your say 'Hasan Ali, the sanctity of a religion is no excuse for a vigilante corps to encroach upon the sanctity of other religions.'

David Dass: There is no one who is disturbing the Islamic faith. There will be points of intersection, some of which may cause tension and those will have to be mediated. That is the cost of living in a multi-religious society.

The problem is that the threshold gets lower and lower. It has reached a point where the slightest rumour or suspicion creates a situation warranting allegations, raids and investigations.

Where have we gone wrong? We have lived together for a long time without religious incidents. And now living together, working and eating together - Muslims and non-Muslims - gives cause for suspicion on the part of some.

And when challenged, it becomes so easy and convenient to retreat into being a guardian of the faith. And there will be newspapers that will immediately sound the drums. And there will be tales of Christians paying money or giving food for conversion.

Neders: In the heart of Kuala Lumpur, there are a number of street-feeding programmes conducted by various groups of people, including Christian ones. The homeless, the abject poor, the shunned, drug addicts, the lonely make their way to these 'soup kitchens' to have a free square meal for the day.

I can vouch there are some, though not many, poor Muslims among them. So Hasan Ali, here is a chance to be a hero again. Why don't you and Jais (rope in the police as well) raid those Christian-run 'soup kitchens' and accuse the organisers for proselytising and attempting to convert the Muslims who go to these places to partake of the free meal offered.

If you do, I can assure you'll be lamblasted from here to kingdom come because doing good is alien to your thinking. Defender of Islam and protector of Muslims, my foot. You're nought but a cheapskate pseudo-PAS two-bit politician trying to score brownie points with Umno and gullible Muslims of the Utusan Malaysia- type.

Disbeliever: It is not wrong to protect the sanctity of one's religion, but not when it is done to intimidate the beliefs of others. The actions of Jais (Selangor Islamic Religious Department) is dangerous because it acted on perhaps hearsay information.

If this is the way it functions, then anyone up to no good makes a phone call to Jais and there will be many more church intrusion. Act by all means, but in a civilised way; confirm with church leaders to find out the authenticity of the information before taking appropriate action.

The PM said, "If you Christians respect us Muslims, then we, Muslims too will respect you." Although I don't agree with such a statement being made right after returning from the Vatican, I feel that the Islamic authorities are being overzealous in their actions.

Proarte: How does one protect the sanctity of Islam by denying freedom of worship or by terrorising Muslims and Christians coming together in peace and harmony? The cause was to raise awareness and support for HIV sufferers of all races and creeds.

This brings us to the next question: what constitutes proselytisation? If the name of Jesus is invoked in church in front of Muslims just before a meal in a thanksgiving prayer, would this be considered proselytising?

When Malays watch a Thaipusam ceremony, are they being proselytised by Hindus? This is pure idiocy.

Wira: The sanctity of a religion is no excuse for a vigilante corps to encroach upon the sanctity of other religions. If such raids in the name of God can be conducted, there is little difference between Jais and the Israeli authorities where Muslim places of worship can be trampled upon because of mere suspicion.

Chuath: As a public servant, Hasan Ali made statements even before the investigation or indisputable proof can be provided. That is a dangerous thing.

Our ministers and other public servants must show more wisdom in the name of fairness and justice in that they have to base their statements on clear evidences instead of repeating hearsay or reading out what is given to them to read.

If they don't do that, it is wrong that they then try to make out as though they were unjustly persecuted.

2cts worth: Hasan Ali, you can't barge into a church on the premise of safeguarding Islam's sanctity. Your gangster tactics bespeaks of a lack of education, a ‘kurang ajar' attitude. And please keep in mind that Christians too have their sanctity to upkeep.

Tholu: Does Hasan mean religious harmony is protecting the sanctity of only the Islamic religion? It only goes to show how paranoid and parochial you and many others out there are.

Only your religion is paramount to you? Don't forget that our country is a multi-religious country. Religious harmony has to encompass understanding and acceptance of others in believing in a religion other than one's own.

Alan Goh: Hasan Ali is a liability to Pakatan and if PAS still want him to defend his seat, good luck to Pakatan. Beware, Hasan Ali will cause more harm than good if he continues to hold the state exco's post as he still holds the ambition to be the MB of Selangor, God forbid.

Werewolves: Hasan Ali is so desperate to return to Umno. He knows he has lost his power in PAS. Maybe he will not be even pick by them to contest in the next election, thus he has to do this.

He is trying desperately to make himself a hero in the eyes of the Malay. This tactic has been used by Bandar Baru-Kulim's Zulkifly Nordin before.

I think PAS should replace him with another leader to take over his post. But don't sack him. Cold storage him so that he can't become a hero. Let's see how he responds to this.

Ferd Tan: Hasan Ali, you are holding the post of an Selangor exco in charge of Islamic religious affairs due to the grace of the state government and Selangor PAS. Other than that, you are not as important as you think of yourself.

Not only the people of Selangor but your own fellow members in PAS have rejected you. Even when you were once powerful as Selangor chief, you scraped into the party's central committee by a whisker. You almost lost - a shameful indignation suffered by a state chief.

Please don't wait to be sacked; your Umno friends will make it difficult for the MB to sack you. Just resign. You are not wanted.

Ajimatbaiduri: Hasan has done a good job. Unfortunately, "third parties reporting" with hidden agenda has manipulated and worsened the situation.

Anonymous_408b: Maybe the Methodist church authority was lying all along. They knew if they say ‘yes', then they are in trouble. So let Jais do its job and if the church feels that its rights has been violated then take it to the court - sue Jais.

I don't understand the kind of liberalism that certain Malaysian Chinese and Malays want to turn Malaysia into.

Anak Malaysia: Hasan Ali, what about the ongoing pro-active systematic efforts by Jakim to convert people of other faiths, which has been ongoing for so long? Jakim uses taxpayers' money to blatantly convert Christians, Buddhist, Hindus, etc, including children, too.

We are not blind to the ongoing efforts to Islamise everyone in this country, especially Sabahan and Sarawakian Christians. Jakim even sends missionaries to the interiors of East Malaysia to evangelise the Christians there.

So, non-Muslims must shut up, stomach that and continue with religious harmony on your terms? In Malaysian colloquial language - we do you, can; you do us, cannot? Double standards? Tell me, is this real Islamic teaching?

Yap CS: To promote inter-religious harmony, you attack another religion for trying to convert Muslims? This sort of schizophrenic reasoning is the hallmark of Umno wannabes.

The whole issue stinks of BN dirty tricks. First the raid. Then the running dogs are sent to attack. Finally, the mole comes out to contradict and showed 'disunity' within Pakatan Rakyat ranks.

Raj 5503: If I were to see a fellow Malaysian who needs help tomorrow and I can help the person, I will. If that person happens to be a Muslim, it does not matter to me. He/she is still my brother/sister. I will help anyone who needs help and you don't frighten me when it comes to assisting a brother or sister in need. I don't need your permission.

Travic: The PM said, "If you Christians respect us Muslims, then we, Muslims too will respect you."

Hasan Ali said, "If you believe (in the importance) of religious harmony, then the question of the sanctity of the Islamic faith should not be disturbed at all, and that is what I am working for. Is that wrong?" he asked.

The sanctity of the Islamic faith should not be disturbed at all by disturbing the sanctity of another's religious faith? Is that right?

Laurits: Be a gentleman, step down, don't waste humanpower to investigate further. If he were a gentleman, he would apologise to the poor Muslims as the government didn't help them but have to wait for non-government organisations to come to their aid.

If he were a gentleman, he should express gratitude to the church and the NGOs for voluntarily providing help to the needy and the poor.

Nik V: To many Malaysians, it is not whether Jais is right or the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) is wrong, or vice versa. It's about the rights of individuals and freedom of association.

It's about the separation of religion from state. Catch the corrupted leaders or murderers. There are far worst things to unite Malaysians against, but it seems obvious that you have chosen this option because it serves to divide our nation.

Samuel Ng: Hasan, show the evidence and you will not have to resign. Your detractors will have to apologise and resign instead.

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