UMNO MAKING MALAYS BACKWARD: Looking at cross won't alter faith of Muslims - Haniza

Looking at a cross will not alter a Muslim's faith, but infringing on minority rights is against Islam, said PKR's Taman Medan assemblyperson Haniza Talha.

Haniza was responding to reports of a protest yesterday against a new church in Taman Medan, Petaling Jaya, that demanded the cross be removed from the exterior of the church

"They claim the faith of Muslims is under threat because the church has put up a cross (on their building). This is a shallow thinking.

"Islam teaches its followers that it is wrong to stop non-Muslims from practising their faiths," Haniza (right) told Malaysiakini.

The church, set up three days ago in the middle class suburb yesterday, obliged and brought down the cross after the protest.

The protesters said the cross was put up without consulting the locals, whom they claim are 95 percent Muslim.

They questioned whether the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) had approved the church, located in a shop lot.

The protesters also carried placards condemning Haniza for "sleeping" on the job.

Asked about this, Haniza could not say if the church had MBPJ approval or if the residents were consulted about the Christian place of worship before it was set up.

She said all queries on this should be directed to MBPJ.

Malaysiakini has contacted the area’s MBPJ councillor Raja Fairuz Raja Mazlan on the matter and is awaiting her response.

Last November, a group claiming to represent local Muslims protested against the construction of a church at Dataran Mentari in Petaling Jaya, claiming it is a Malay-majority area.

Selangor executive councillor and local elected representative Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad condemned the protest and confirmed the church received council approval to be built there.

Local councillor Halimey Abu Bakar reportedly said a public hearing was held before the area was gazetted for as non-Muslim place of worship, but the local surau committee had snubbed the council's invitation.

Last month, Selangor Menteri Besar and PKR deputy president Azmin Ali assured Christians that he would safeguard freedom of religion in the state.

Village head without village

Meanwhile Haniza, in a follow up statement this morning called yesterday’s protest “narrow politics”.

She claimed that the protest, allegedly by Umno Petaling Jaya Selatan (PJS) members, was “politically motivated” and “has primarily given a negative perception of Islam and Muslims”.

“Umno has once again used Islam for its narrow political and racial agenda,” she said.

“The incident at the Taman Medan church reeks of political motives.

"One of the demonstrators, Munaliza Hamzah, was the Umno-BN candidate for N33 Taman Medan, who ran against me in the 12th general election. She lost to me,” Haniza said.

She added that another demonstrator shown in the video clip of the incident, Abdullah Abu Bakar, is not a village head as claimed.

“It is clear he is lying, because there is no kampung in Taman Medan,” she said, adding that Abdullah is one of the branch chiefs in the Umno Petaling Jaya Selatan division.

'Giving Islam bad name'

Haniza also claimed that when she checked further, others in the crowd were found to have links with Umno PJS, including former and present office holders in the Youth and Wanita divisions and branches.

“Their hateful act has insulted the Muslim community, especially in Taman Medan. Their outrageous actions have given a negative perception towards Islam and Muslims,” she said.

Such acts, she said, made it appear as if Muslims were extremists who prevent non-Muslims from practising their respective religions.

Haniza reminded the protesters that Islamic education in the state has improved vastly since the opposition took over the state administration in 2008 and the Muslim community were happy with the development of religious erudition in the state.

“The understanding of Islam for the (Selangor) residents have also improved.

“Islam teaches its followers to treat those of other religions well, so that Islam doesn’t come under attack in extreme fashion,” she said.

Therefore, Haniza added, yesterday’s protesters should “return to the ideals of Islam”, as espoused by Prophet Muhammad, and put a stop to acts that go against the religion. - M'kini