In Surah 22 Verse 40 of the Quran, it is said:

“Had not Allah checked one set of people by means of another, there would surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of Allah is commemorated in abundant measure.”

Looks pretty clear to me. There is no scriptural justification to stop non-Muslims from using Allah to describe God. In fact the opposite is true, the name Allah is praised in “monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mos-ques”.

This is not my assertion, this is a quote from the Holy Quran, and there are more in the same vein.

Right, so all these people calling for the ban surely must find their justification elsewhere. There is the law, it is said. In particular, state enactments banning the use of Allah by non-Muslims. We must obey the law they assert.

All right, let’s look at the state laws then. Space prevents me from going through each enactment, so let’s just look at the Selangor enactment of 1988.

In the preamble it says:

“[This is] An enactment to control and restrict the propagation of non-Islamic religious doctrines and beliefs among persons professing the religion of Islam.

“Whereas Article 11(4) of the Federal Constitution provides that State law may control or restrict the propagation of any religious doctrine or belief among persons professing the religion, and whereas it is now desired to make a law to control and restrict the propagation of non-Islamic religious doctrine and beliefs among persons professing the religion of Islam, therefore pursuant to Article 11(4) of the Federal Constitution it is hereby enacted by the Legislature of the State of Selangor.”

And if we look into the Enactment, we do see a section which lists down words that can’t be used by non-Muslims (it includes Allah). However, the explanatory note to this section states that to do so is “an offence of distributing in a public place publications concerning non-Islamic religions to Muslims”.

Again, this looks very clear, the law was designed to prevent proselytising to Muslims. And the ban on the use of the name Allah by the state law is in the context of proselytising.

If used within the context of their own worship and their own religious community, this law does not apply.

And if we look at Article 11 of the Federal Constitution, the only specific limitation on the freedom of religion is that the proselytising to Muslims (even Muslim to Muslim proselytising) can be controlled.

Other than that everyone is free to practice his or her religion in peace. It is unconstitutional to stop anyone from using the word Allah in their worship if they so choose.

So, the Quran says there’s no problem with peoples of other faiths using “Allah”, the state enactments are limited in their scope, and the Constitution says that everyone can practice their religion peacefully. What other justification can be used to try to ban this word?

There are two more; firstly it is culturally unacceptable among the Malays in peninsular Malaysia to hear the name Allah on non-Muslim lips. Oh yes, this is a great argument.

It reminds me of similar arguments used in the past. For example, “it is culturally unacceptable to allow negro children to go to the same schools as white children”. Look, just because some people are bigoted does not mean we have to pander to them.

Secondly, there is also the argument that if Muslims see Allah being used by non-Muslims they will get awfully confused and in their simple-mindedness, they will become Christians. People who make this argument can’t have very high regard for Malay intelligence. Rather insulting, I think.

At the end of the day there is no scriptural or legal reason to ban the use of Allah by non-Muslims, and if the powers that be have an iota of principle in their collective bones, they would stand on principle and not cater to the small minded and ignorant.

Instead they try to be pragmatic, leading to ludicrous statements like “it’s all right to use Allah in Sabah and Sarawak but not in the peninsula”.

The Muslim community, particularly the leadership, must ask itself: Is the way Islam is taught in this country so weak that Muslims can get easily confused by just one word?

I do not believe there is any evidence of large scale conversions by Muslims to Christianity. It is illegal for Christians to try to convert Muslims anyway.

However, if this sort of unintelligent and vicious behaviour goes on, I can’t imagine a greater disservice to Islam.

The Catholic church must not back down on this matter. It is in the right and if it gives in now, it will set the precedence that a bunch of thugs with firebombs can dictate the type of country we live in.

For the good of the country as a whole, not just any specific religious or ethnic group, we must never allow the mob to rule.

Dr. Azmi Sharom is an Associate Professor at the University of Malaya. This article was originally published in The Star on 21 October 2010 and is republished with permission from the author.

These dastardly acts followed similar acts in the past weeks on Christian churches and a Sikh gurdwara.

MCCBCHST considers any violence on a place of worship and prayer of any religion a sin of the highest order and the perpetrators of such acts must be made to understand that their actions cannot be condoned or accepted in civilized society.

Far from being heroes or champions, they have shamed their own religions and cultures.

MCCBCHST calls on all Malaysians to draw closer to one another and with one heart resist the hatred and resentment these contemptible acts attempt to incite us with.

For MCCBCHST Executive Committee,
Rev, Dr Thomas Philips, President

Andre Malraux, the French writer and statesman, once said that “the first duty of a leader is to make himself be loved, without courting love. To be loved without ‘playing up’ to anyone, even to himself ”.

My interpretation is that a good leader is one who doesn’t sit around trying to find ways for people to love him or her but does the right thing for his country and people and hope they will see the justification for it, and eventually love him or her.

That may not take place in his or her lifetime. But, as they say, history will be the judge.

In the last two weeks or so, what we have seen is a leadership that has only been interested in courting love and playing up to people.

Nothing could have been so blatant in catering to an unruly crowd than the permission to hold demos against a court decision.

What sort of justice system do we have if anyone can disrespect court decisions by holding demos against them? There are legal avenues to pursue: why do we not educate people to do just that?

Some of the explanations are just disingenuous.

To say that a ban is necessary as a “pre-emptive move to prevent violence” shows that either politicians think their people are natural hooligans or they know already that violence may be planned.

Indeed, not much violence apart from shouting and screaming happened. But even so, we hear no comment from our leaders on this type of behaviour.

After 52 years, is this considered acceptable?

These demos also occurred after the first church was attacked. Not only did our leaders take more than 24 hours to visit the site of the attack but they also issued no call to cancel demos for propriety’s sake.

Indeed, one demonstrator even went so far as to call for churches to be burnt! Not a word was heard about that from our leaders.

It was the public itself who were more sensible. Not only did they refuse to participate in the demos, even if they may have been unhappy about the ruling, but at one mosque, they actively tried to dissuade anyone from joining any call to demonstrate.

Individuals went on their own to console church leaders and reassured them that they or their premises would not be harmed.

Islamic NGOs offered to guard the churches, although it’s hard to forget that they are also the ones, who had raised the temperature around the issue.

Thus far, no government leader has straightforwardly said that not only is the burning of any house of worship against the law, but it is also un-Islamic.

Some people have said that this would mean accusing Muslims of conducting the attacks when nobody is sure yet who they are.

In which case, there can be no greater priority for the police than to catch the perpetrators, if only to clear the names of the race and religion.

It has been the ordinary people again who have reached out in peace towards each other, determined that despite differences of opinion, they want to see our country remain peaceful and stable.

Thus young people connected via social media organised, within a very short space of time, a peace offering project to tell people that “everything’s gonna be alright”, discrediting a government minister’s warning that social media does very little good.

Others wrote peace messages on ribbons. One young singer was moved to write and record a beautiful song because she was so distressed by what was happening.

The peace-builders are ordinary citizens who are refusing to be taken in by political games.

Sadly, it is clear that there are too few of our leaders engaged in building peace among our people, but they are in fact more interested in keeping us divided.

Even such peace offerings seem more divisive, giving rights to some and not to others. There can never be peace without equality. Just ask the Palestinians.

Ultimately, it is a question of education. This whole sad episode only highlights the many gaps in our knowledge.

Not only do we know so little about the world, we don’t even know much about our fellow citizens across the sea in east Malaysia. Neither do we know much about each other’s religions.

The reason we have had relatively little violence is because the non-Muslim community has leadership that insisted that they turn the other cheek and pray instead.

Can we trust in the Muslim leadership to do the same if the shoe was on the other foot?

Or are we like Adolf Hitler who said, “What luck for rulers that men do not think?.”

Originally published in The Star. Article reproduced with permission from the author.

It is with profound sorrow that we heard the news of churches being attacked in different parts of Malaysia and of the nine church buildings firebombed during the past five days due to the controversy over the use of the word “Allah” for God by non-Muslims.

While Christians in majority Muslim countries all over the world, including your neighbouring country Indonesia, have used the word “Allah” for God for centuries, it is very disturbing to hear about this new controversy generated by a small sector of Muslims opposing the use of “Allah” for God by Christians. In fact, this action will only challenge tolerance and restrict religious freedom as well as negatively affecting the “One Malaysia” policy commitment made by the government which aims to ensure that racial harmony becomes a central policy for the country.

The World Council of Churches, as a fellowship of churches around the world, remains deeply concerned about these developments of communal disharmony. We hope for an immediate action by both the government and civil society to resolve the conflict, in order to avoid renewed hostilities and escalation of violence in society.

While appreciating the statement from the Prime Minister of Malaysia that “violence has not been part of the practice of religion in Malaysia” we hope that immediate measures will be taken to resolve the problem and that all perpetrators of these acts of violence will be brought to justice. It is heartening to see that numerous Islamic organizations and leaders have publicly condemned these wanton acts of a small group of people.

As you pass through this time of trouble and anxiety, we express our solidarity with all members of the churches and we call upon churches in Malaysia to continue their search for peace. We pray for peace and reconciliation among the people of different faiths and communities in your nation. May God Almighty strengthen you to “seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14).

Yours in Christ’s love,

Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit
WCC general secretary

After a tense situation in Malaysia with 9 churches and a school been attacked, we have finally experienced a calm atmosphere for the time being. The lastest attack two days ago was on a Sikh Temple. The Sikhs also use the word “Allah” in their Scripture. The police is trying to do their best to maintain order. Many negotiations are underway to defuse this situation. The political parties are doing their part and the government authorities are doing theirs. Church leaders have been meeting with the authorities to find a way forward for peace and harmony.

I sincerely wish to thank all the churches for staying calm and praying. Your prayers are indeed helpful and powerful. Violence will not bring peace. Though the solution is still far away, the present dialogues and meetings have certainly brought everyone into the picture to at least try to understand each other. We hope to work towards the idea from toleration to respecting each others presence, contribution and dignity. This is the concept of 1Malaysia.

I urge all churches to be vigilant. Archdeacon Steven Abbarow said this after visiting All Saints Taiping on Sunday 10 Jan: Yesterday, morning I visited Joshua Ong. When I arrived at All Saint’s Church. Joshua told me that the MB of Perak YB Zambri and the OCPD are on their way. This was a surprise, as we were not given any notice of this earlier. They came with reporters, politicians, special branch and police personnel.

The MB assured us of support, police protection and felt that this the work individuals who were emotionally upset and not a coordinated affair and expressed his firm stand against such actions and told us not to react. I thanked him for the assurance of support and assistance. I also told him that we have not and will not react emotionally but will pray for the peace of the country, and that I am very concerned about the situation and hoped the authorities will catch the perpetrators. He said they will do all they can.

In the meantime, I have been informed by the Lay Reader in COR, Kuala Kangsar, that he kept vigil in the Tadika room on Sunday night and noticed a motorbike and a car and the riders, driver and people in them were watching and looking at the church. He came out of the Tadika, and they just bolted off. He called the police and they immediately sent a patrol car and stationed two officers there. The leaders took these precautions as they heard that at the Police station people overheard that they were very concerned someone may try and do something on COR. They also were informed and heard from the neighboring bus terminal and stalls and the coffee table talk, mostly non-Christians, that the church next door will be in trouble.

Rev Alakumalai of St James KL related that he saw a few young people loitering outside the church. He went to them and was told that they were sent there to ‘protect the church’. Feeling uneasy over it, he reported to the police for the police station is only next door. Immediately seeing the police, the so-called ‘protector’ fled quickly. Two policemen were stationed overnight at the church.

I believe after the storm there will be some calm. God has a better plan for the Malaysian Church. Let us continue to discern His Will.

Those from overseas, let me assure you that we are fine and well, only a bit jerked and slightly shaken. If you are planning to visit Malaysia please do come, don’t change plan. Thank you so much for your prayers and e-mails of concerns and encouragement.

May the good Lord continue to lead and watch over you!

Shalom,

+Moon Hing
Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia

Background

Several Christian churches have been attacked since Friday in Malaysia in a dispute over the use of the word Allah by non-Muslims.

A High Court ruling overturning a government ban on the use of Allah by non-Muslims has raised concerns among Muslim groups that by using a name so closely associated with Islam, Christians are trying to win converts.

Here, Muslims and Christians in Malaysia discuss the issues behind the attacks.

Pat Lu, web consultant, Kuala Lumpur
I am one of the administrators of a Facebook group which calls for everybody in Malaysia to be allowed to use the name Allah. The group has been growing rapidly in the last few days and we now have more than 68,000 members.

Because of the Facebook group, people take me as a leader, so I’ve received many calls and messages from Christians from all over the country saying how concerned they are about the attacks.

A relative of a friend had their car smashed and we are advising Christians to remove all religious symbols from their cars.

Because violence triggers more violence we are discouraging all Malaysians, irrespective of ethnicity and religion, from joining any street protests. It’s better to participate in a cyber rally and have a dialogue online.

This has never happened in Malaysia before – attacking places of worship. Ours is a multi-cultural society, we’ve always lived in harmony.

The government should take responsibility for what’s happened. They should not mix religion with politics and they should allow people to practise their faith. It’s none of anybody else’s business how I call my God.

Hussin Zin, retired company manager, Petaling Jaya
I appreciate the concerns of some Muslims in Malaysia, but I do not condone violence. The general view here is that this is the work of extremists. Malaysian Muslims are peaceful people, we are not of the terrorist kind.
We enjoy religious tolerance in Malaysia and different religious groups celebrate their festivals together.

There are fringe elements in every society. I am not so concerned about the attacks, but about the way the government is handling this issue.

Instead of banning the word in a Christian journal, they should have pushed for an inter-religious dialogue and invited religious groups to discuss and come up with a solution.

Everyone’s been talking about this issue in the last week or so and there has been a strong reaction and many different views.

Most Muslim people, especially those who are well educated, are open-minded. The name “Allah” is used by Christians in the Middle East. Why should there be a problem? It’s between you and God.

Nordin Abdullah, businessman, Kuala Lumpur
There is a concern in the country that Muslims could be misled and confused with Christians using Allah to address God. There are concerns that certain Christian groups are trying to convert Muslims this way.

Many Muslims will agree that it’s not the use, but the misuse of the word. “Allah” means one, undividable God. It becomes misleading when used outside its historical context.

It’s against Islamic teachings to attack churches and I am sure the majority of Malaysians don’t think it’s acceptable.

The main problem is the idea of Allah having a son – this is not the original context of the word.

Whatever the views on this subject, nobody wants to see any kind of tension, whether it’s ethnic or religious. The attacks on Christian churches are not the right way to respond to the issue. They are not very Malaysian.

Differences should be resolved through an open discussion, not violent attacks.

It’s interesting that these attacks are happening at a time when our prime minister is promoting the idea of “One Malaysia”, where the emphasis is on the common ground, not on ethnic or religious divisions.

I don’t know if this is a coincidence, but it seems strange that this tension is happening at a good time, when things are beginning to get better for everyone.

No-one seems to have the answer. If you ask me – these attacks are not organised, they are not part of something bigger. It’s stupidity and it’s against Islamic teachings to attack churches and I am sure the majority of Malaysians don’t think it’s acceptable.

Waihon Liew, university lecturer of global religions, Rawang
The attacks are very sad because we have managed to live harmoniously in the past. I was a bit nervous that they could escalate and get bigger, but I am happy that didn’t happen.

The government is taking a lot of security measures around places of worship and I don’t feel scared about going to church. Our government is doing the right thing, they are looking to promote dialogue and better understanding of religious issues.

I believe there might be a different agenda behind these attacks, not necessarily to do with the religious issue. It’s still early to make a final decision, but it’s possible that behind it are people who do not want to see the country as a tolerant and harmonious society. But this is a small group of people.

I think the government is in a tricky situation, it is not an easy task to govern a multi-racial society and it’s not possible to please everyone. We need to find a middle ground, we need to cultivate peace and harmony, but we don’t want to compromise in terms of religious doctrine.

The name Allah belongs to Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Some Muslims may not even realise that it’s been used long before Mohammad by Jews and Christians. Allah cannot be called anything else.

The reasons for this failure are legion and it is not my intention here to delve into them. Suffice to say that when the foundation of our nation was being laid, it was based on a communal vision of society. The various ethnic groups that collectively make up this nation was seen as engaging in a zero-sum game over political and economic resources that was mitigated by the social contract. And upon this foundation, our current political system was built upon.

Looking back in hindsight, the events of recent years, e.g. the UMNO Penang protest over the new PR Chief Minister’s statement on the abolishment of the NEP in the state, the cow head protest and the recent protests on the court’s judgement on the use of “Allah” by non-Muslims, have demonstrated that the whole political and social structure is collapsing. Hindsight, as they say, is perfect vision. It is not my intention to criticize what our founding fathers might or could have done.

The urgent question that needs to be answered in our time is simply this: What alternative vision of society can we articulate and build upon to create a nation that will simply see past the barriers of ethnicity and religion that divides us? The answer is not simple but one that requires everyone (and not just the politicians) who have a stake in this country to come together to share each other’s fears and hope for the nation and to understand one another away from the biases and prejudice that have kept us divided.

Christians, as part of the larger community, have an obligation to participate in this great project of re-imagining an alternative and better vision of who we are as a nation and how we could achieve this vision, if not for ourselves then at least for our children and grandchildren. For a long time, Christians tend to congregate among themselves in the church minding their own business rather than participating in the public life of the nation. In so doing, have we then contributed to the status quo?

Again, I’m not interested to find faults but rather to make a plea that Christians must collectively begin to take steps in participating in this project and not hide behind the comfort zone behind the walls of the church. In so doing, the royal law of loving your neighbour would have been fulfilled (Mk. 12:31; Rom. 13:8).

P.S. J’accuse – I accuse the author, who as a Christian, have been too comfortable in hiding behind the walls of the church. Mea culpa (I am guilty).

First, on behalf of the Lutheran Church in Malaysia and Singapore, I welcome Datuk Seri Anwar, and all other distinguished guests to Luther Centre. How I wished that your first visit to the headquarters of the Lutheran Church is under more pleasant circumstances.

As Christians, we are very saddened and shocked by the terrible events which took placed in our nation during the past 2 days. Our dream for a peaceful and progressive Malaysia was viciously shattered by the petrol bombs. These series of unjustifiable attacks upon churches have shaken the very foundation of our Malaysian society and scarred our common psyche. On a personal level, I am distressed by the fact that one of our oldest Lutheran churches was also attacked yesterday.

Christians are called to be peacemakers. We are entrusted by God to carry out a special task in this world – to be agents of reconciliation. Therefore, in times such as these, the Church is committed to work with any parties that have a genuine burden in the pursuit of peace and stability in our country. In times like these, we need leaders who are confident, and open-minded enough to engage in dialogues to promote understanding and goodwill among the religious groups in our nation.

During the past two days, I have received many emails from churches around the world pledging their prayer support for the church in Malaysia. One of them comes from the Lutheran Bishop of Jerusalem, Bishop Munib Younan. Bishop Younan, an Arab Christian, met Datuk Seri last October in a Muslim-Christian dialogue in Georgetown University. In his letter, Bishop Younan argues that the word ‘Allah’ has been freely used by Arab Christians for nearly 2000 years! He further urges Datuk Seri and fellow lawmakers to safeguard the freedom of worship for the Christian community in Malaysia.

While the events of the past 48 hours have cast a dark cloud over our people, yet there are still pockets of hope that shine through. Allow me to share a story which just took place this Sunday morning, and I believe that stories like this must be retold over and over again in our conversations.

One of our churches in Petaling Jaya is located just next to a mosque. Yesterday, just as our worship service was about to start, three Malay gentlemen walked into the church. They identified themselves as leaders from the adjacent mosque, and gave their affirmation to the church of their continual friendship. They further assured the church that it is safe to continue with our services and ministries.

Dear friends, this is the kind of generous spirit which we need to cultivate in all Malaysians. This is the kind of goodwill that must permeate every strata of our society.

In response to such kindness, I also urged our church members to go and do likewise in the course of this week. We must go to our Muslim neighbors, our Muslim colleagues or our Muslim classmates, and affirm our friendship with them. This is the way of peace. This is the Christian way, and the only way we know. We have no other options.

As a nation we struggle to uphold the spirit of unity that our founding fathers envisioned at independence. We must hold fast to Article 11 of the Federal Constitution which guarantees freedom of religion and the right of religious groups to manage their own affairs. In such times the spirit of engagement and dialogue must transcend those voices that would seek to sow discord and enmity across our land.

The people of Malaysia must unite against those who exploit race and religion to incite hatred for political gain. We must renew our commitment to religious understanding and religious freedom.

This is a time that tests the resolve of all religions for peace and mutual respect. We must remember that the God who we worship is in fact the same God, the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe.

With respect to the use of the word Allah, for example, it cannot be disputed that Arabic speaking Muslims, Christians and Jews have collectively prayed to God as Allah throughout the last fourteen centuries. While sensitivities over its usage have arisen in Malaysia, the way to resolve these conflicts is not by burning churches and staging incendiary protests but by reasoned engagement and interreligious dialogue.

Muslims must recall the memory of our own tradition’s remarkable commitment to understanding and coexistence with the People of the Book. Islam clearly grants respect to Christians and Jews. In the Quran’s second chapter, God says:

Say: O People of the Scripture! Come to a common word between us and you: that we shall worship none but God (Aal-Imran, 3:64)

And in the 29th Chapter He says:

And dispute not with the People of the Book but say “We believe in the Revelation which has come down to us and that which came down to you…our God [Allah] and your God [Allah] is One, and it is to Him we bow (al-Ankabut, 29:46)

Jesus is himself revered as one of the greatest prophets whose noble example should be followed. The Caliph Umar, who visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in 638 AD, was careful to ensure that the Muslims respect the sanctity of Christian places of worship. What then of our own Police’s hesitation to offer an assurance of safety and security for Malaysian churches?

Much of the blame for the recent attacks can be placed at the doorstep of the UMNO-led BN ruling party. Its incessant racist propaganda over the Allah issue and the inflammatory rhetoric issued by government controlled mainstream media especially, Utusan Malaysia, are reprehensible. Such wanton acts of provocation are indeed criminal and demonstrate the duplicity of the 1Malaysia campaign.

I am encouraged by the swift condemnation of the attacks issued by Muslim organizations and leaders. I likewise applaud our Christian leaders for their strong statements calling for calm and forgiveness and resisting revenge and retaliation.

The need for interfaith dialogue in Malaysia is an idea whose time is long overdue. We must now advance the spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood which is inherent in our religions and enshrined in our Constitution. Pakatan Rakyat will collectively take steps to ensure that the necessary dialogue and discussion take place throughout the country. Our fellow Christians must feel safe and secure in this country knowing that their freedom to worship is protected.

Anwar Ibrahim
Opposition Leader

We express our solidarity with the Metro Tabernacle Church at Desa Melawati, Church of the Assumption, Petaling Jaya and Life Chapel, Petaling Jaya, and other churches that have received threats, and to the Malaysian Christian community at large.

Nothing warrants such deliberately provocative violent acts, amounting to terrorism, on places of worship. Such violence however must not be seen as a communal conflict of Muslims and Christians. It is as much an affront to Islam and to all religions as it is to the Christians.

While we celebrate freedom of expression, no demonstration must be carried out to intimidate others who hold different opinions.

These acts are truly a blot on the image that we promote of ourselves as a harmonious multiracial and diverse society. It is also tantamount to an attack on the cardinal principle of the Rule of Law and the institution of the Judiciary who must at all times be left to decide on a case without fear, favour or intimidation.

We denounce those who shamelessly manipulate ethno-religious sentiments for their political gains. This sad situation has escalated due in part to the irresponsible responses from the Administration which appears to be practicing double standards.

We further deeply regret that in postulating their grievances to advance their agenda, those quarters have sought to convolute the real issues touching on the constitutional right of expression and to practice one’s faith and, with the aid of certain segments of the media, both mainstream and otherwise.

We expect the police to now pursue the culprits in the serial arson attacks with their highest diligence and professionalism. Until the criminals are brought to book, the image of the Najib Administration and his “1Malaysia” slogan will be associated with violence and terrorism. We however categorically reject the proposed use of ISA against anyone. The arson suspects must be charged and tried in open court to delegitimize their barbaric act.

We call upon all groups with different views on the issue to seek rational dialogue and reach consensus.

No issue is too sensitive for rational debate in a democratic society. The threat of violence should not be used to kill democratic debate.

We call upon all Malaysians to come together collectively:

o to condemn and denounce acts of desecration of any places of worship, now and in the future;
o to create a healthy atmosphere for the most inclusive debate, dialogue, deliberation and resolution of all issues confronting our multi ethnic, multi faith nation.

Regardless of the developments, ordinary Malaysians will stand firm as a peace-loving nation and support each other.

Endorsing Civil Society Groups

1. 1BLACKMalaysia Facebook Group
2. Aliran Kesedaran Rakyat (Aliran)
3. All Women’s Action Society
4. Awal Nahdah
5. Bar Council of Malaysia
6. Borneo Research Institute Sarawak (BRIMAS)
7. Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ)
8. Centre for Policy Initiatives (CPI)
9. Centre of Education. Research and Development (CEDAR)
10. Child Development Initiative
11. Civil Rights Committee, Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (CRC KLSCAH)
12. Civil Society Committee of LLG Cultural Development Centre Bhd (LLGCSC)
13. Civil Society Initiative for Parliamentary Reform (CSI@Parliament)
14. Community Action Network (CAN)
15. Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM)
16. Council of Churches of Malaysia Youth (CCM Youth)
17. Durham Malaysian Scholars
18. Editorial Board of Horizon E-journal
19. Education and Research Association of Consumer, Malaysia (ERA Consumer)
20. Educational, Welfare and Research Foundation Malaysia
21. Federation of Hopo Associations Malaysia
22. Federation of Indian Non-Governmental Organisations
23. Free Public Forum (FPF)
24. Friends in Conversation (FIC)
25. Frin Jan
26. Gabungan Pertubuhan-pertubuhan Masyarakat India Selangor
27. Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC)
28. Hartal Mainstream Media (Hartal MSM)
29. Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf)
30. Indian Malaysian Active Generation (IMAGE)
31. Institut Kajian Dasar (IKD)
32. Institute for Development of Alternative Living (IDEAL)
33. Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF)
34. Jamaah Islah Malaysia (JIM)
35. Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Perak (JKOAP)
36. Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia Sarawak (JOAS)
37. Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (JERIT)
38. Johor Tamizhar Sangam
39. Kesatuan Mahasiswa Indipenden (KAMI)
40. Klang Consumer Association
41. Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Hopo Association
42. Kuala Lumpur Hindu Youth Organisation (KLHYO)
43. Kuala Lumpur Indian Entrepreneurs and Professionals
44. Kuen Cheng Alumni Kuala Lumpur
45. Majlis Kelab Bell Belia Tamil Malaysia
46. Malaysia Hindu Dharma Mamandram
47. Malaysia Indian Progressive Educational Society
48. Malaysia Lekshmi Pooja Meditation Society
49. Malaysia Tamil Artiste Association
50. Malaysia Tamil Neri Kalagam
51. Malaysia Thanavasiya Association
52. Malaysian AIDS Council
53. Malaysian Archagar Sangam
54. Malaysian Associated Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry
55. Malaysian Association of Indian University Graduates
56. Malaysian Ceylon Saivites Association
57. Malaysian Consultative Council for Buddhism Christianity Hinduism Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST)
58. Malaysian Dravidian Association
59. Malaysian Hindu Youth Council
60. Malaysian Indian Business Association
61. Malaysian Indian Development & Unity Association
62. Malaysian Indian Development Association
63. Malaysian Indian Entrepreneurs and Professionals
64. Malaysian Indian Historical Association
65. Malaysian Indian Youth Development Foundation
66. Malaysian Tamil Forum
67. Middle Eastern Graduate Society
68. Monitoring Sustainability of Globalisation (MSN)
69. Muslim Professionals Forum (MPF)
70. myFuture Foundation
71. National Institute for Electoral Integrity (NIEI)
72. New Millennium Indian Business Association of Malaysia
73. Nur Damai
74. Oriental Hearts and Minds Institute (OHMSI)
75. Penang Du Zhong Education Society
76. Penang Indian Entrepreneurs and Professionals
77. Penggerak Belia MPSJ Zon 23
78. Persahabatan Semparuthi
79. Persatuan Alumni PBTUSM Selangor
80. Persatuan Aruloli Mandram, Malaysia
81. Persatuan Kebajikan Dan Sosial Kamakshi Wilayah Utara
82. Persatuan Kebajikan MGR
83. Persatuan Kebajikan Namakkal Malaysia
84. Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (Empower)
85. Persatuan Mahasiswa Islam Universiti Malaya (PMIUM)
86. Persatuan Masyarakat Selangor & Wilayah Persekutuan (PERMAS)
87. Persatuan Meditasi Malaysia (Dhyana Ashram)
88. Persatuan Meditasi Projan Kuala Lumpur and Selangor
89. Persatuan Penduduk Taman Muhibbah
90. Persatuan Pergabung Tamil Malaysia
91. Persatuan Sahabat Wanita, Selangor (PSWS)
92. Persatuan Silambam Malaysia
93. Pertubuhan Kesedaran Hare Krishna Klang
94. Pusat KOMAS
95. Research for Social Advancement (REFSA)
96. Robson Hill Study Group
97. Saiva Siddhanta Mandram Malaysia
98. Sarawak Central Region Friendship Association
99. Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA)
100. Sarawak Native Land Rights Owners (TAHABAS)
101. Sarawak Women for Women Society
102. Sarawakians Access (SACCESS);
103. Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia
104. Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Kwang Tung Association
105. Selangor Indian Entrepreneurs and Professionals
106. Sisters In Islam (SIS)
107. Southeast Asian Centre for e-Media (SEACEM)
108. SPNS, Bidor
109. Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)
110. Sundararaja Perumal Devasthanam Klang
111. Tamilar Sangam, Teluk Intan
112. TENAGANITA
113. The Justice, Peace & Solidarity In Mission Office, The Good Shepherd Sisters
114. The Micah Mandate (TMM)
115. Thiruvalluvar Nanneri Mayam Cameron Highlands
116. Thiruvarul Thavaneri Mandram Malaysia
117. Universiti Terbuka Perak (Ureka)
118. Wanita Desa Sarawak (WADESA)
119. Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO)
120. World Tamil Federation – Malaysian Chapter
121. Writer Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI)
122. Yayasan Penyelidikan dan Pembangunan Pendidikan Tamil Malaysia (Tamil Foundation)
123. Youth for Change (Y4C)
124. Youth Section of Melaka Chinese Assembly Hall
125. Youth Section of Negeri Sembilan Chinese Assembly Hall
126. Youth Section of Persatuan Wui Leng Selangor dan Kuala Lumpur
127. Youth Section of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Chinese Assembly Hall

Endorsing Political Parties

1. Democratic Action Party (DAP)
2. Human Rights Party (HRP)
3. Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS)
4. Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)
5. Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM)

These actions are best described as cowardly as it can threaten the country’s harmony and we call on the people to remain calm while the police conducts their investigations. We also hope that the police will conduct a professional and transparent investigation to take action against the culprits according to the law.

We stress that attacks on any religion or any place of worship is against the teachings of all religions. Mutual respect and tolerance are key elements to ensuring peace and stability among the various ethnic groups and religions in the country.

TAN SRI DATO’ SERI ABDUL KHALID IBRAHIM
DATO’ MENTERI BESAR SELANGOR