PETALING JAYA - Just a week after a tense protest resulted in a cross being taken down from a Taman Medan church, a group of Malaysians came with flowers to show support and with messages of goodwill.
Azrul Mohd Khalib, the Malaysians for Malaysia group coordinator, said the group is in support of the church and the community here.
“We feel for you in this trying time and we would like to say we are Malaysians of multi ethnicity and of multi-religions and we believe in the freedom of religion and we should be able to worship in the way we want to. This is a guarantee under the Federal Constitution.
“Honestly speaking we are all brothers and sisters, whether as citizens of this country or in faith but we are here for you,” he told the church pastors before handing over a bouquet of flowers to Pastor Victoria Packianathan.
Earlier, around 10 individuals from the Malaysians for Malaysia group went around the neighbourhood handing out stalks of purple flowers and they also gave them to members of the church.
The church’s Senior Pastor Paul Packianathan then thanked all Malaysians for their “outpouring of support” after the protest, turning emotional for a while before continuing to address the media.
The senior pastor also expressed a desire for continued peace, saying: “I pray that Malaysia will go back to its glorious days where there was peace as we had in the sixties and seventies.”
Later, activist Ally Hazran Hashim — who is not from the Taman Medan community — approached the senior pastor and apologised on behalf of the Muslim protesters and offered support on behalf of Muslims.
“There are many Muslims who felt very bad about this incident. We want this Malaysia to be peaceful as you said,” the 50-year-old said, stressing that Islam represents peace and expressing hope that Malaysians will respect each other.
Azrul told Malay Mail Online that the protest was an opportunity for Malaysians — both Muslims and non-Muslims — to understand and learn about each other’s religion.
“Taman Medan has always been associated with conflict, with tension, with fear, with racism. Let’s change that,” the activist said.
He said the local community were initially taken aback when given flowers by strangers, but noted that they later smiled and that none of the flowers were thrown away.
Although some of the locals interviewed by reporters did not understand why they were given flowers, Azrul said it was a symbolic action meant to show peace and represented a first step to open their hearts to accepting the Christian community.
Last Sunday, about 50 Taman Medan Muslim residents staged a protest against the Community of Praise Petaling Jaya Church for putting up a cross on its façade, claiming the act was a challenge to Islam and could influence young Muslims.
The church removed the cross several hours later.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak this week said the police are investigating the incident and will take action under the Sedition Act and other laws if the protesters are found to have acted unlawfully. - Malay Mail
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