Hit with Christian evangelism claims, Yeoh turns to PAS precedents

 

PARLIAMENT | After an agency under the Youth and Sports Ministry was accused of running a “Christian evangelist” programme, its minister Hannah Yeoh quoted precedents set by PAS leaders about Muslims visiting non-Muslim places of worship.

This is over Impact Malaysia’s “Projek Artikel 11” which involved youth visiting houses of worship as part of the agency’s efforts to increase awareness of the country’s diverse society.

“I suggest to those throwing accusations out there to listen to the advice which I got from Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.

“The PAS deputy president said on Oct 2, 2018, that it is not wrong for Muslims to enter a kuil (Hindu temple) and receive garlands, and that the party does not dispute any Muslims who want to go to other religions' houses of worship as long as they do not follow the religious ceremonies.

“In 2015, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang visited a church in Miri. He said later that the bilateral discussions and exchange of ideas were very interesting and were meant to strengthen the relationship in a diverse society.

“I am not an expert, but I want to learn what PAS has said. This is what PAS said,” Yeoh said during her speech in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Directly calling out Bersatu for first raising the evangelism accusation against her, the minister advised those in Perikatan Nasional to check what their coalition partners have said on any topics before throwing allegations at anyone.

She said this while responding to Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden (PN-Alor Setar), who in his debate earlier questioned Impact Malaysia’s ‘Projek Artikel 11’ programme and the increased allocation for the agency in this year’s budget.

Report lodged over slander

It was previously reported that Bersatu leader Badrul Hisham Shaharin claimed that Impact Malaysia was running a “Christian evangelist” programme under the new minister.

Impact Malaysia has since denied the claims of evangelism and Yeoh’s officer has also lodged a police report against Badrul for slandering her and her ministry.

So far, the “Jom Ziarah” programme under “Projek Artikel 11” has brought eight Chinese and Indian youths to the Federal Territory Mosque on March 4 and three Chinese youths to the Gurdwara Sahib in Shah Alam on March 11.

In her speech in the Dewan Rakyat today, Yeoh stressed that there have been no Muslim youths joining the “Jom Ziarah” programme.

“The ministry, through Impact Malaysia, will certainly not involve the participation of Muslim youth and no Muslim youth will enter a church through this programme.

“The data has shown that there are no Muslim youths (involved in the programme),” she said.

As a former Selangor state assembly speaker for five years and an assemblyperson for 10 years before becoming an MP, Yeoh said she is very familiar with the Federal Constitution which recognises Islam as the federal religion.

“Hence, to accuse me of using an agency under the Youth and Sports Ministry for (evangelism) purposes is an extreme accusation and one that is meant to use me as a punching bag to cover up the allegations of wrongdoing faced by their leaders,” she said.

A series of Bersatu leaders have faced charges of graft in court recently, with the most recent and prominent one being their president Muhyiddin Yassin.

PN has maintained that the charges are “political persecution” and that the government is practising “selective prosecution”. - Mkini