Allah Judgment: What the Special Branch saw on Sunday

Here’s what I imagine the Special Branch would have reported to the Home Minister about what they saw in a typical West Malaysian church – whether Catholic or not – on the Sunday after the Court of Appeal Judgment in the "Allah" case.

Announcements and prayers. The pastors and leaders advised those who were assembled to remain calm. They prayed for guidance on whether the Catholic church should appeal the decision, and whether other Christian groups should join as interveners.

Malay songs. In their non-Malay services, they included Malay songs. One of the songs was “Kau Yang Terindah”:

Kau yang terindah di dalam hidup ini
Tiada Allah Tuhan yang seperti Engkau
Besar perkasa penuh kemuliaan
Kau yang termanis di dalam hidup ini
Ku cinta Kau lebih dari segalanya
Besar kasih setiaMu kepadaku

Kusembah Kau ya Allahku
Kutinggikan namaMu selalu
Tiada lutut tak bertelut
Menyembah Yesus Tuhan Rajaku
Kusembah Kau ya Allahku
Kutinggikan namaMu selalu
Semua lidah ‘kan mengaku
Engkaulah Yesus Tuhan RajaKu

Older church members usually sing Malay songs grumpily. Though millions of Malays have been educated in Malaysian Christian schools, almost no Malays have become Christians. So, except for East Malaysians, no native-Malay speakers attend Sunday services in West Malaysian churches. Therefore, the older members think there is no need to use Malay. (They ‘tolerate’ Malay because their children are fluent in Malay.)

The Sunday after the CoA decision was unusual. The older members didn’t frown or strain when the Malay songs were sung. They not only stood up with the younger members to sing. They even looked happy when the Malay songs were sung, repeatedly.

The quality of the singing was poorer than usual, because the older members pronounce Malay words badly. Yet, no one seemed to mind. Even the worship leaders who normally twist their faces when the assembled people sing poorly, seemed happy.

Conversations. Over coffee after the service, both older and younger members spoke about the CoA decision. People seemed sad, disappointed and frustrated. Some parents and young folks discussed emigration. Most said the CoA did what the government wanted.

Some said the verdict indicated there is limited justice in the land. They also discussed the Home Minister’s “shoot to kill” remark, thousands of detentions without charges in recent months, police “assassinations” of suspected terrorists and the incendiary speeches of Perkasa leaders.

Appendix One includes the names of those who participated in such conversations.

The Lord’s Prayer. Many urged their pastors and leaders to include more Malay songs and to start saying the Lord’s Prayer – which is said in every service – in Malay:

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, as we also have forgiven those who sinned against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.”

“Ya Bapa kami yang di syurga, Engkaulah Allah yang Esa, semoga Engkau disembah dan dihormati. Engkaulah Raja kami. Semoga Engkau memerintah di bumi, dan seperti di syurga, kehendak-Mu ditaati. Berilah kami makanan yang kami perlukan pada hari ini. Ampunkanlah kesalahan kami, seperti kami mengampuni orang yang bersalah terhadap kami. Janganlah biarkan kami kehilangan iman ketika dicubai, tetapi selamatkanlah kami daripada kuasa Si Jahat. Engkaulah Raja yang berkuasa dan mulia untuk selama-lamanya. Amin.”

Printing. Appendix Two includes the names of members whom we heard asking the pastors and leaders to print the prayer in Malay because the prayer explicitly uses the word “Allah” for God – andprinting is forbidden by the Home Minister.

Whether to appeal. We observed Christians are divided over whether to appeal to the Federal Court against the CoA verdict. Christians are in two minds about this because they feel the CoA has clearly demonstrated judges cannot think independently about this subject, and may provide even more reason for the world to mock Malays.

Appendix Three includes the names of those whom we heard saying: “if this is how unjust Malaysian judges can be, how can we trust their judgments in any other cases?”

Friday sermons. We noted many discussing the Friday sermons preached in government-controlled mosques. Where previously the Friday sermons were the butt of jokes, last Sunday the sermons were discussed as serious provocations.

Sunday lesson. The words “hope” and “faith” were often used in conversations. This may be partly because the lectionary reading for the day included the Bible passage Luke 18: 1-8 as one of the set readings for the day:

The Parable of the Unjust Judge
Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, 'Grant me justice against my opponent.' For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, 'Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.'" And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

Christians do not have a ‘standard’ sermon which all preachers read out on Sundays. Instead, preachers explain and apply Bible passages in ways which they consider suited to the needs of their congregations. The following is the ‘lesson’ which most Malaysian Christians were taught on the Sunday after the CoA decision:

God is NOT like uncaring, unrighteous judges, but is merciful, patient and eager to assist his people. The faithful will pray continuously for help in dealing with the world.

The same sentiment, "look to God and pray for wisdom and guidance for all involved as to the next steps that they should take," was expressed in the press statement issued by the Christian Federation of Malaysia

The CFM statement is likely to be read in most churches next Sunday.

Posted by Ramanathan