庭审讯的情況下被扣留的.  有不少被扣留者向法庭申请, 挑战这类无审讯扣留案, 认为那是不合法的. 但是, 往往都不成功. 在众多案件中, 挑战成功的少数重要案件之一, 就是涉及宗教自由的加马鲁丁案 ([1989] 1MLJ418).

8.  1989年最高法院《加马鲁丁案》 :  政府不可援引ISA剥夺宗教自由

那是1989年的案例. 加马鲁丁向穆斯林弘扬基督教教义. 结果, 他在1987年的 “茅草行动” 大逮捕中被扣留. 经高庭审讯后,高庭法官判他无罪释放. 政府把这案子上诉到最高法院去. 然而, 最高法院还是确认, 高等法庭的判定是正确无误的. 两个不同的法院法官都确认: 只因加马鲁丁选择了他自己的宗教信仰, 并且还向穆斯林传播他的宗教 (基督教), 政府就援引 《內安法令》 扣留人, 那是违宪的.

根据这个案例, 在宪法下, 天主教徒有权阅读和翻译圣经. 这是他们信仰和奉行自己的宗教的基本人权. 他们有权管理自己的宗教事务. 这个基本人权是绝对的, 不容剥夺或削減的. 政府, 或者有关当局, 无权从中作梗和干预.

各宗教的信徒, 对他们的宗教经典都享有平等权利.  各宗教的圣书或宗教经典, 都应受到大家的尊重, 并且, 应受到世界各国的保护, 除非他是希特勒等盖世魔王. 这就意味着, 任何政府机构都沒有权利, 改写这些圣经里的字眼, 或要求改写任何字眼. 

上诉庭三司各自的判词只字未提这些触及信仰自由核心地位的案例.

9.上诉庭判词的基本结论太过广泛  后果影响深远

虽然法庭审理的是天主教 《先鋒报》 的出版问题, 但是, 上诉庭的判決却超越了这个范围, 影响了所有书籍和出版刊物. 这是案件的基本结论. 它将成为先例. 往后, 在同样的情況下, 所有法院都必须遵循这个先例.

因此, 这个判例也影响了东马人民一路来使用的马来文圣经. 这些圣经不能再使用 “阿拉” 字眼了. 这个上诉庭判決的严重性在于: 这等于说, 基督教的圣书得受审查. 其实, 这是全世界任何世俗国家, 都不应该做的事. 

东马人民宗教自由也受影响

就在沙巴和砂劳越庆祝马来西亚成立50周年之际, 我国布城的法院却告诉我国人民, 东马人民不准阅读他们自己选择的圣经译本. 这是令人惊讶的事.

在马来西亚成立之前, 砂劳越和北婆罗州 (现称沙巴) 人民的基本要求之一, 就是一项保证. 那就是: 英帝国主义不应由马来亚帝国主义所取代; 英殖民统治不会由吉隆坡殖民统治所取代.

如果1961- 1963年间, 讨论成立马来西亚时, 有人提出, 在马来西亚成立50 年內, 东马人民不准阅读含有 “阿拉” 字眼的马来文圣经, 对东马人民来说, 可以肯定, 是件极其不合理的事.

10. 法官不应自行引述 “资料”  无视双方代表律师意见

上诉庭其中一名法官, 似乎沒花心思在斟酌案中的实情, 却在网络上自行搜索资料. 其实, 法庭应根据诉讼双方提供的资料来判案. 但是, 在此案中, 诉讼双方都未提供这类网络资料给上诉庭. 也就是说, 法官私自在进行搜索资料的工作. 实际上, 这么做是违反自然公正法则的, 因为他沒邀请诉讼双方的代表律师, 針对这些资料, 发表他们各自的意见. 在这种情況下, 法官又犯了一项严重的错误.

我国最高法院 - 联邦法院 - 审理这个案件时, 不应考虑这名法官所 自行 “发现” 的证据.

11.  悬而未決的问题: 法庭要如何执行这项判決?

法官所作出的判決, 必须要有实际用途. 是不是能执行判決, 那是极为重要的. 如果天主教《先鋒报》执意继续使用 “阿拉” 字眼, 他们可能要面临准证被吊銷的危机. 但是, 圣经里的 “阿拉” 字眼, 要如何处理呢?看来, 政府可以采用两种方法, 来执行上诉庭的判決:

(1)从基督教堂和每个教徒的住家搜出圣经, 然后, 全部充公. 最后用一把火将圣经烧掉.

(2)走访基督教堂和每个教徒的住家, 把圣经里的 “阿拉” 字眼全部刪掉, 或者, 把圣经里有 “阿拉” 字眼的页面撕掉.

当你考虑到政府要如何执行判決时, 判決的严重性立刻就浮出水面. 可以想像得到, 基督教堂和每个教徒家庭可能群起抗议政府人员触动他们的圣经. 如果圣经受损坏的话, 其后果更加不堪设想.

如果这些人顽抗到底, 政府会不会使用暴力对付? 为了国家利益, 政府应采用细腻的技巧和有理智地处理这件事, 因为所涉及的是少数社群的基本人权, 尤其是宗教自由权利. 

12. 政府获得的只是 “得不偿失的胜利”

我们不是在危言耸听. 法庭判決可能产生不可避免的不良后果. 总检察长究竟有沒有忠告过政府, 可能发生这类后果?  法庭的判決令政府获得的, 只是得不偿失的胜利, 以极大代价換取到的胜利. 这是因为这样的判決已破坏了多元文化社会的族群关系. 付出的代价确实是太大了. 这怎能是具有责任感的当权者所实施的一项良好施政?  

13. 听听我国最杰出的法官敦苏芬语重心长的一番话 

1982年, 我国最杰出的法官, 也就是前最高法院院长敦苏芬, 曾经在新加坡国立大学, 发表过一篇重要演词. 在演词中, 他语重心长地说:

“在一个像你们 (新加坡)和我们的多元种族和多元宗教的社会里, 我们的法官可能是马来人、华人、或印度人, 也可能是穆斯林、兴都教徒等. 但是, 我们会尽量避免分辨自己属于哪一个特定种族或宗教.  如果把我们的名字从判词中刪除, 沒有人能分辨出我们属于哪一个种族或宗教. 这么一来, 就可保证各族群的权利, 特別是少数族群的权利, 不会被人踩在脚底下. ” (见FA Trinidade 与 HP Lee 合编的 《马来西亚宪法》 1986年版本, 第200, 216页)

自从敦沙烈 (另一名前最高法院院长), 于1988年,  遭前首相马哈迪医生撤职后,  我国司法独立受到严重侵蚀. 自此以后, 敦苏芬就变成了直言不讳地批评我国司法的著名人士. 敦苏芬肯定不会认同上诉庭三司对此案的处理方法.  一般公众人士都认为,  針对天主教 《先鋒报》 一案的上诉庭判词, 三司本身的宗教信仰, 起着举足轻重的影响.最后, 希望我国目前的最高法院 – 联邦法院, 能作出维护宗教自由的判词, 结束这场引起各族群之间紧张关系与社会不和谐的无谓争议.  (完)

 [注: 这篇法律文章, 基本上, 取材自我国资深律师通美.汤姆斯 (Tommy Thomas) 的文章: “The Allah Decision is Wrong in Constitutional Law ” [见2013年Aliran 期刊 (第 37 卷 第33-40页)]. 由于他纯粹以法律专业水平撰写这篇文章, 一般读者要完全理解它, 可能有些难度. 本文采用较为浅显易懂的文字加以整理, 以供大家参考. 通过本文, 希望读者们对 “阿拉” 事件, 能有个较为客观、符合宪法的正确看法.]

Wrongful Conversion: Who's Responsible?

In a heated online television discussion yesterday, three Muslim scholars were still agreed on one thing: that the use of the word “Allah” to describe gods of different religions – including the Christian god – is an issue only in Malaysia and nowhere else in the world.

But it still was an issue to two of the scholars as they argued there was an agenda behind Christians using Allah to refer to their god in Malay bibles.

"Christianity is said to be over 2,000 years old. They should have a big vocabulary bank to choose from to refer to God. The fact that they chose Allah was evidence that they have an agenda," argued Dr Khalif Muammar Harris, associate professor of the Center for Advanced Studies on Islam, Science and Civilization at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

Agreeing with him, another panellist echoed the refrain of some that Christians had used the word to mislead East Malaysians to convert them to Christianity. Making this point was Dr Yusri Mohamad, chairman of the Coalition of Supporters of Islam (Pembela), who wanted the word "Allah" banned in Malay bibles.

"It is a Christian virus in the country. They cannot be faulted for having their own missionaries, but they are propagating the virus of pluralism, that all religions are the same," he said.

Read more here:

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/at-least-they-agreed-on-one-thing-only-in-malaysia-is-allah-an-issue

An illiterate Hindu woman has been converted to Islam without her knowledge and only found out through the National Registration Department (NRD).

Madinah Kanniammah Abdullah, 54, who lives in a rundown longhouse settlement in Kampung Bunga Raya, Subang, said she had never been a Muslim.

The mother of five told FMT that her problems started when she got into a relationship with an Indian national when she was a teen.

“I was 19 then and was in love with a man from India. He told me that he was Hindu and even prays in temples.

“We lived together for a week and that was when I found out he was a Muslim,” she said.

Madinah said her boyfriend took her identification card on the pretext of opening a bank account for her.

“But when he returned the IC I noticed that my name had been changed. When I asked him he said it was the correct spelling of my name in Malay,” she said.

Madinah found out later that her new IC indicated her as a Muslim, after a check with the NRD.

“I can’t read and write. So how could I possibly have signed any documents?” she asked.

She said she used thumbprints and could not recall signing any marriage documents with the Muslim man.

Years later, Madinah married a local Hindu in a customary wedding and started having problems when her first child was born.

Read more here:

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/09/05/i-was-converted-to-islam-without-my-knowledge/

Many objected strongly when the government tabled the Administration of the Religion of Islam (Federal Territories) Bill 2013 late last month. The Bill allowed for the unilateral conversion to Islam of a child by one parent, presumably after that parent converts himself or herself to Islam. We are glad that these strong objections have caused the Bill to be withdrawn, for now.

Many have emphasised too that withdrawing the bill does not address the problem as existing state religious laws and the Bahasa Malaysia version of the Federal Constitution must be amended to ensure that the consent of both parents is necessary for a child’s conversion.

But unilateral conversion of the child is not the only issue to worry about when one spouse converts to Islam. In WAO’s direct experience with women whose husbands convert opportunistically, other rights of the non-converted women have been eroded.

If one spouse converts to Islam, the non-converted spouse and other non-Muslim next-of-kin are not entitled to inherit from the converted spouse. The Distribution Act 1958 does not apply to the estate of any person professing Islam, and non-Muslims are generally not allowed to inherit under faraid principles of asset distribution.

Non-Muslim family members can only receive at most one-third of the converted person’s estate, if the converted person chooses to bequeath anything at all. The Distribution Act 1958 should be amended to safeguard the right of the deceased’s non-Muslim next-of-kin to inherit.

Read more here:

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2013/07/29/rights-of-non-converted-spouse-must-be-upheld/

The High Court here has ruled as “null and void” the conversion of three Hindu children of kindergarten teacher, M.Indira Ghandi to become Muslims. Judicial Commissioner Lee Swee Seng also ruled that the father of the children, Mohd Ridzuan Abdullah, had not followed the rules in converting his children, Tevi Darsiny, 16; Karan Dinish, 15; and Prasana Diksa, five, to Islam.

“Under the Perak Islamic Administration Enactment, the three children must have the intention to embrace Islam without force. In this case, the three children cannot be proved to have recited the syahadah (affirmation of faith) and they, as well as their mother, were not present at the Islamic Religious Office for the conversion purposes,” he said when delivering his judgment which lasted one hour and 40 minutes.

Lee said the conversion was null and void as the children were not present to recite the syahadah before the religious officer. He said the decision was made not to ensure victory for any quarter, but more to maintain racial harmony in the country.

Read more here:

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/07/26/conversion-was-%E2%80%9Cnull-and-void%E2%80%9D-says-court/

Oh My 1Malaysia!

The owner of the resort in Kota Tinggi who allowed a group of Buddhist monks to meditate in a surau there has been remanded for four days. The Star online reported court registrar Hairul Azhar Mohamad issued the remand order today against the resort owner who is a Singaporean with Malaysian permanent resident status.

The 45-year-old man was arrested on Sunday afternoon at the Tanjung Sutera Resort and is currently being investigated under Section 295 of the Penal Code for defiling a place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class.

His arrest came after a YouTube video portrayed a group who looked like monks conducting religious prayers in a surau, leading a group in meditation in front of a portrait of Buddha. The 63-second video called "Chinese Buddhist pray in surau: surau becomes temple" was uploaded on Aug 10 and has generated more than 10,000 views.

It was reported in Berita Harian yesterday that the resort owner defended his action saying that he did not think the action of giving permission to believers of other religions to use the surau was wrong.

He was quoted as saying: “This is because they only wanted to use the surau for meditation. "So we allowed them to use the surau in the resort but their bringing other religious items into the surau was done without my knowledge."

Link: 

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/resort-owner-remanded-for-allowing-buddihist-monks-to-use-surau-for-meditat

A Scottish church has become the first in the UK to share its premises with Muslim worshippers. St John’s Episcopal Church in Aberdeen now welcomes hundreds of Muslims praying five times a day in their building as the nearby mosque was so small that they were forced to worship outside.

The minister of St John's, Rev Isaac Poobalan, has handed over part of the church hall to Chief Imam Ahmed Megharbi and the imam has led prayers in the main chapel. Rev Poobalan said today that he would not be true to his faith if he did not offer to help. He said: 'Praying is never wrong. My job is to encourage people to pray.

'The mosque was so full at times, there would be people outside in the wind and rain praying. 'I knew I couldn’t just let this happen - because I would be abandoning what the Bible teaches us about how we should treat our neighbours.

'When I spoke to people at the church about the situation, someone actually said to me this was not our problem, but I had seen it with my own eyes, so it was a problem. Rev Poobalan said: 'They were out there praying and the snow came on for the first time in winter, it was really hard to watch. 'When they were doing the prayer they had their hands and feet exposed and they were sitting on on the pavement, which is very rough. 'You could even see them breathing because it was so cold and I think when I saw that, the visual impact was such that I just couldn't walk past.

'It felt wrong, mainly because the church is next door, it's a big building and it remains empty on a Friday lunchtime which is when they need the place most as that's when they are at their busiest. 'We had something we could offer and they were just standing out in the cold and I said to my congregation "we need to do something".'

Rev Poobalan said he wanted the move to help build bridges between Christians and Muslims after some initial resistance from his congregation about the move. He said: 'It's a move that is so basic and fundamental. It has nothing to do with religion - it's all based on human need. 'The religious divide shouldn't divide us as people. 

'But I anticipated there would be some opposition as it's strange and new and there was some natural anxiety in the beginning. 'But once people realised that there is more commonality between us. 'I certainly hope, wish and pray that this will help relations between the two religions.

'When I spoke to the imam there was some hesitation on their part too, because this has never been done before. 'But they took us up on the offer and it has been a positive relationship.'

Read more here:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2295149/Christians-roll-welcome-Muslims-having-pray-wind-rain-mosque-small.html#ixzz2boFIeOP2

If tossing pig heads into suraus won’t do it, then distribute Bibles to Muslims?

Posted on 24 January 2013 by The People's Parliament.

August, 2009, they tried to agitate the Hindu community into reacting to a cow head protest in Shah Alam.

Our  Hindu brothers and sisters did not fall for it.

January, 2010, arson attacks on churches.

Damn!

Christians also not reacting like with like.

So they decided to ‘do the dirty’ for the Christians.

UMNO / PERKASA or their paid underlings desecrated suraus.

January, 2012, 5 pig heads outside the front entrance of the Masjid Al Falah in Taman Desa Jaya, Johor Bahru. FMT has the report HERE.

And now, at the height of the “Allah” controversy, Chinese Christians distributing Bibles to Muslim students?

In Penang, at that?

“…at about 1.30pm on Jan 17, the individual who lodged the report said while he was in his office and a Malay man had informed him that bibles were being distributed outside SMK Jelutong, Lorong Sekolah.

“The complainant then went to the scene and discovered that it was true. From the information received, three Chinese men and a woman who came in a car were found distributing the bibles randomly to students after the morning school session had ended,” he added.

The complainant, who was given a Bible by one of the students, then lodged a police report at the Jelutong police station” - Penang police chief Abdul Rahim Hanafi in a statement issued two nights ago, and reported by Malaysiakini.

Firstly, I cannot imagine anyone stupid enough to, at the present time, go out in broad daylight to do this, when this controversy is still raging.

And even if you had to  do it in broad daylight, surely you’d be careful enough to not be spotted.

I mean, if we were able to ABU the ferry terminal in Labuan in broad daylight without being spotted, surely anyone wanting to carry this distribution exercise would take enough caution too?

Whether you and I and everyone else reading this and in cyberspace believes this, or sees it as an UMNO / PERKASA effort to agitate the Malays, is unimportant.

Why?

First, please see that in the Malaysiakini report, the Penang CPO said that  “Investigation papers have been referred to the state deputy prosecutor yesterday and further instructions have been received for the police to complete the probe”.

Presumably, the probe had not as yet been completed then.

And no one has as yet been charged, nor is there anything in the police statement to suggest that the alleged perpetrators have been identified.

Now do you see the mischief in the statement issued by the police?

Why, at this stage of the investigation, mention the ethnicity of the alleged distributors?

Three Chinese men and a woman.

Distributing Bibles to Muslim students.

In Penang.

I’m pretty sure that, in the end, no one will be charged.

This incident, even if it did factually take place, in my honest belief, has, like so many others in the past, been contrived by UMNO and / or PERKASA, not to impact you and I, but those who do not have access to the alternative news.

Courtesy of the police statement issued, Utusan, Berita Harian, RTM and TV3 now have enough fodder to run the story that 4 Chinese Christians were distributing Bibles to Muslim students in Penang.

And guess what?

Unless someone bothers to take the truth as we all know it to the Malay heartlands, many pakcik, makcik and adik-adik out there are going to fall for this.

You really want to see the end of UMNO / BN in Putrajaya post the 13th GE?

GET THE TRUTH OUT TO THE KAMPUNGS

Link: http://harismibrahim.wordpress.com/2013/01/24/if-tossing-pig-heads-into-suraus-wont-do-it-then-distribute-bibles-to-muslims/

Burn #Alkitab Day on Jan 27?

By G Vinod. Published by Free Malaysia Today on 22 January 2013.

Bishop Ng Moon Hing, executive secretary of the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM), said a copy of the flyer was found in the mailbox of a Christian priest residing in Butterworth. The flyer, printed by a group called Pasukan Bertindak Anti Bible Bahasa Melayu (Anti-Malay-Bible Action Force), urges Muslims to join in the “Malay Bible burning festivities” scheduled at 10am.

“Our children and grandchildren will end up being apostates if you want to wait for our impotent government to act,” reads the flyer. “To Muslims who have copies of al-Kitab, bring them over to make our Bible burning session merrier.” It says Sunday has been chosen for the burning because “that’s the day Christians go to church to pray to their gods.”

Ng described all religious scriptures as “valuable” and said no one should threaten to desecrate a holy book in any manner. “CFM abhors this action, which was first proposed by Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali,” he said. “Now this group has decided to make it a reality on a sacred day for Christians.”

He said Christians were peace loving people who would always strive to bring harmony and peace to multi-religious Malaysia.

He alleged that extremist groups planning such “vile acts” were doing so only to score political brownie points. “We pray that good sense will prevail during these trying times. May the Lord confound the plans made by these irresponsible people.”

Perkasa’s Ibrahim, in calling for the burning of Bibles last Saturday, alleged that Christians were provoking the Muslims by using Arabic religious terms in their scripture. The call drew brickbats from both opposition and Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties.

Read more here: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/01/22/burn-al-kitab-day-on-jan-27/

Related reports:

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/01/19/burn-allah-bibles-perkasa-chief-tells-muslims/

Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali has called on Muslims to seize and burn copies of Bibles which contain the term “Allah” or other Arabic religious words.

“Muslims must unite to protect their religion. They must seize those Bibles, including the Malay editions, which contained the term Allah and other Arabic religious terms, and burn them.

“This is the way to show our anger against disrespect to our sensitivity,” he told a press conference after delivering his presidential speech at a Perkasa convention here today.

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/01/22/hasan-ali-defends-ibrahim-ali/

Selangor state lawmaker Hasan Ali today supported Ibrahim Ali’s struggle to uphold the word “Allah” for Muslims but disagreed with the latter’s call to burn Bibles.

The president of NGO Jati said the Perkasa chief’s call on Saturday for Muslims to burn Bibles using the word “Allah” was not intended to stir violence but was just “a reflection of anger”.

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/01/21/a-g-not-concerned-by-perkasas-call/

The Attorney-General’s (A-G) Chambers will only act on Perkasa president, Ibrahim Ali’s controversial call to burn copies of the Malay Bibles if the books are actually burnt.

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/01/20/lawyer-charge-ibrahim-ali-for-hate-speech/

According to a civil liberties lawyer, Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali’s speech on the Allah issue on Saturday was a hate speech and contravened the Penal Code and Sedition Act.

“Ibrahim Ali may have committed several offences under Sections 298 and 505 of the Penal Code,” said Syahredzan Johan.

Section 298 states that it is an offence to utter words that deliberately wound religious feelings. If found guilty, an offender can be imprisoned for a year, or fined or both.

Section 505 meanwhile states that it is an offence to make statements that that are conducing public mischief. Those found guilty under this section can be imprisoned for a span of two years, fined or both.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/prosecute-ibrahim-ali-over-bible-burning-call-bar-council-urges/

“This statement by Ibrahim is an incitement or abetment to commit criminal offence under Section 107 of the Penal Code, whilst the seizure and burning of bibles is an offence under Section 441 of the Penal Code,” Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee said.

http://www.themuslimtimes.org/2013/01/countries/malta/everybodys-right-to-use-religious-terms

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, which believes and acts on the true teachings of Islam and promotes peace, love, tolerance and mutual respect towards all mankind, strongly rejects and condemns this violence towards the Malaysian Christian Community. The very idea that Allah or any other religious term should be reserved only for Muslims is absurd.

The Ahmadiyya Community also strongly supports the court’s decision to grant Christians the right to use the word Allah to refer to God.

http://www.themuslimtimes.org/2013/01/countries/malaysia/malaysia-bans-use-of-word-allah-by-non-muslims#ixzz2Ihyw6rvG

We, in the Muslim Times stand for the religious freedom for everyone.  I suggest that the Christians can start using web-based version of the Bible to demonstrate the small mindedness of the Sultan to the whole world. They should host their Bible, with the world ‘Allah,’ free of charge in the Muslim Times, until the Sultan begins to respect the Universal Declaration of the Human Rights.

http://aliran.com/11367.html

In a joint statement, Aliran, Sisters in Islam, Islamic Renaissance Front and Projek Dialog have condemned Perkasa’s call to burn Malay-language Bibles as an abominable provocation.

We are appalled by the vile exhortation of right-wing Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali to fellow Muslims to burn Malay-language Bibles containing the word “Allah” in the continuing saga of the contentious use of the term in Malaysia.

This dangerous and reckless provocation will only court the zealotry of the bigots and consequently tear apart the existing fragile harmony among Malaysians of various ethnic and religious backgrounds. Religious conflicts do not get resolved amicably and effectively by rabble rousing and dangerous antics such as the proposed torching of the holy books of believers.

The alleged distribution of Malay Bibles to Muslim children in a secondary school in Penang – yet to be verified – may have understandably caused deep concern among the Muslim community and requires immediate investigation, but it certainly doesn’t justify the burning of the Holy Bible. The provocation is mischievously intended to ignite hatred and extremism.

An understanding and appreciation of non-Muslim communities, which is so necessary for unity and harmony, cannot be promoted effectively by committing a sacrilegious act of burning holy books that are revered by their respective believers. In fact, this proposed act by Perkasa goes against the very teachings of most revealed religions including Islam.