PBS: Malaysia walking a ‘dangerous’ path

PBS warns its peers in federal Barisan Nasional not to assume that current inter-religious conflict is the same as political or racial strife.

KOTA KINABALU: Christian majority Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) survived the ego-crushing 13th general election on a prayer, warn its allies in Barisan Nasional who are using the Allah issue to score political mileage that they are walking a “dangerous” path.

PBS secretary general Johnny Mositun said BN leaders must not place inter-religious conflicts on the same level as inter-ethnic or political conflicts.

He said while its easier to resolve the latter conflicts, inter-religious strife is “far more dangerous”.

“Inter-racial and political conflicts are relatively easier to overcome and resolve, but inter-religious conflict would be far more dangerous and prove destructive beyond repair,” he said.

Mositun was responding to the “disturbing” developments taking place in Selangor over the Allah issue.

He said the protests in Klang against the Herald editor Rev Father Lawrence Andrew’s stand and the recent raid, by Jais, on the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) shows political leaders adding fuel to fire instead of diffusing the already tense situation in Selangor, in their attempt to score political mileage.

He said the issue no longer involved just the religious authorities but involved the church, the courts, state and federal authorities and institutions and partisan politics.

He said it had also brought to the surface an uncomfortable anomaly that could have far-reaching implications for the country’s future as special interest groups and politicians were making a mockery of the 1Malaysia spirit.

“God and religion is not owned by any government, organization or individual. It cannot and should not be regarded as a commodity dispensed with at one’s whims and fancies,” said Mositun.

Sabah has thousands of closet-Christians and was once a Christian majority community like neighbouring Sarawak.

But the 1990′s saw a demographic change, re-engineered by Project IC, a scheme that legalised Muslim illegals and grossly reduced the local Christian native population.
In January last year the Royal Commisison of Inquiry heard incriminating testimonies on Project IC.

Widely reported testimonies together with the resurgence of political awareness, saw the opposition secure historic wins in 13 state constituencies. Three of these elected representatives however have since defected.