The Council of Churches of Malaysia is confused over the government's sudden cancellation of a Muslim-Christian interfaith conference scheduled to take place this week.

Its general secretary Rev Dr Hermen Shastri (right) said in a statement today that "we are as much confused as the organisers of the London office of the Archbishop of Canterbury, as to the sudden withdrawal of the endorsement and support by the Malaysian authorities for holding the Building Bridges seminar in Kuala Lumpur."

He was responding to a report in Britain's Times newspaper that said the Building Bridges conference was cancelled with just a two-week notice.

The Building Bridges Global Interfaith Seminar was scheduled for May 7-11 whereby over 30 world renowned Islamic and Christian scholars and theologians will deliberate under the theme, "Humanity in Context: Christian and Muslim perspectives on being human".

Hermen said that the Prime Minister's Office and other Islamic institutions had welcomed such a seminar after the idea was mooted a year ago.

"Representatives of the Archbishop's Office for Interfaith Relations received a warm reception from the Prime Minister's Office and other Islamic institutions.

"(They welcome) such a seminar as consistent with the government's emphasis on encouraging civilizational and interfaith dialogue to foster and build mutual respect and understanding between the world's religions," he said.

Rowan's first visit

The conference was to coincide with the first visit of the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams to the Anglican Church of Malaysia. He was also slotted to chair the three-day conference.

However, Hermen revealed that "for unknown reasons", the organisers received formal word from the authorities that support for the seminar has been withdrawn.

"The council is at a loss as to the reasons why the authorities have withdrawn support at such a late stage.

"(We) had hoped that such a seminar would have gone a long way in pursuing the path of respectful dialogue and strengthens our country's claim to be a viable venue to host such global interfaith dialogues," he said.

The council is currently appealing to the government to review its decision and offer the organisers an alternative date when the said seminar could be held in Malaysia.

The Building Bridges conference - set up in the wake of the Sept 11, 2001 terror attacks in the USA - attempts to find theological understandings that might help prevent future terrorist attacks.

The annual get-together of Christian and Muslim academics first took place at Lambeth Palace in London six years ago and was subsequently held in New York, Qatar and Sarajevo.

"The council reaffirms its commitment to building peace through interfaith dialogue (and) will continue to support the prime minister's vision and efforts to nurture and strengthen Malaysia as a model nation of harmonious living between cultures and religions," Hermen added.