by Teo Cheng Wee, Regional Correspondent
The Straits Times, January 11, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR: Amid tightened security, Christians in Malaysia attended Sunday service yesterday - the first since a recent spate of shocking assaults on local churches.
Although services proceeded uneventfully, three more attacks were reported around the country yesterday, including the first in East Malaysia.
Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein confirmed that a church in Sarawak has reported an arson attempt, making it the seventh attack on churches in Malaysia in three days.
A large number of East Malaysians are Christians who worship in Malay and have historically used the word 'Allah' to refer to God.
Churches in Malacca and Perak were struck yesterday as well, but no one was hurt.
In Perak, state police chief Zulkifli Abdullah told The Straits Times that Molotov cocktails were hurled at the All Saints Church in Taiping. The explosions left black marks on the wall.
Nearby, unexploded bottles were found at the St Louis Church and the guardhouse of an adjacent Catholic school.
The attack probably took place early yesterday morning and the police are investigating, he said.
In Malacca, the outer walls of the Malacca Baptist Church was splashed with black paint, according to The Star daily.
There were also reports that a brick was hurled at a small mosque in Klang, but officials have denied that this was a retaliatory attack.
Nonetheless, tensions in Malaysia remain high. The country saw a spate of unprecedented attacks on these places of worship last week, after the High Court ruled that Christians could use the word 'Allah' to refer to God.
The ruling had triggered unhappiness among a section of the Muslim community, culminating in the series of arson attacks. No one has claimed responsibility for them.
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin told Malaysians yesterday that the situation was 'under control'.
He also told reporters that the situation was 'exaggerated' by 'the foreign media, SMSes and the Internet', adding that the attacks were not coordinated.
Many Christians attending services yesterday did not seem too bothered. Uniformed police were present at several churches.
Reverend Peter Bretaudeau from the Church of the Risen Christ said that, other than the presence of two police cars outside during their morning service, there was nothing unusual.
'The police advised us to be careful and we assured them that we always are. We have our own security guard,' he said.
Churchgoers told The Straits Times that services proceeded normally and that sermons did not dwell on the church attacks.
At the service of the Metro Tabernacle Church, the message was one of 'love, peace and acceptance of what happened', said church lay leader Peter Yeow.
The church was the most seriously damaged among all those attacked, as its ground floor was gutted by a petrol bomb. Its 1,000-strong congregation held its service yesterday at the Malaysian Chinese Association's headquarters.
Some pastors have advised their congregations not to believe or spread rumours about potential 'attacks'. Earlier, a rumour that cars with crosses or Christian rosaries were being smashed turned out to be untrue.
Political leaders who have been meeting Christian leaders the last few days to diffuse tensions continued to do their rounds yesterday.
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