Malaysian churches condemn the desecration of church and temple in Kelantan

KUALA LUMPUR: The Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM) on Jan 10 condemned the recent desecration of a church and a Hindu temple in Kelantan.

In a statement, CCM general secretary Reverend Hermen Shastri called it a “despicable act, apparently motivated by extremists who are out to stoke the flames of religious intolerance in the country.

“If left unchecked, such actions where people committed to disrupting inter-religious harmony, target religious buildings with flagrant acts of vandalism and arson, may further embolden extremists and unscrupulous elements,” he added.

Authorities believe that a petrol bomb was hurled from the Sultan Yahya Petra bridge towards the church and the temple, along Jalan Hamzah on January 7 at around midnight.

The object shattered a window on the church’s second floor before landing in front of the temple’s main entrance.

Although no one was hurt, police initially determined the 34-year old suspect was not connected to the terrorist organisation, Islamic State. The civil servant at Pasir Mas was detained in connection with the incident.

Kelantan police chief Datuk Hasanuddin Hassan said the suspect, who claimed to be hallucinating, had committed a similar act earlier on January 3. —Malay Mail Online

MAJLIS GEREJA-GEREJA MALAYSIA
COUNCIL OF CHURCHES OF MALAYSIA
26 Jalan Universiti 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia 
Tel: 03-79567092/79608926/ 79551587 Fax: 03-79560353
E-Mail: cchurchm1948@gmail.com Website: ccmalaysia.org

DESECRATION OF CHURCH IN KOTA BAHRU
The Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM) views with great concern another act of desecrating a place of worship in Kota Bahru on 7th January when a person threw a “petrol bomb” that landed on a Methodist Church building causing damage to its façade.

According to the Police investigation a person had thrown an object from the vantage point of the Sultan Yahya Petra bridge, targeting the church and a temple nearby.

CCM strongly condemns this despicable act, apparently motivated by extremists who are out to stoke the flames of religious intolerance in the country.

We call on the Police to reinforce their efforts to act firmly against this growing trend, where there are people committed to disrupting inter religious harmony by targeting religious buildings with flagrant acts of vandalism and arson.

Such actions if left unchecked may embolden extremists and unscrupulous elements to engage in such actions in the run up to the coming national General Elections in 2018.

REV. DR. HERMEN SHASTRI
General Secretary
10th January 2018

Member Churches: Anglican Diocese of Kuching, Anglican Diocese of Sabah, Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia, Basel Christian Church of Malaysia, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia, Lutheran Church in Malaysia & Singapore, Mar Thomas Syrian Church, The Methodist Church: Chinese Annual Conference, Sabah Provisional Annual Conference·

Sarawak Chinese Annual Conference, Sarawak Iban Annual Conference, Tamil Annual Conference, Trinity Annual Conference, Orthodox Syrian Church, Presbyterian Church in Malaysia, Protestant Church in Sabah, The Salvation Army
Associate Members: Bible Society of Malaysia, The Boys ’Brigade in Malaysia, Girls’ Brigade Malaysia, Interserve Fellowship, Malaysian Care, Mobilization Fellowship Malaysia, National Council of YMCAs, Seminari Theoloji Malaysia, Sabah Theological Seminary, YWCA, Prison Fellowship Malaysia, Open Doors Malaysia

Affiliate Member: Coptic Orthodox Church.

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online