How could authorities approve UiTM seminar, asks Christian body

Council of Churches Malaysia general-secretary Rev Dr Hermen Shastri says the anti-Christian seminar held at the Universiti Teknologi Mara campus in Malacca was geared at pitting one religion against another. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, December 16, 2015. 

The Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM) today expressed concern that the anti-Christian seminar held at the Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) campus in Malacca over the weekend had the support and sanction of the authorities.

CCM general-secretary Rev Dr Hermen Shastri said it was disheartening that the authorities had sanctioned the seminar.

It was obvious that the programme was geared at pitting one religion against another, he added.

The seminar “Ancaman gerakan pemurtadan Kristianisasi (Threat of the Christian proselytisation movement)” was held at UiTM's campus in Lendu, Malacca, on Saturday, where one of the presenters was from the police force.

In a statement today, Hermen said churches would continue to protests against the many ways in which Christians in the country were being maligned and treated with disrespect.

If such activities were allowed to continue, it would radicalise young Muslims who would grow up being fed with unfounded prejudice against other religious communities, he added.

“In a multi-religious country like Malaysia, it would be expected that public authorities, especially the universities and the police force, would instead promote activities that foster interreligious harmony and not that which seem to create suspicion among the religious groups.

“Too often seminars like the present that run counter to religious harmony are being held at educational facilities with the young impressionable audience.

“It is beyond comprehension how such programmes are allowed to go unchecked with any official disapproval from the Education Ministry or the higher education authorities,” he said.

Hermen urged the Education Ministry and the inspector-general of police (IGP) to stop promoting and participating in such seminars.

IGP Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said there was no law to prevent police from attending or giving talks at anti-Christian seminars, while Malacca police chief Datuk Chuah Ghee Lye confirmed that a Special Branch officer was invited as a presenter at the seminar.

Last year, UiTM Shah Alam was criticised for holding a seminar where participants were told that undercover Christian preachers were sent to Malaysia to convert Muslims.

The latest incident has prompted a lawyer to urge Putrajaya to reopen investigations against UiTM for holding a seminar which vilified the Christian faith last year.

The institution had, on May 6 last year, organised a seminar on the use of the word “Allah” and Christology.

Featuring speakers from Indonesia, the seminar told the audience that undercover Christian priests had been sent to Malaysia under different guises, including working with Muslim children as football coaches, to proselytise and convert Muslims.

Several police reports were lodged against the organiser but no one has been charged yet, although the file is still open.

- TMI