“We strongly urge the EC to immediately remove such billboards and materials and the authorities to investigate and charge the person or persons responsible,” CFM chairman Reverend Eu Hong Seng said in a statement today.

The billboards bear the message “Do you want to see your grandchildren praying in this Allah’s house?”, with two pictures of churches with the cross and the words “Gereja Allah”.

“These billboards may pose a danger to Christians and churches because we use the word ‘Allah’. These fears are real given the recent history of Church burnings and threats to burn the Bible in Bahasa Malaysia,” said Eu.

“The message pits one community [Muslims] against Christians by spreading fear through scare tactics using the issue of ‘Allah’.

“It is extremely mischievous and malicious to pit Muslims against Christians who have always enjoyed good relationships, to gain political points with such blatant misinformation,” he said.

Eu also urged all Malaysians to denounce such billboards.

“Christians and all right-thinking Malaysians should rightly condemn such inflammatory election campaign billboards, and for that matter, all such campaign materials and rhetoric in the run-up to polling day.

“We call upon fellow Malaysians to report to the police such billboards and other campaign materials and speeches which disrespect our communities and incite [one community] against another religion for political expediency,” Eu said.

He also expressed his disappointment over the increase in polls-related violence.

“We note with great dismay the upsurge in polls-related violence such as the torching of cars, the planting of explosive devices near ceramah centres, arson cases and motorcycle gangs scaring off people going to ceramahs, which are attempts to cause fear and intimidation in the days just before election day.

“We urge all to be more circumspect during this election season,” he said.