Christian groups have expressed shock and confusion over police involvement in the Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Malacca religious seminar that was held at its Lendu campus last Saturday.

"I really don't know why the police is involved. It is not necessary for the them to get involved, because you are talking about strengthening faith.

"You can just get an internal lecturer of comparative religion or religious leaders to speak on this," spokesperson for Christian group Kairos Dialogue Network (KDN) Eugene Yapp said to Malaysiakini today.

Malaysian Christian Youth Association (MCYA) president David Ngu expressed shock over police involvement in the religious seminar titled 'Ancaman Gerakan Pemurtadan Kristianisasi' (Threat of Christian Proselytisation Movement).

"I thought the job of police enforcement is to keep the nation in order and secure. But their involvement in this religious event has made us feel confused, unhappy and dissatisfied," Ngu said in a statement today.

Meanwhile, National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF) executive secretary Alfred Tais said he was disappointed that a higher education institution had organised such a seminar.

He also questioned if the seminar was endorsed by the police in general, as they are supposed to protect all citizens regardless of religion.

Malacca chief police officer Chua Ghee Lye confirmed yesterday that a Special Branch officer from Bukit Aman had attended the seminar as a presenter.

He had also said that the seminar was meant to strengthen the 'akidah' (faiths) of Muslim students, a statement which was echoed by UiTM Malacca corporate communications chief Siti Najah Raihan Sakrani.

Yapp said that if that was truly their intention, then the approach taken by UiTM is "rather unhelpful".

A better way to strengthen one's faith, he explained, would be to teach not only about your own faith, but also about other faiths as well, to create understanding and awareness of all the other major religions of the country.

"You not only know your own faith, but also other religions. This would holistically strengthen your faith, which at the end of the day would be more helpful," he said.

Respect for each other

Meanwhile, Tais added that such a seminar does not appear to be about educating or strengthening the faith of Muslim students.

Instead, it seemed out to provoke the youth to think negatively about other religions, he noted.

“It's not healthy. As Malaysians, we have to respect each other regardless of religion. How to promote unity if there are seminars (like this one)?

"I believe this is not the stand of the government," Tais said.

Ngu pointed out that the freedom of religion is guaranteed under the constitution, and urged the authorities to look further into this matter.

The seminar is also misleading as it portrays Christianity as a threat to the nation, he lamented, which has damaged racial and religious ties within the country.

"Having such a seminar in the month of Christmas has created unnecessary tension among the religious, and such an act can be regarded as disrespectful and unwise," he said.

A student participant of the compulsory seminar told Malaysiakini on condition of anonymity that some of the issues discussed within the seminar included the usage of 'Allah' in the Bible, the pope, Christians in Indonesia and the Crusades.

The participant also said that the speaker told them that Christians are trying to convert Muslims by using the 3Gs - gold, glory and gospel.

UiTM had also organised a similar seminar last year, at their Shah Alam campus, titled "The word 'Allah' and Christology in the Malay Archipelago".