The Methodist Church in Malaysia has explained that returning the RM1.75 million government grant given during by-election campaign will inadvertently make them out to be opposition supporters.

In a pastoral letter to members of the Methodist Church, the chairman of the Council of Presidents Bishop Hwa Yung said: "The church must also guard against being perceived as being used as a tool by political parties, whether in government or in opposition."

The letter came in response to reports on the grants given by the government to four Sibu Methodist churches on the eve of the by-election polling day, subjected to criticism by several parties.

Most notable was the blog post by Methodist church member Goh Keat Peng who called on the churches to return the grants in the interest of integrity.

The bishop added that the giving of the grants to religious bodies is a "government responsibility" and that receiving them is a "citizen's right".

"After all, the money given is actually taxpayers' money. Indeed the problem in our country is that most of the money for religious communities, are in relatively much smaller proportions than those given to other communities," he said.

No strings attached

He also said that the General Conference Executive Council respects the rights of the leadership of the church to do what they deem fit.

All four churches, which received RM350,000 to RM500,000 each, have decided to retain the grants, arguing that proper procedures were observed to ensure that no strings were attached in accepting the funds.

In the meantime, the Council of Presidents urged all pastors and church members to refrain from making any comments "so it does not get blown out of proportion".

Church is non-partisan, grants put us in dilemma