The Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) in a suburb outside Malaysia’s main city has called on all Malaysians to lend support and object to what it called a breach of their constitutional right to assemble freely, after a raid by Islamic officials and police officers on a dinner at the church grounds, reports the Malaysian Insider.

Some 30 policemen and enforcement officers from the Selangor state Islamic Religious Department conducted the raid late Wednesday night, reportedly without a warrant and intimidated invited guests – including Muslims – at the dinner organized by an NGO that works with single mothers, children and AIDS patients.

Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM) secretary-general Rev Hermen Shastri said he understands the raid was linked to complaints over preaching to Malay Muslims about Christianity.

DUMC’s senior pastor Daniel Ho stressed that the dinner was non-religious in nature, held to celebrate the work of non-profit organisation Harapan Komuniti.

“Apparently there was a police report by Jais (the state Islamic department) on proselytising to Malays,” CCM’s Rev Shastri told The Malaysian Insider.

“The facts of what happened are yet unclear but the Council of Churches view with great concern this development and call on the government to take whatever action necessary to curb the power of Jais to just go into the religious places of other communities and conduct their investigations,” he added.

“This is unprecedented. Should the authorities have any concern, the courteous thing to do is to contact the church for clarification,” he said.

“Before [they] enter any place of worship, they should talk to the leader. They should not storm the church. Imagine how it would look if someone stormed a mosque,” he continued, saying Jais’ act was “totally unacceptable” when various groups were trying to build a harmonious community, in line with Prime Minister Najib Razak’s “1 Malaysia” slogan.

In a statement today, the church’s Pastor Ho said: “We call on all Malaysians not to condone this breach of freedom of assembly and association as provided by provided Article 10 of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia, but to live in mutual trust and love, to promote peace, harmony and unity in the true spirit of 1 Malaysia,” he said.

FULL STORY

Christian cleric condemns Jais raid on PJ church (Malaysian Insider)

Raided church wants action against Jais for trespass, harassment (Malaysian Insider)

PHOTO CREDIT AND LINK

www.dumc.com.my