The government has condemned the petrol bomb attack on a church in Penang, appealing for calm amid rising religious tensions.

“This is something we strongly condemn. This is not our culture and not the way to solve something... this is not something we condone at all,” Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Joseph Kurup said today.

Prompted by the media after launching the 'World Interfaith Harmony Week', he further said that the government is seeking “cooperation from all to not partake in similar acts”.

Kurup ( right ) was questioned on why the government had not made a strong statement addressing rising religious tensions, and only waited for the media to ask for comments on the church attack before condemning it.

Media personnel pointed out that it is “no longer a matter of avoiding such incidences (of violence)” as interfaith attacks have already begun, and asked what the government is doing to deal with this.

To this, he said: “We are engaging the people. We have plans to carry out programmes to increase understanding and this is one way to calm the situation,” he said.

Two Molotov cocktails were hurled into the compound of the Church of Assumption in Penang at 1.30am this morning, believed to be by two men on a motorcycle.

On Sunday, the church found a banner with the words “Jesus is the son of Allah” outside the building without its knowledge or consent.

Christian federation appeals for cooler heads

Several identical banners were hung outside other churches in Penang, prompting the churches to lodge police reports on the matter. 

The Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) is appealing to the Christian community to keep calm and not overreact to the act of violence.

CFM chairperson Rev Dr Eu Hong Seng ( right ) today warned that such “heinous acts”, including the hanging of the controversial banners , were aimed to “cause chaos and ethnic enmity”.

“CFM advises Christians and the general public not to be alarmed by nor overreact to such acts.

“Should these attacks be politically-motivated and calculated to try to ignite an escalation in inter-racial and inter-religious tensions, then all the more reason that we do well to be wise and measured in our response,” reads a statement issued on behalf of Eu.

“We call on all peace-loving Malaysians to stand firm and united and to oppose such acts of desecration and criminal damage on a place of religious worship.”