Rethink move to let in rally supporters, churches told

Churches are houses of worship and should not mix religion and politics, says Portuguese community headman.

MALACCA: The Portuguese community has urged the three Catholic churches in Kuala Lumpur which are willing to provide refuge for Bersih 4.0 rally participants this weekend to rethink the move.

The community’s headman, Joseph Sta Maria, said this ought to be done to prevent clashes which could result in a wider conflict among Malaysians.

“I, as the representative of the minority Portuguese community in this state, do not support the move by the three churches to provide refuge to Bersih 4.0 demonstrators … this is not something compulsory for a church.

“This is because the churches concerned are houses of worship for Catholics.

“Churches are not political bodies and we do not like the mixing of religion and politics,” he told reporters here today.

He was responding to a statement by Maria Chin Abdullah, the organising chair of the planned rally, that the said churches would open their doors to participants if they needed refuge.

The three churches are St John’s Cathedral in Bukit Nanas, St Anthony’s Church in Pudu and Fatima Church in Brickfields.

Kuala Lumpur Archbishop Julian Leow confirmed the matter, citing that providing refuge would be done on humanitarian grounds.

– BERNAMA