Controversies over the raid on the Methodist Church in Selangor, Malaysia

Malaysia is a multi religious country with 28.3 million population.

Islam is the official religion in Malaysia where majority of the populations are Moslems.

Issues pertaining to race and religions are still sensitive in Malaysia even after more than 5 decades of independent and even tough the government introduces many programmes to enhance peace, harmony and unity among the multi ethnic populations.

Therefore when an Islamic religious body conducted a raid on a church in Selangor, Malaysia on the night of Wednesday the 3rd of August 2011, that event surely attracted attention and controversies as well.

Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) enforcement officers raided the “1 Malaysia Muhibbah Fundraising Dinner” at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church, reportedly without a warrant after receiving an unspecified complaint, bringing with them a team of policemen.

Between 100 and 120 people, including several Muslims, attended the non-religious event to celebrate an NGO called Harapan Komuniti’s success in helping women, children, HIV/AIDS sufferers and victims of natural disasters.



Immediately after, Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim called on Jais to furnish the state government with a full report on the purpose of the raid while giving an assurance that the state government fully respects freedom of religion and rights of religious groups.

But state executive councillor Datuk Hasan Ali defended Jais’s actions, alleging that the words “Quran” and “pray” were used in the presence of the 12 Muslims at the dinner, claiming that this was proof Christians had been proselytising to Muslims there.

In this latest case, the Selangor state government will seek the advice of the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah to resolve the issue.

Tan Sri Khalid said action on Jais will be determined after he has presented a report detailing the incident to the Sultan.

He has also ordered a gag on the issue on all state exco members.

"As soon as Jais gives (me) the report, I will seek an audience with the Sultan to obtain the advice of His Royal Highness to resolve this issue and to ensure that similar incidents do not reoccur.

"Until a decision has been made and the issue resolved, all state exco members are prohibited from making any statements relating to this incident," Khalid said in a statement issued by his press secretariat Friday.

He also reiterated the state government's regret over the incident.

"We are convinced that the people of Selangor felt their rights were not defended.

"Good intention and purpose do not justify actions that fail to exhibit justice and wisdom when leading the community," said Khalid.

Meanwhile, Former Federal CID chief Tan Sri Zaman Khan has come to the defence of the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC), expressing “disheartenment” over the late-night raid carried out there this week by Selangor religious authorities together with the police.

Speaking in his capacity as Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) president, he stressed that the dinner raided on Wednesday 3rd August 2011 had been organised for a “good cause” — raising funds to support Harapan Komuniti, whose primary aim is to help Malaysians with HIV regardless of race or religion.

He added that the authorities should take precautionary steps and seek the co-operation from all parties involved in matters that could potentially compromise the integrity of Islam to avoid interracial and religious conflict.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Bar has slammed the raid as “disrespectful” of the right to association, pointing out that there is no law against Muslims entering church premises.



The surprise raid on that church in Selangor, Malaysia happened barely 16 days after Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak met Pope Benedict XVI at the Pope's summer residence at the Apostolic Palace in Castel Gandolfo, outside Rome, on 18th July 2011.

The Pope is the ruler of both Vatican City State and Holy See.

The Holy See is the universal government of the Catholic Church.

As a result of the visit, Malaysia and Vatican agreed to establish diplomatic ties.

The visit by Najib is the second by a Malaysian leader to the Vatican. In 2002 then Malaysian Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad met then Pope John Paul II.

Well-known Sabah Catholic priest Father Joseph Dapoz passes away at 91

God bless you.. Rest in Peace Father Joseph Dapoz. He was well known because of his ability to remember names and places and he was very fluent in the Kadazan-Dusun language, the Sabahan native language despite being an Austrian.




As reported by the Star on 24th February, 2011

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s last foreign missionary priest, Father Joseph Dapoz (pic) has died at the Holy Family Senior Citizens Residence in Kg Purak, Papar, at the age of 91.

A nun at the residence, Sister Clara Orou, said Dapoz had been complaining about having diarrhoea since Sunday.

He died at about 7am on Monday, 21st February 2011.

“Despite his discomfort, he seemed his normal self and had even finished a bowl of porridge.

“But he had told me he wouldn’t be able to perform mass at the residence on Tuesday,’’ said Orou.

Dapoz will lie at the St Michael’s Church in Penampang until the funeral mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral at 8.30am on Saturday.

He will be buried at the Catholic cemetery at Mile 4.5 Penampang Road here.

Dapoz was well-known among both Catholics and non-Catholics especially for his ability to remember names and faces.


He was born in a mountain village in Tyrol, Austria, in 1920 and arrived in Sabah in 1948.

Dapoz was posted to various parishes over the decades and was fluent in Kadazandusun.


After retiring from active ministry, he took up residence at the Holy Family Residence in Kg Purak.



Picture published by Catholic Sabah, shows the celebration of Father Dapoz's 90th Birthday at the Holy Family Residence in Kg Purak, Papar.

“However, he continued to perform religious duties until he became wheelchair-bound about six years ago,” said Orou.


Dapoz is the last in a long line of Catholic foreign missionary priests who were posted to Sabah in the last 100 years.

In a book titled Portrait of the Last Dinosaur about Dapoz, he told co-authors Rita Lasimbang and Leonard Alanza that all his life had been devoted to answering God’s call, and that he was looking forward to God’s final call to him.

“When the phone rings, I’ll pick it up.

“He (God) has my number,” the authors wrote.

And that call came on Monday morning.

God bless Father Joseph Dapoz.

Rest in Peace.