COMMENT Most people would agree that if the Christians for Peace and Harmony Malaysia (CPHM) movement is being apolitical, it should be liberal in the way it provides funding of community projects with seed money of RM20,000 or RM30,000.

Its president, Rev Wong Kim Kong, has used the words “non-partisan” and openly declared that even before the organisation was launched recently by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, they have already raised all the money that they needed from within the Christian community.

As if spilling the beans with his own words, Wong had in fact denied federal funding, saying that this would at least spare his newly-established organisation from being perceived as being directly backed by Putrajaya.

As far as I know, no one has even questioned where the funds came from, but Wong was all prepared with the answers. If not because he had anticipated that his movement would face this criticism even before the CPHM launch, what would it be?

Benefit of the doubt

We have to give the benefit of the doubt to Wong’s team for working hard at fundraising.

It cannot be denied that prominent Christian businessman Francis Yeoh and his family have always been known for their great generosity for a number of causes that they personally support.

I have personally attended at least two banquets which the family had sponsored, although these NGOs had no direct links to Putrajaya, and CPHM is certainly not the only function that they have supported.

Few can match the generosity of the Yeoh family. For that, I salute them!

In his speech, Najib ( photo ) had even told the audience that the banquet for 1,200 in the five-star hotel was sponsored by YTL Corporation, the owner of the posh Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur.

Money apparently was also pouring from other commercial entities. Without stating the obvious, big donations collected from the private companies to support the newly-established organisation often come from people who owe a favour to the people in the corridors of power.

Wong did not have to say it but most people know that, within the local context, a mere word from a sitting prime minister to any businessman is all that it takes for big amounts of money to be released.

But as one Christian has posted his comment, an organisation like CPHM should have taken a more humble approach during its launch. Instead of splashing it on a lavish banquet, it should have channeled whatever money that it has to where the real needs are.

With the kind of funding that Wong said CPHM has attracted, the money would have been better used on a non-partisan basis by organisations that are directly involved in the flood relief work in Kelantan, where homes are still not built and people are still living in makeshift tents.

A newspaper has recently highlighted the plight of an Orang Asli village in Mersing, Pahang which was being bulldozed by enforcement officers.

At the time of writing, another Christian friend of mine is telling me that a particular group in Kuala Lumpur is in dire need of funding for its street feeding project.

CPHM should uphold the teachings of the Bible not to allow its left hand know what its right hand is doing by contributing financially to a particular good cause. In short, CPHM does not need to ‘publicise’ its own charity or request for pulpit time in return for the funding.

Another friend also commented that although the banquet was a form of sponsorship in kind, there is no reason why the launch of CPHM should have been done with such lavishness.

The money spent on 1,200 guests in a lavish banquet for a night could have been better used to feed a few hundred multi-religious, multi-faith street people or help the homeless Kelantanese. There is no need to give away bags of rice, with CPHM’s name (or even Najib’s portrait) printed on the bags.  

The acid test

As I gather it, the reason why most people are unhappy about CPHM’s positioning is because the movement carries the label of being ‘Christian’ but appears to have some hidden motives, yet denying having any links with or backing from Putrajaya.

The Malay Mail Online has been more direct in calling it a ‘Putrajaya-backed’ movement, but I am merely saying that CPHM should have been more upfront about its real motives.

Christians are to be “harmless as doves, but wise as serpents”. Many of us with a special gift of discernment are able to see through some camouflage. I quote here some examples how certain subtle hints made by Wong had drawn criticisms.

For example, his statement during a small meeting where he was invited to share his vision, and repeated during the launch and picked up by The Malaysian Insider which I quote: “Just like how we reject homosexuality but we love homosexuals.”

Pieced together with his other comment, “Najib is good, we should give him a chance. The Bible teaches us to forgive and forget,” the picture is clear.  

This is what makes most of us frustrated when precious pulpit time is wasted by people like Wong and others in an effort to whitewash the present administration of its wrongdoings.

CPHM should instead be grappling with the real issues and use its influence to urge Najib to put a stop to the various lobby groups who are often identified as the source of intimidation to the non-Muslim communities.

Since Wong ( photo ) has openly declared that CPHM is ‘non-partisan’, he should stick to the meaning of the word. It simply means that money can be channeled through any organisation, including political organisations from the opposition, without pushing its own agenda or making CPHM’s presence felt.

After all, ‘non-partisan’ means regardless of any political or religious affiliations, and CPHM should re-visit Matthew 6:3 that when it gives to the needy, it should not let its right hand know what its left hand is doing. This would be CPHM’s acid test to prove that it does not exist to promote the Putrajaya agenda of reaching the grassroots Christian community for votes.

On the basis of being non-partisan, CPHM has to adopt an attitude of inclusiveness, which means it should also fund projects organised by the opposition parties which help to achieve peace and harmony between the people in this country.

I am aware, for example, of a number of other groups that are trying to achieve the same objectives, without the proper funding. With the so-called ‘non-partisan’ positioning of CPHM, now, people with little or no funding like PAS MP for Parit Buntar Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa and cartoonist Zunar should be given the seed money to help them promote goodwill between the people.

Every Member of Parliament, irrespective of political affiliations, should be allocated a certain amount of money for them to sponsor muhibbah events without the intervention of the sponsors trying to reach the grassroots.

That would prove the sincerity of CPHM.

The summation of all this is there will be greater cooperation between people of all races, religions and cultural backgrounds. At the same time, Wong should use his influence to get Najib to stop all the intimidation.

Being non-partisan also means that CPHM should be liberal enough to release the fund when the groups invite their preferred guest-of-honour, who may happen to be members of the opposition parties or the exco member from a state government held by Pakatan Rakyat.

In short, we say thank you for the money but it will not be used to fish for votes. Let’s start the ball rolling with the Segamat community event by inviting the top DAP person, Lim Kit Siang, as guest-of-honour to be fair since Najib has already been made a guest-of-honour. Opposition leaders are seldom given such privileges, after all!

The dictionary has defined ‘acid test’ as ‘a decisive or critical test, as of worth or quality’.  We will know if CPHM is worth its salt and no one need answer me how CPHM managed to put up a huge signboard in Putrajaya without being ‘attacked’ anyway?

Part I: What could be the hidden agenda behind CPHM?

Part II: PM Najib’s change of strategy?

Tomorrow: Other groups trying to make a difference

STEPHEN NG is an ordinary citizen with an avid interest in following political developments in the country since 2008.