The Bar Council today condemned the recent attacks on five churches and an anthrax scare at the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF) headquarters saying that the acts should not be treated lightly.

"Such acts should not be treated lightly as the events occurred during a time when religion has become a sensitive issue both locally and internationally," said Bar Council president Mah Weng Kwai in a press statement today.

"In the light of the US strikes against terrorism in Afghanistan, such acts may conceivably be interpreted by the victims and other concerned members of the public to be expressions of religious intolerance in Malaysia."

In July, a church in Kedah was pelted with Molotov cocktails, and its interior completely damaged. Last month, two other churches in the same northern state had their windows smashed and chairs burnt.

Another church in Johor was later reported to have been attacked with petrol bombs though the fire did not cause extensive damage.

The latest incident happened three weeks ago in Subang Jaya where one church had its main hall, office and classrooms completely gutted in a pre-dawn blaze. Police have yet to make any headway in their investigations.

'Mischief activities'

Police claimed that attacks on churches are reported from time to time and therefore cannot be anything more than "mischief activities".

The anthrax scare occurred a month ago at the NECF but police investigations later proved that it was a hoax.

Mah also called on the police to reveal the results of their investigations to stop the rumours and speculations.

"While police investigations are said to be underway, the Bar Council hopes that the authorities would carry out thorough investigation and urges for the findings to be made public as soon as possible to prevent undue speculation by the public.

"Citizens must have the confidence that they are, in practice, able to exercise their constitutional right to practise religion freely and without fear. These rights must be protected in order to ensure that unity, justice and national security are safeguarded at all times," he said.