Church protest not seditious as no one died, says former Umno leader

Former Petaling Jaya Selatan Umno Wanita chief Munaliza Hamzah says the protest against a church in Taman Medan (corner shoplot) was not seditious as no one had died. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, April 20, 2015. 

A former Umno leader who took part in yesterday's protest against a church in Taman Medan said that their actions were not seditious as "no one had died, become injured or was upset by them", Malaysiakini reported today.

Former Petaling Jaya Selatan Umno Wanita chief Munaliza Hamzah also said the anti-goods and services tax (GST) rallies were in fact more seditious in nature than the protest against the church.

"Though we went there for a demonstration, no one died, no one was injured and no one was upset after that," she was quoted as saying.

She said this was because the negotiations between the residents of Taman Medan and church representatives were done "politely and with respect".

"We have done nothing seditious. We just went to seek help from the church to take down their cross," she was reported as saying by the portal.

"We only sent three representatives for the dialogue (following the demonstration) with the presence of Special Branch. We were polite to them as they were to us."

Some 50 protesters, armed with placards that read "Jangan Cabar Umat Islam Taman Medan" and others, had gathered outside the new church, which is housed in a corner shoplot, to demand that the cross affixed to the house of worship be removed as it was challenging Islam.

The protesters reportedly said the presence of a cross in a Muslim-majority area posed a challenge to the religion and could sway the faith of the youth.

Munaliza said the fact that the church had taken down the cross after the protest indicated that it respected the views of the residents.

She was also reported as saying that the police officers who were present at the protest would have known if what they were doing during the protest was seditious or not.

"Isn't asking the people to take to the streets (to protest the GST) something seditious?” she was quoted as saying.

Earlier today, Umno leader Datuk Abdullah Abu Bakar, who was also at the protest yesterday, was revealed as the older brother of Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar.

Abdullah, who confirmed this, said the residents had approached him over the matter on Saturday.

"It just so happens that I'm the elder brother of Tan Sri Khalid (Abu Bakar). He is my younger brother," he told The Malaysian Insider.

Abdullah, who owns a businesses dealing with security and arms, also denied that he was against Christians.

"We are not against Christians‎. I will show you kuil (temple) in Taman Medan but the residents have no issue with that.

"The residents just panicked after seeing the cross‎. They were uncomfortable and sensitive," he said.

"Some of them complained that the first thing they saw when they opened their windows was the cross."

- TMI