Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Church Demolition in Kelantan

It seems that some extremist Muslims in Kelantan are determined to do things their way without regard to the Laws of this land. Every Malaysian knows that the West Malaysian natives, the Orang Asli have their own gazetted settlements and what they build on their land is their own bloody business.

I await the due process of the Law to take place and pray that those damn religious nutty thugs who tore down our fellow brother and sister Christians' house of God will be brought to justice.

May us in Sarawak, be aware of the form of religious extremism that is practised in parts of West Malaysia. We must be vigilant against the actions of the forces of darkness.

The following is a Malaysiakini report dated 12/6/06.

Pastor sees red over church demolition.
Sabrina Chan
Jun 12, 07 3:45pm



A pastor is crying foul over the demolition of a church in an Orang Asli settlement in Gua Musang, Kelantan on June 4.

According to Moses Soo, the Orang Asli community in Kampung Jias had embraced Christianity in February and wanted to erect a small church to mark their faith.

After consulting the Village Development and Security Committee and the Department of Orang Asli Affairs, they proceeded with the construction with the help of volunteers and donations.

Following this, Soo claimed that on several occasions, people from religious groups came to the site uninvited and took photographs of the construction and those involved in the work.


“They came in cars that had car plates indicating they belonged to Islamic religious groups. They looked scary and tough, but the villagers refused to stop work even though they were afraid of the people who came,” he told malaysiakini today.

On April 11, the Gua Musang district land office issued a stop work order. The letter stated that the construction was being carried out on state land without permission from the authorities.

The following day, the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship of Malaysia (NECF), in a letter to the land office, said the land belonged to the Orang Asli villagers.


“Their right is guaranteed under Section 2 6(1) and 7(1) of the Orang Asli Act 1954,” read the letter signed by NECF secretary-general Reverend Wong Kim Kong.

Copies of the letter were sent to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail.

Intimidation tactics

Soo said work on the church continued but the land office slapped them with another stop work order on April 19.


Five days later, the pastor claimed, several policemen had asked him to follow them to the police station without providing any reason.

“Three police officers stopped me while on my way to Gua Musang at about 11am. They demanded for my IC (identity card), which I obliged afer seeing the officers' identification.

“They insisted without reason that I should follow them back to the police station, which I declined as I was heading back to Kuala Lumpur to celebrate my wife’s birthday,” Soo recounted in a website set up to highlight the issue.

When he refused to follow them, Soo claimed that he was tailed by the policemen for several minutes.

He told malaysiakini that this was an attempt to “intimidate” him. He said the policemen then went to the village and took down the IC numbers of the volunteers involved in the building of the church.

On May 24, the land office issued a third notice informing the village headman Pedik Busu that the “illegal” structure would be demolished.


Soo said despite various efforts to block the demolishment, the church was finally torn down by bulldozers.

The pastor claimed that since the land belongs to the Orang Asli, the district land office did not have any right to reduce the church to rubble.

According to him, the land belonged to the headman of Kampung Jias but was donated to the community for the purpose of building the church.

On June 6, a police report was filed on the incident by the village headman.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Isn't this a shame that with all the multitude of handouts, the malays are still lagging, I mean very far behind.

While the malays are fighting tooth and nail to get what they call their share of 30%, the Chinese are not talking such numbers. While the malays are looking to the Malaysia government which incidentally, is a government of the people, to attain this 30%, the Chinese are going about their business as usual.

If the attitude is going to be one of "receiving rather than earning" - then not for another hundred years or even thousand years can the malays ever stand on their own feet. It is not that the malays have not received. When they get preferential dues and get handouts, all they think is to sell them and make some quick bucks.

Of course, if they are still bent on looking forward to handouts, then by all means carry on with what they are doing, just gleefully spent and waste the money away. For most malays in Malaysia who seem to "show off" their so-called proud achievements of standing tall in business or profession, I have every reason to cast doubt whether they would have become what they are without government help.

If these views are honestly analysed and understood, then the malays would confidently and openly say "no" to handouts. The days of doom and gloom are not far-off as other stronger economies are emerging to pose a threat to our standard of living.

The Indians are no better. A friend of mine recently joked that Indians have become the major crime menace including gangsters because they have a leader who behaves like a thug himself. A classic example of leadership by example.

I can henceforth and very confidently too, say that Pak Lah will definitely fail in his mission as he is certainly going in the wrong direction.

That does not bode well. So, it is again nothing more than a piece of paper. Almost everyone entrusted with the implementation are vultures. The talk has to change. The style has to change. The methodology in its entirety has to change, otherwise there is no hope.

If Pak Lah is going to change them by asking them to wear badges and the like, well, anyone would know what the end result would be.

It is no fun to see this country blessed with abundant natural resources, diverse yet marginalized or underutilised talent, and great climate go down the tubes because of poor and weak leadership, and the NEP mentality.

Plans will remain plans, but the 9th Malaysia Plan (9MP) is not even a plan; it is just waffle, an attempt to do everything including going back to agriculture purportedly with biotechnology and ICT. Without focus, there is no way we can win. Say goodbye to lot billion.

Just ask the minister what he did with nearly million in public funds for innovation and research in biotechnology and herbal science. Why was he not held to account for giving away taxpayers money to his friends and political cronies?

That is why I have said time and time again that Pak Lah has no courage to deal with his cabinet ministers and civil servants. They can ignore him with impunity.

What this kind of a leader in charge, we will be left behind even by the likes of Indonesia and Vietnam in the next half a decade. By then our man would have retired, or is kicked out by his Umno party or the voters. We all have to live with his follies.

Why do not he just step down and our grateful nation will honour him, and give him a very handsome gratuity and a great pension? It is a cheaper option for us. He can then live like a Sultan. Right now, it is painful to see him grapple with matters above his head.

Anonymous said...

I am not a racist and it is the fact of my experience that sad to say many of them (malays) have the habit of blaming others for their own failures to gain success in many aspects of life - and keep on blaming others for their own prideful (which could be "inferiority") of not able to accept others corrections, constructive criticisms for their weakness (don't want to be challenged in order to be improved, competitive and better) and being jealous of others success.

Always thinking that they have the sole ownership over Malaysia and others do not have even though born in Malaysia.

Never remember that it is God who created all of us in this land (those who born in Malaysia - no matters what races) and shall be given equal right to live on this land. (If not so, it means God is not fair! But God is fair and just!).

So why Umno/malays whom self proclaiming themselves is God-fearing people but still embrace such an unfair and discriminating policy (they have no shame to say it is a positive discriminating policy) in this nation which taking advantages of others races results of hard works and efforts for their own benefits.

To whom embrace such policy is a true liar, injustice and hypocrite group of people - Shame on this group of people (always ask people to leave the place where we born)!

Anonymous said...

The very foundation of Umno are lies - lies about May 13 riot, lies about secularity of constitution, lies about special right, lies about supremacy of court, and of course lies about the NEP.

How can our accountability and transparency not be limited by the very lies of the foundation of our governance?

Anonymous said...

I have already lost hope in this Bolehland years ago. Now, my priority is to make the money oversea/here and banked it in a bank oversea. Get a PR status elsewhere. In fact, I don't even bother to vote anymore. Waste my time and petrol money.

Leave Malaysia to the bigots. One day, when they bled Malaysia dry, the country will go back to the Stone Age.

By not seeking to help our children to reach their fullest potential is a sin by itself, you stay and you kill their hope by marginalized their talent, yes! You lost your racial pride of a race Han touted 5000 years old. We are talking about kids being taught by incompetent teachers and lecturers, you have no way of helping them to reach their fullest potential, given them what they deserve.

Who gave you the idea that ex-Malaysians are losers? We are doing Malaysia proud, renowned surgeons from Malaysia in top hospitals all over the world, ministers of Singapore from born in Penang, Malaysia engineers in fortune 500 companies.

Sorry I should not say 'offer', this people climb to such status on own merits where meritocracy is the call of the day.

You have a point talking of migration of this scale, I foresee the Chinese population will reduce till say below 15% by 2020 and below 10% by 2030.

Especially the professional they are the most likely to emigrate but no matter what percentage the remaining 5% or 10% they are always the business class because the malays didn't teach and allow them how to be professional like teachers or lecturers.

I have left years ago and my siblings are still doing fine in Malaysia and main concern is providing for their children's education, so to fulfill each child potential to the fullest is something which I think is a birth right and I really appreciate and admire government who abide by this policy.

Anonymous said...

Sometimes, we malays deserve to be labeled. We need to be criticised and provoked, and be put into a corner before we come out fighting. Otherwise we tend to be easy going, preferring the softer options even when we know that there are no free lunches at the end of the day.

When we cannot deal or cope with reality, what do we do? We become envious of others and legislate to take away their rights, not matter how well we rationalise our actions. At worst we run amuck, and that is infantile behaviour.

The NEP cannot be in perpetuity. After 35 years of affirmative action, we have not much to show for it. Our destiny is in our own hands. The golf handicap concept is not a prop. It has to be assessed on performance. Don't you think it is time we, as individual malays, make the paradigm shift in our thinking towards being self-reliant? We need new modalities and a renewed "can do" spirit.

No leader, intellectual or otherwise, can help us if we do not want to change. I am not here to lead you and others, as I do not believe in being led. Lead yourself. You have to learn to accept criticisms, and be confident and strong to deal with them.

You have to take to the well and drink its water yourself. But before that, you have to identify where the well is, learn to dig it, assess the drink-ability of the water, and find the best way to tap it. It will be better if you can purify and package the water, brand it and sell the surplus for profit. To do that would require knowledge which must be acquired as it is not given to you or me on a silver platter.

I believe in self-motivation, serious self-criticism, and sober reflection, together with the guts and will to make appropriate adjustments. That is hard work, but it is most satisfying in my view.

The choice is ours to make: keep our feudal ways, or abandon it in favour of a more liberating and open system. For me the answer is obvious. However, I do not expect this to happen overnight. We have to make a start. A journey of a thousand years begins with the first steps, the outcome of which is full of challenges and uncertainties.

I do not give up because I believe in fighting back, and speaking my mind. This streak remains with me to this day. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

I agree with views on the poor reasoning behind the new directive to play the national anthem in movie theatres before the beginning of every movie.

Besides this venue, the good doctor has also prescribed that the national anthem be played before the start of official government functions and at all schools, kindergartens and institutions of higher learning.

In short, because some Malaysians, a bunch of kids and some athletes don't sing the anthem, the rest of us have to suffer. This is the typical ass-backwards type of reasoning that is commonly applied in governmental policy.

Why isn't action just taken against those who have misbehaved? This mentality is just endemic in Malaysian government policy. Or are these announcements made merely so that these petty government officials can have their Warholian fame?

Patriotism is a daily occurrence. We are patriotic when we obey our country's laws. We are patriotic when we take the trouble to speak up about things we don't like happening in our country especially if it's done by the government.

We are patriotic when we promote the good things about each other and our country, and overlook and try to make good the bad things. We are patriotic when we share, care and help our fellow citizen irrespective of race, religion or gender. And finally, we are patriotic when we ask what we can do for our country, and not what our country can do for us.

It is not unusual for Malaysian ministers and leaders to have knee-jerk responses and reactions as solutions to impending problems.

Values and morality cannot be legislated. They have to be taught from young. Forcing someone to stand up when the Negaraku is being played does not make him any more patriotic then the migrant labourer building the nation's infrastructure.

A corrupt civil servant who receives bribes for favours, litters the streets with his cigarette butts and fails to pay his bills but stands up in the cinema hall when the Negaraku is played is missing the point.

Let me put it on record that patriotism is as much based on policies as it is on civic-mindedness. So it means the government and people working hand-in-hand.

What is needed is not a short-term plug but a pragmatic, long-term solution beginning with sound government policies, mutual access to opportunities, level-playing fields and non-discriminatory socio-economic plans.

When the 'rakyat' see that the government is sincere in its efforts, clean in its administration, forward thinking in its nation-building plans and honest in providing avenues for democracy to be practiced in its true essence, then patriotism will come naturally.

I must say that laws which force people to respect anybody or anything or laws that are designed to control our subjective thinking and feeling are the most dumb.

Perhaps it is a sad reflection of how pathetic and immature the state of Malaysian and Umno politics is. That our politicians would have to resort to 'gung ho-sounding-but-essentially-dumb' policies in order to get themselves noticed by the masses.

Our politicians and government officers should wise up and stop churning out policies which expose how naive and childish they actually are.

Anonymous said...

This is music to the ears of our Umno officials - money can buy anything, and our Umno-based politicians/ministers are very good at this.

First money politics, now money academics. Expect more Oxbridge graduates from Malaysia. Good or bad - time will tell.

Anonymous said...

The future of this country is in the hands of the politicians. Are they the best people to place our trust on? Do they have the qualities that are so much needed to lead us into the future of a globalisation world?

Civility, compassion, continuous learning thereby constant improvement, honesty, integrity, positive work ethics, righteousness, quality consciousness both for the products and services we produce, etc, etc.

The politicians are in control the process of maintaining their hold on the position of power thereby continues to chart the course for this country. We, the citizenry know what is wrong. We see what is wrong, we even feel what is wrong.

Do the politicians know it? You bet they know. But survival is the strongest human emotion. Between sacrificing the whole country and its citizenry and their own personal survival they would all time choose the later.

We can't change that, the politicians and their detestable behaviours. But we can certainly change the equation by understanding and basis of their power. It is the voters. Politicians understand that. That is why you find them all out effort to win the people who meant most, the voters.

But what kind of voters? The majority. Who are the majority of voters? Rural population. They are the most susceptible of government less-than-straight propaganda and bribes.

Most politicians would consider the urban and educated populace pests. Why? They - the politicians cannot control their thoughts and maybe some of their actions like they can with other less educated ones - misinformed ones too.

So you see the more 'educated' the citizenry is the less chance that the present ruling elites are going to stay in power if they continue to uphold their antiquated policies. What would you do when you are a politician bent on maintaining your power within your circle of cronies?

We have to focus that one thing the counts most. Early education. Let us start with primary and secondary education first. Use all pressures to effect the change. Within 10-20 years you will see the difference in the Malaysian society.

Like very sophisticated machine, every piece of components has to work and work well in unison. The weakest part of the machine is that weakest component in the whole machine. The machine would not function what it is designed to function unless all components function perfectly and in unison. It is not too different for a society.

We can have the best academicians up in our universities, but if the simple cop screw up the society would suffer. The cleaner screw up, we don't function well. So we need to encourage every worker be they sweepers, professors, production workers, police or managers, take pride of our jobs.

Then we can look forward to and ideal situation where the income of people of different professions do not vary substantially.

Anonymous said...

Thank God for that.

Through the hands of God,
the State Govt had stopped another Hernan Cortes and Francisco Pizarro in action.

The Kelantan orang asli was that close to be next after the poor Incas and Aztecs and also other throves of natives ppl around the World.

Anonymous said...

There is no peaceful and democratic way that we can change this country which has gone to the pigs and dogs because the UMNO has moulded the Malay mindset to a racist one in order to enslave the Malays so as to rule this country forever. The Malays are still too feudalistic to rebel against UMNO even though they know UMNO is wrong in exploiting the racialist card against the Chinese each time it cannot solve the country's serious and complex problems. The Malay mindset is still too steeped in racism and even though many of them feel that UMNO is the culprit and the non-Malays, the victims, the Malays will still side with UMNO.

The only hope for change is either divine intervention where the hand of God wipes out UMNO entirely so that NOT EVEN A SINGLE UMNO MEMBER is alive to perpetuate the hated Ketuanan Melayu concept which is the main cause of all the problems in the country. Then only the Malay mindset will be free of UMNO indoctrination to make them realize that they must co-exist with the other races in this country to make it once again progressive.

All of us, including the Malays, should pray for the hand of God to strike dead UMNO as it has become a cursed party and the pariah of the international community after the white apartheid regime is South Africa was phased out of that country's history