Penang Catholic Bishop Sebastian Francis has urged Malaysians of all faiths to stand firm in the face of incidents of provocation involving religious matters.

In a statement today, he expressed confidence that the police will take their responsibilities seriously and act in a fair and just way to bring the culprits to book.

"We will continue to pray that we will not use (these acts) as a diversion from all real issues affecting us as Malaysians," Francis said.

"Together with all fair-minded Malaysians we will join in prayer to invoke God's peace, justice and forgiveness on our nation.”

Francis, who has just returned from Miri, Sarawak, was referring to the placement of banners  declaring ‘Allah is great, Jesus is the son of Allah’, outside five churches in Penang on Sunday.

The churches are the Church of the Assumption, Farquhar Street; Church of the Immaculate Conception, Pulau Tikus; St John Britto Church, Sungai Pinang; Victory Lutheran Church, Island Glades; and Church of the Nativity, Butterworth.

About 1.30am on Monday, unknown persons threw two Molotov cocktails into the compound of the 229-year old Church of the Assumption.

Sixteen police reports have been lodged, while the churches have denied being involved in displaying the banners.

Police are probing the incidents under the Sedition Act 1948 and Section 436 of the Penal Code for arson.

Francis cited the words of Pope John Paul II who had said, “There is no peace without justice and  there is no justice without forgiveness.”

"...I send all of you greetings of peace, justice and forgiveness," Francis said.

"I thank all people of God of all races and religions, together with political leaders, the media and  all people of goodwill from Malaysia and elsewhere, who have expressed genuine concern in various ways.”

He reiterated that the Diocese of Penang is co-responsible for official statements made by the  Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism, the  Christian Federation of Malaysia and the Malaysian Bishops’ Conference covering three Archdioceses and six Dioceses in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.