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Malaysian Insider
Catholic bishop chides Perkasa over call to ban Malay language bible
Malay right-wing group Perkasa’s call to ban the Bahasa Malaysia bible and its criticism of Christians using the word Allah would only “downgrade” Malaysian Christians, said Bishop Dr Paul Tan Chee Ing.
Tan commented on the statement made by Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali yesterday that Putrajaya should ban the Malay language bible, known as Alkitab, because the Christians were not grateful to Muslims by insisting to use the word Allah.
“This statement must be repudiated by all who care for the state of relations between Muslims and Christians in Malaysia,” Tan told online news portal Malaysiakini.
“If the statement is not repudiated, depend upon it that it will lead to yet another step in the ongoing downgrade of Christian Malaysians – from people who are fifth columnists in a Muslim nation, to people who ought to be grateful to Muslims for their existence and finally, heaven forefend, to people who are the serfs of Muslims,” added the Jesuit-trained prelate.
Catholic bishop chides Perkasa over call to ban Malay language bible
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Ultra-extremisist cum racist wants Al-Kitab banned to punish Christians!
Free Malaysia Today
‘Teach Christians a lesson, ban al-Kitab’
Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali says he has had enough of Malays being “trodden and spat on” by “ungrateful Christians” and wants the government to ban Malay bibles in retaliation.
SHAH ALAM: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak should ban the Malay bible the al-Kitab from Malaysia in retaliation for the Christian community’s “ingratitude”, right-wing Malay group Perkasa urged last night.
“We have been compromising, we have given them leeway. They wanted the Malay Bible, we allowed them to have it… they were still not satisfied,” said its chief Ibrahim Ali said at the Perkasa Selangor Conference 2013 here.
“It is better that we urge the government and the prime minister to rescind its decision to allow Malay bibles in Malaysia!,” he said to loud applause and roars of approval from the audience of about 500 of its members.
The Perkasa chief was responding to the Catholic Church’s recent announcement that it would not give up its struggle for the rights to use the Arabic word ‘Allah’ in its weekly publication, The Herald.
‘Teach Christians a lesson, ban al-Kitab’
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Published on: Tuesday, July 23, 2013
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Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Reform Movement (APS) on Monday challenged Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister, Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan, to reveal his authoritative sources that support the burning of the Malay-language Bible (Alkitab).
Its President, Datuk Seri Wilfred M. Bumburing, said Rahman’s support and defence of the call by Perkasa President Ibrahim Ali to burn the Bible is a great dishonour to the fundamental rights of Malaysians to enjoy religious freedom as guaranteed and enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
“I am therefore issuing a challenge to Abdul Rahman to provide us the authoritative source he obtained when issuing the statement (supporting Perkasa’s call to burn the Malay-language Bible).
Rahman recently made known his support for Ibrahim’s call to burn the Bible because, according to them, the Alkitab contained printing errors.
Bumburing said the Alkitab that is available in Malaysia is published by two distinguished authoritative bodies, the Indonesian Alkitab Board and The Bible Society of Malaysia.
Only the two bodies have the authority to determine whether or not there are errors in the translation and printing of the Malay-language Alkitab.
Bumburing also issued another challenge to Rahman to a public debate to determine whether his claims that the Malay-language Alkitab has printing errors can be established.
“But even if there are errors in any part of the Malay-language Alkitab whether in printing or errors of any kind, it can only be determined by Christian authorities.
“No one, including Christians themselves, have the right to call for the burning of any Bible translated in any language on whatever grounds,” he stressed.
Rahman had said that it is common for Bibles that contained printing errors to be destroyed (by Muslim authorities) and likewise also the Al-Quran that contained printing errors.
http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=86178
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In the 10-point resolution, the cabinet, through its minister Datuk Seri Idris Jala, assured the sizeable Bumiputera Christian population in Sabah and Sarawak that they were free to bring in and use their bibles in Malay as well as in indigenous languages.
The Court of Appeal will hear on August 22 the government’s appeal to a High Court decision in 2009 that allowed the Catholic Church to use the word in its Bahasa Malaysia publications.
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NGOs allege BIAS on part of Attorney-General aka Mr No Further Action..
BIBLE BURNING: THREAT WITHDRAWN BY PERKASA
Being Christian in Malaysia: ALWAYS Under Attack!
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Side Views
Statement on Bible Issue – YB Dato’ Abdul Rahman Dahlan
Recently, several quarters have raised their concerns on the allegations that I support the burning of bibles. Much of these concerns were unfortunately based on unfounded allegation based on rumors and unverifiable third party accounts made worse by constant spinning of the alternative media.
During a press conference on Thursday 25 July 2013, I was asked by a MalaysiaKini reporter whether Ibrahim Ali should also be prosecuted for his alleged call to burn Bibles.
I explained to the reporter that I was upset when I first learned of alleged call by Ibrahim Ali to burn Bibles surfaced. I wanted an explanation of the situation from Ibrahim Ali, as many of my constituents had expressed to me of their dissatisfaction towards Ibrahim Ali for making such controversial statement.
As evident in the transcript of the press conference, I never expressed my support to any call of burning Bibles by anyone, nor did I instigate Muslims to confiscate Bibles from fellow Malaysian Christians and burn them in anger.
Let me be very clear, I am not a religious bigot.
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First, I acknowledge this is one of the most contentious issue among Muslims and Christians alike. Therefore I support the 10-point solution mooted by the Prime Minister in 2011. I have made that very clear on my campaign trail in the recently concluded 13th General Election.
Second, I never touched the controversial usage of ‘Allah’ in any of my Parliamentary debates, as I knew it would inflame further the already over-strung relationship between Muslims and Christians in the country. I would rather allow this issue be settled without political one-upmanships.
Third, I spend one third of my parliamentary annual allocation in the Christian-dominated state assembly of Kadamaian where the allocation goes into upgrading churches and funding Christian religious events.
And finally, as an MP, I have not only assisted in sending Muslim pilgrims for the hajj in Makkah but I have also supported efforts to send Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem.
Once again, let me reiterate, at no point in the press conference did I raise the issue of burning of bibles except when I was quoting Datuk Ibrahim Ali’s reply to me.
To further clarify the controversy, I have attached the original unedited transcript of the press conference session below.
*Click on the link for this
To any party still bent on accusing me of calling for bible burning, I will not hesitate to take legal action against them. This issue is far too serious to be treated as just another political strategy by the opposition. It is downright dangerous and explosive.
* Ini adalah pendapat peribadi penulis dan tidak semestinya mewakili pandangan The Malaysian Insider.
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Malaysian Insider
Appalled by Umno leaders’ stand, Christians ask Cabinet to enforce 10-point solution to Allah issue
Malaysia’s largest Christian group wants Putrajaya to enforce an agreed 10-point solution on the usage of the Arabic word “Allah” by the community, saying today it was appalled by statements made by two Umno leaders on the matter.
Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) chairman Rev Dr Eu Hong Seng said statements by Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir and Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan “were untenable and in flagrant disregard of the 10-point
solution decided by the Cabinet in April 2011”.
“The use of the word “Allah” in the Al-Kitab is NOT and has NEVER been an error of printing as claimed by the Honourable Minister. Such a suggestion is insensitive, insulting and inflammatory.
“We reiterate that it is the express right of the Christian community to use the word ‘Allah’,” Eu said in a statement today.
“It is offensive and unacceptable for the Honourable Minister to attempt to justify the call by Ibrahim Ali to burn our Holy Scripture by saying that our Holy Scripture contains errors in printing,” he added.
Eu pointed out that the 10 points were specifically communicated to the CFM in a letter dated 11 April 2011 from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. The letter was enclosed in the statement.
“It is offensive and unacceptable for the Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan to attempt to justify Ibrahim Ali’s call to burn our Holy Scripture by saying that our Holy Scripture contains errors in
printing,” Eu said.
He said Mukhriz was reported to have forbidden non-Muslims from using the word “Allah” in his state as it is unconstitutional.
“The Federal Constitution gives the right to every individual to profess and practise his religion and also gives every religious group the right to manage its own religious affairs,” he added.
Eu said the cabinet must honour and enforce all aspects of the 10-point solution and ensure it is followed all levels of government and authorities.
“The rights guaranteed to all religious communities under the Federal Constitution must be respected in all states in our beloved country, including Kedah,” he said.
Appalled by Umno leaders’ stand, Christians ask Cabinet to enforce 10-point solution to Allah issue
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Abdul Rahman Dahlan said Ibrahim had already explained that his call was merely to correct the error of printing the said bibles, and burning them was the proper thing to do just as Muslims burn copies of the Quran that have misprints.
Can’t compare Ibrahim Ali with Alvivi, says Kota Belud MP
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Malaysiakini
The occurrence of the word ‘Allah’ in the Malay bible is not an error, and a minister’s claim that it was alright to call for its burning as such was “offensive and unacceptable”, said a Christian group.
“It is offensive and unacceptable for the honourable minister to attempt to justify the call by Ibrahim Ali to burn our holy scripture by saying that our holy scripture contains errors in printing.
“The use of the word ‘Allah’ in the Al-Kitab is not and has never been an error of printing as claimed by the minister.
“Such a suggestion is insensitive, insulting and inflammatory. We reiterate that it is the express right of the Christian community to use the word,” said reverend Eu Hong Seng, chairperson of the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM).
He was responding to Minister of Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government Abdul Rahman Dahlan saying Ibrahim’s call to burn the bible could not be compared with the acts of the blogger couple Alvivi in allegedly insulting Islam.
‘Allah’ in bible not misprint, Christians tell minister
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Malaysiakini
YOURSAY ‘Abdul Rahman Dahlan has accused that Christians have wrongly printed the Alkitab, thus has to be burned by Muslims. What an insulting statement.’
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Malaysiakini
YOURSAY ‘A book that is wrongly printed in peninsular Malaysia is at the same time considered correctly printed in East Malaysia. Umno boleh.’
Can’t compare Ibrahim Ali with Alvivi, says minister
Survivor: Get the facts right, Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government Minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan. The error in the Bible is the perception of Malays like Ibrahim Ali.
By threatening the burning of the Bible is an insult to the Christians, especially those worshipping God in the Malay language. Your argument is lopsided. We are not defending the Alvivi couple. Neither should you be defending Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali.
The act of both, whether it is Alvivi (bloggers Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee) or Ibrahim, hurts the feeling and offended the respective communities. What irks the public is the selective persecution, which is more heinous than the offence committed by Ibrahim Ali or Alvivi.
Alkitab ‘printing error’ only in the peninsula?
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Will anything happen to Dr Mahathir’s favourite ‘son’?
Malay Mail
Ibrahim Ali called up by cops
PENANG police have called up Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali over his Bible-burning remark and will call him again to record a statement in two days time.
Ibrahim confirmed in a short text message to The Malay Mail that the police were following up on a police report lodged against him.
Perkasa secretary-general Syed Hasan Syed Ali also said DAP can “go ahead” to obtain a court order to compel the attorney-general to act against Ibrahim over his statement calling for Muslims to “seize and burn copies of the Bible which contained the word “Allah” or other Arabic words.
He was responding to a report in The Malay Mail yesterday’ in which the DAP national chairman Karpal Singh gave the attorney-general two weeks to act against Ibrahim.
However, Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail had said police must investigate actual incidences of Bibleburning in order for any action to be taken.
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Ibrahim Ali, Perkasa Chief, to Muslims:
Burn ‘Allah’ Bibles
“Muslims must unite to protect their religion. They must seize those Bibles, including the Malay editions, which contain the term Allah and other Arabic religious words, and burn them,” said Pasir MAS MP Ibrahim.
When he called for the burning of Bibles, what manner of demonic forces did he unleash?
They that sow the wind, shall reap the whirlwind!
Charles Santiago, DAP MP, KLANG
But what is even more shocking is the statement by attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail (left), who has said he cannot act on Ibrahim’s seditious remarks unless a copy of the Bible is burnt or a police report is made against the head of Perkasa.
BIBLE BURNING: THREAT WITHDRAWN BY PERKASA
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