Set at the flats a stone’s throw away from the protest against a church in Taman Medan, Petaling Jaya, an interfaith play staged by the Friendship Group for Inter-religious Service (FGIS) today sets a different tone.

The play was staged at the Palace of Golden Horses in Selangor this evening, but the photos and videos used as the play’s backdrop were shot at the Desa Mentari 2 flats , which is only about 100 metres from the scene of the April 19 protest .

FGIS advisor J Jegathesan explained that the group regularly conducts services in the area and is already familiar with the location and its residents, hence allowing easier access to the scene.

"We were just there and we just took a random building. It does not reflect anything of Taman Medan, we just wanted to (flat) block scene […]

"And when we asked (Department of National Unity and Integration), they gave us this place. So we just went and took it," added FGIS chairperson Suresh Govind, who also wrote and directed the play.

They were speaking at the press conference today after the play, titled 'Bridges and Walls' and held in conjunction with FGIS’s 14th anniversary.

The Taman Medan protest involved about 50 protestors, who demanded a church to remove its newly-erected cross so as to not "cause anger among Muslims".

The protest has since received widespread condemnation, including from politicians from both BN and Pakatan Rakyat.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak also threatened action under the Sedition Act 1948.

Police have wrapped up their probe on May 7 and handed over the investigation papers to the Attorney-General's Chambers for further action.

A wall separating two communities

FGIS is best known for its interfaith outreach programs through community work.

The group’s members include the Islamic Youth Movement of Malaysia (Abim), the Buddhist Maha Vihara, and the Federal Territories Council of Churches, among others.

Today’s event was organised by FGIS together with the Unity Department, and backed by the Palace of Golden Horses and the United Nations.

The play itself was preceded by an orchestra featuring a mix of traditional instruments such as the rebana, the er hu, the veena and the dhool, as well as more modern ones like the electric guitar and keyboard.

The play involving 120 youth volunteers ended with a dance performance featuring female dancers in traditional Chinese, Malay and Indian costumes, all performing at once.

The play’s storyline revolves around the intense and violent rivalry between two blocks of flats - Block A and Block B - and a Block A rabble rouser named Machinda.

Machinda is accused of selfishness and stirring trouble but he says he is merely “getting people to see things from the right perspective” when accused of selfishness and stirring trouble.

The conflict takes places amid various problems affecting both flats such as a dengue outbreak, a water shortage, and uncollected garbage, but the biggest problem was a wall separating the two blocks that forces Block B residents to take a longer walk to reach a nearby train station.

Eventually however, following the advice from a blind beggar who had been sitting at the sidelines of the conflict, the community was able to come together surmount all its problems.

Meanwhile, Machinda who was away on a work trip while the community resolved the problem experiences near-death experienced while in the jungle.

He has visions of the two communities coming together, including seeing Block B residents rushing his son to hospital in the nick of time to save his life.

Wishing for a second chance at life, he wakes up screaming and rushed home and proceeded to smash the wall between Block A and B with a sledgehammer.

Moved to tears

The audience of over 500 persons clapped and cheered during the performance, and many raised their hands when asked if the show moved them to tears.

Explaining the play, Suresh said: "In every group of people, you will always find some group of people being extremists. That is why this play is written from the viewpoint of an extremist – a person who has narrow views.

"How can he change? That’s what the whole story is."

He said although small in number, such extremists are the ones who would cause trouble because a lot of attention is given to them.

He added that the protagonist’s name Machinda in actually the portmanteau of the three major ethnic groups of Malaysia: Malay, Chinese, and Indian.

Also present was Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Joseph Kurup (photo) who told reporters that the government would "seriously consider" FGIS’ proposal to expand the performance to all states.