The Sunday Times, January 10, 2010
PM Najib speaking to the press outside the gutted administrative block of a Catholic church in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. He has rejected charges that his party was to blame for fanning emotions after the court ruling on the use of the word 'Allah'. -- PHOTO: AFP
Kuala Lumpur: Prime Minister Najib Razak yesterday moved swiftly to calm religious tensions as news emerged that a fourth church had been targeted by arsonists.
The church attacks - following a recent High Court ruling that allowed Christians to use the word 'Allah' to refer to God - has stunned Malaysians unused to such violence.
'Acts such as the burning of the house of worship of other religions are a heinous act,' said Datuk Seri Najib who, along with several Cabinet ministers and their deputies, visited the Metro Tabernacle church here.
Exhorting all parties not to act emotionally, he also announced a RM500,000 (S$206,000) relocation fund for the church, the ground floor of which was gutted by the fire.
'This is a sincere contribution from the government,' he told reporters. 'The government is deeply committed to maintain harmony and cordial relations between the various races and religions in our country.'
Emotions have been running high since the High Court ruling on Dec 31 allowing the Catholic church's newspaper to use the word 'Allah'.
The church had argued that 'Allah' was a pre-Islamic Arabic word but many Muslims objected on the grounds that it was exclusive to Islam and that its use by Christians would sow confusion.
The government has appealed against the decision, which is currently suspended. Last Friday, Muslim groups held rallies in 10 mosques in several states.
But the rallies were overshadowed by the attacks, which badly damaged the Metro Tabernacle church. Three other churches in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, were also targeted.
Yesterday, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim blamed the violence on the ruling Umno party and accused the Umno-controlled Utusan daily of inciting hatred.
At a public forum in Petaling Jaya, Datuk Seri Anwar called for calm and said that the reactions to the 'Allah' controversy were an 'insult not only to Malaysians, but Muslims and Islam' as well.
The opposition alliance Pakatan Rakyat backs the court decision. Datuk Hadi Awang, president of Parti Islam SeMalaysia, a member of the opposition alliance, condemned the attack on the Metro Tabernacle church as unIslamic during his visit to the church.
'Even in war, Muslims are forbidden from desecrating places of worships, what more now when we are living in peace,' he said.
Mr Najib yesterday rejected charges that his party was to blame for fanning emotions following the court ruling.
Police said yesterday that they received news of a fourth attack - on the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Petaling Jaya - in addition to the three last Friday.
The church suffered minor damage after unidentified attackers flung a homemade petrol bomb at it. It was unclear when the attack took place.
A pastor was also reportedly manhandled by several people in his church in Kuala Lumpur late last Friday.
The Council of Churches of Malaysia yesterday urged the government to ensure the safety of Christians to worship freely.
There have been no arrests so far, but Home Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said the government would not hesitate to use the Internal Security Act against the culprits.
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