Church body believes arson attacks linked to extremists

comments     Tong Yee Siong     Published     Updated

The Christian Federation of Malaysia, the umbrella body to local churches, felt that there is a possible link between religious extremism and the arson attacks on four churches recently, said its official today.

However, CFM principal secretary Wong Kim Kong said they were not convinced that the attacks were carried out by an organised group.

"The acts of violence and sabotage were related to religious extremism but they were most probably done by members of the local community," he said.

He conceded that the churches nationwide are worried that certain "subversive elements" may harp on the present situation and do "something nasty" to the Muslim community or even their mosques.

This will give the impression that Christians are seeking revenge and thus stir up religious antagonism, he explained.

To prevent the situation from exacerbating, Wong said CFM will meet Deputy Home Affairs Minister Chor Chee Heung tomorrow to discuss measures of beefing up security at churches.

"We will request for better police surveillance and protection as well as seek advice from the ministry on how we can contain the situation," he said.

Last month, a church in Johor was attacked with Molotov cocktails thrown through its window. Fortunately, there was no fire and no one was hurt. One church in Kedah was reported to be similarly attacked; another had its windows smashed and chairs burnt.

The latest incident involved a church in Selangor which saw slight burnt marks on its front door and some parts of the building.

Inspector-General of Police Norian Mai had said that attacks on churches are reported from time to time and cannot be construed as anything more that "mischief activities".

Fifty-two percent of Malaysians are Muslim, while Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism and other beliefs are widely practised among the rest.

Prevalent misconception

However, Wong noted that such arson attacks on churches rarely happened in the past and they were clearly on a rise following the Sept 11 terrorist attacks in the United States which caused the collapse of the World Trade Center and loss of at least 6,000 lives.

The US' retaliation on the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan which is sheltering 'prime suspect' Osama bin Laden started last month and had generated a volley of protests from Muslim countries worldwide.

Citing another arson attack on a Kedah church early this year which saw total destruction of its interior, Wong said there is a prevalent misconception, especially in the northern region where the Malay-Muslim heartland is, that Christianity originated from the West.

"Therefore Christians and churches make easy targets for those who are anti-West," he said.

This intolerance was compounded by baseless allegations against churches spread in the northern region over the years, he added.

Among the most recent rumours: certain churches were quietly converting Muslims; and the controversial Black Metal 'cult' a youth group which was clamped down for allegedly promoting satanic worship and free sex was started by deviant Christians.

"But these rumours were nothing more than a plot to tarnish the Christian community," said Wong.

As for the long-term solution to the problems, he said, "We told all our church members not to react but to forgive and endure the pain.

"We will work together and rebuild the churches so that the culprits will realise that they cannot provoke us at all with any act of violence."



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