(Malay Mail Online) – Sabah leaders from all political divides have unanimously condemned the protest and forced removal of a church cross in Taman Medan, demanding today that immediate action be taken against the group of protesters.
Sabah Special Functions Minister Datuk Teo Chee Kang (pic) said the authorities must immediately intervene and take action against the group which has brought “religious intolerance in the nation to new heights.”
“We cannot allow the irresponsible few to continue breaking up the bedrock of our nation,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Teo, who is also Liberal Democratic Party president, said the incident was an “ugly episode” in Malaysia, a nation used to take pride in the harmonious co-existence of its diversity of people, cultures and religions.
“It is an affront to the freedom of religion that we enjoy as enshrined in the Federal Constitution. It is unimaginable that the cross on the exterior wall of a church can be interpreted as propagating the Christian faith to the Muslims.
“While Sabahans and Sarawakians can take comfort that we have no such problem over here, but it affects the sentiments of the people especially that of the Christian community in East Malaysia,” he added.
DAP Sabah’s organising secretary Junz Wong said that action could be taken against the protesters for violating the constitutional rights to freedom of religions and the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA).
“In fact, under PAA, it is illegal to assemble within 50m of vicinity of a place of worship, a clear outright prohibition by the law. Thus they have also committed criminal offense,” said Wong, who said that the protesters have disregarded the respective laws by staging a non-peaceful protest by forcing the removal of the cross.
“I hope that the federal government will act fast and protect the sanctity of all religions in the spirit of mutual respect of the harmonious co-existence of different cultures and religions in Malaysia,” he said in a statement today.
A Sabah-based human rights non-governmental organisation Pertubuhan Angkatan Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (Agaras) also demanded action against the group.
Its president Michael Frederick said that such incidents of repressing one’s rights to celebrate their religion is becoming more rampant, and has created a rift among the country’s multi-racial community.
“We don’t want incidents like the tearing down of the ‘Merry Christmas’ banners last year to happen again in a country that brands itself as multiracial and multi-religious,” he said.
“The authorities need to take action against such protests and individuals who play up racial and religious sentiments. The government should show their concern in such issues and not just stand by and watch and not nip it in the bud.
“They should be fair to all, not just persecute a select few,” he said ,” he said in a message to the Malay Mail Online.
On Sunday, it was reported that around 50 residents of Taman Medan staged a protest against a new church in the area for putting up a cross, a religious symbol for the Christians, on its façade.
The Muslims, who are said to be residents of Muslim-majority Taman Medan in Petaling Jaya, had staged a demonstration outside the church building on Sunday morning, during its service claiming its display of the cross is a challenge to Muslims and could influence the young.
Their action sparked public outrage and several opposition lawmakers immediately demanded that the police take immediate action against the protesters.
Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said yesterday, however, that the protestors had not violated any law by staging the demonstration.
He was later contradicted by Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who said the protest was seditious and warrants a probe.
The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) has now confirmed that the church in Taman Media has been operating illegally as a place of worship and does not have any permit to hang a cross on its facade.
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