Taman Medan church says it took down cross out of fear

The corner lot shophouse unit housing the church which was forced to take down its cross symbol after a protest last Sunday. – The Malaysian Insider pic, April 23, 2015.

Driven by fear to remove the cross symbol from its exterior, the church at the centre of the Taman Medan protest last Sunday is now seeking police protection to prevent similar incidents in future.

A representative from the church told the police that she had been filled with fear by the angry demeanour of one of the protesters, who directly confronted her that day and demanded that she take down the cross.

“One of the other men was wearing a red baju melayu with a black songkok. He looked very angry and said to bring the cross down now (turunkan sekarang),” she told police on Tuesday.

“I looked at him and then spoke to the lady, and said that I would do it because I was fearful for my and my members' safety, and I just wanted to diffuse the situation. I felt his anger and I was distressed and was fearful about my people’s safety.”

She said the man, who was accompanied by a woman and two other protesters, including a “Datuk Abdullah”, had met her outside the door of the church at 11am during Sunday service, and that an “Inspector Kula” was also present.

She said the lady spoke politely to her and told her, “When my people open their windows, they can see the cross.”

"Datuk Abdullah" then told her that he would see the Petaling Jaya Municipal Council to lodge a report, she said, to which she replied she was "okay" with it.

She said she asked someone to remove the cross and it was brought down at about 1.30pm.

“At about 2.30pm I went down and the crowd was no longer there."

She then requested police presence on days that the church held its service "for fear of any untoward incidents towards me and my members”.

On Sunday, some 50 residents protested outside the church to demand that it remove the cross affixed to the building's facade.

They said the cross was a challenge to Islam and would sway the faith of youth in the area.

Police have launched an investigation into the incident after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak urged them to investigate, and said that action could be taken under the law.

Najib said the protesters should have discussed with the church instead of taking action that could create tensions in a multi-racial country.

- TMI