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.

Isu serbuan Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor ke atas Gereja Methodist Damansara Utama

Inilah Gereja Methodist Damansara Utama yang diserbu Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor, JAIS, pada malam Rabu 3 Ogos 2011 ketika majlis makan malam Muhibbah 1 Malaysia bagi tujuan kutipan derma untuk pesakit AIDS, sedang berlangsung.

Malaysia adalah sebuah negara berbilang kaum dan berbilang agama. Majoriti daripada penduduk Malaysia seramai 28.3 juta orang terdiri penganut agama Islam, manakala selebihnya menganut agama Kristian, Buddha, Hindu, Taoism, Sikh dan sebagainya.

Diakui meskipun negara sudah merdeka sejak 1957 dan kerajaan memperkenalkan pelbagai konsep, usaha dan pendekatan ke arah mengeratkan lagi perpaduan kaum dan toleransi di Malaysia termasuk cogankata 1 Malaysia, pasti ada saja insiden yang melibatkan sensitiviti agama.

Terbaru isu serbuan berkenaan yang dianggap tidak wajar kerana ia hanya majlis makan malam muhibbah untuk mengutip derma bagi tujuan kebajikan, dihadiri kira kira 120 orang tetamu.

Di Malaysia, majlis makan malam sedemikian sudah diadakan ribuan kali ataupun jutaan kali dengan dihadiri tetamu kehormat sejak dulu lagi, namun tak pula diserbu.



Dan hari ini Jumaat 5 Ogos 2011, Menteri Besar Selangor, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim berkata, beliau akan menghadap Sultan Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah untuk mendapatkan nasihat baginda berhubung kontroversi serbuan Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (JAIS) semasa Majlis Makan Malam Muhibah di Gereja Methodist Damansara Utama pada malam Rabu 3 Ogos 2011 itu.

3 Ogos 2011 adalah bersamaan 3 Ramadhan 1432 Hijrah, baru 3 hari umat Islam berpuasa di bulan suci ini.

Abdul Khalid berkata, beliau kini menunggu laporan JAIS berhubung kejadian itu untuk dipersembahkan kepada baginda.

Bagaimanapun, beliau tidak menyatakan tarikh untuk menghadap itu.

Dalam satu kenyataan, Menteri Besar Selangor itu berkata, tindakan selanjutnya bagi menyelesaikan kontroversi itu supaya tidak berulang lagi akan diambil selepas beliau menghadap Sultan Selangor.

Sehingga itu, beliau melarang semua Anggota Majlis Kerajaan Negeri Selangor membuat sebarang kenyataan berkenaan isu tersebut.

"Seperti yang kami katakan semalam (4 Ogos 2011) kami kesal dengan kejadian tersebut.

Kerajaan Negeri yakin rakyat Selangor tidak rasa terbela dengan kejadian tersebut,” kata Abdul Khalid.

Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap Hal Ehwal Islam, Adat Istiadat Melayu, Intrastruktur dan kemudahan Awam Selangor, Datuk Hassan Mohd Ali, dalam kenyataannya semalam berkata, pemeriksaan JAIS itu dilakukan ekoran maklumat menyatakan terdapatnya kehadiran orang Islam di majlis yang diadakan di gereja itu.



Perkara ini berlaku ketika Malaysia baru sahaja bersetuju untuk menjalin hubungan diplomatik dengan Vatican ketika lawatan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak ke Rom, Itali, Julai 2011 lalu.

Dalam lawatan ke Itali itu, Najib mengadakan pertemuan dengan ketua agama Roman Katolik, Pope Benedict ke 16.

Kita tahu, kadang kala bila serbuan JAIS dilakukan ke atas rumah ibadat penganut agama bukan Islam seperti Gereja, pasti ia mengundang kontroversi.

Begitu juga Malaysia pernah dilanda kontroversi suatu ketika dulu apabila sepasang pelancong dari luar negara yang statusnya suami isteri dan bukan beragama Islam, tetapi ditangkap dalam ops maksiat oleh Jabatan Agama di sebuah negeri.

Perkara memalukan dan menjejaskan imej Malaysia di mata pelancong itu berlaku di sebuah bilik di sebuah pusat peranginan terkenal di negara ini.

Bayangkan anda suami isteri melancong ke Mesir atau Oman atau mana mana negara dan ketika tidur di bilik hotel jam 2 pagi telah diserbu oleh penguatkuasa kerana disangka melakukan maksiat dan khalwat.

Sudah tentu anda merasa marah kan?

Bukan semua suami isteri membawa sijil kahwin sebagai bukti pasangan suami isteri, ketika berjalan, membeli belah, melancong atau bila saja keluar rumah kan?

Dalam konteks ini, Jabatan Agama perlu juga berdiplomasi dan mengambil kira semua aspek, faktor, unsur, isu, permasalahan dan apa juga ketika melakukan serbuan.