Hope my Christian brothers and sisters show the same dignified indifference that our Hindu brothers and sisters displayed a little over 2 years ago at attempts by small-minded but loud-mouthed low-lifes to stir up strife.
What am I on about?
Well, in August, 2009, UMNO lackeys in Shah Alam, holding themselves out as made up of Muslims who cut across all party lines, defiled the head of a cow, allegedly to protest a proposed shift of a Hindu temple from section 19 to section 23 in Shah Alam.
They must have been utterly disappointed that, even as there was all round condemnation of this most disgraceful act that must have deeply hurt every Hindu in the country and beyond, yet there was no reaction from the local Hindu community that might have led to a real heightening of tensions which may well have been the very objective of the staged protest in the first place.
Then in January, last year, following the decision of the KL High Court on the matter of the use of “Allah” by the Christian community, the nation witnessed the arson attacks on several churches, notably, the Metro Tabernacle Church near Taman Melawati in KL, the All Saints Church and the Taiping Catholic Church, both in Taiping, Perak and the Sidang Injil Borneo (SIB) church in Negri Sembilan.
Then there followed a spate of desecrations and attempted burnings of mosques and suraus.
To the unsuspecting, it might have seemed like Christians were retaliating with like for like.
I believe that this was the perception that was sought to be created by those who were behind the church burnings.
Again, to create an atmosphere of heightened tensions.
To lend fodder to Utusan to spin for the Malays in the heartlands that Christians were torching and desecrating Muslim houses of worship.
If my suspicions are spot on, then it would seem that things did not pan out as planned.
Small-minded, loud-mouthed low-lifes in our midst are at work again.
ABIM’s Yusri, Perak’s Harussani and the big chief amongst the ulamaks, Azmi, faithfully aided by UMNO’s Utusan, have once again resorted to their usual alarmist tactics, with the Perak mufti making unsubstantiated claims that 250,000 have renounced Islam, a claim the present mufti of Perlis has dismissed as quite incredible.
They are calling on Muslims to rally at Shah Alam this Saturday to press for an anti-apostasy law.
Dubbed Himpunan Sejuta Ummah, the organisers must have surely hoped that this weekend’s gathering would make the BERSIH 2.0 rally on 9th July pale in comparison.
Word has it that a police permit has already been issued to legitimise the event.
Talk about getting help from friends in all the right places!
Yet, I read somewhere that the organisers are now talking down the numbers expected to around 100,000.
And then, 3.04pm yesterday, I received the following sms from a close friend :
“A big rally by the Christians this Saturday at KL n PJ. Wait for more news to come”
Within 1/2 an hour, I received the same message from another friend.
At my request, this second person asked around and came back with the following sms :
“Apparently it is some lunatic fringe group that wants show force. Maybe planted?’
I made calls to some leaders in the Christian community whom I count on as friends.
No such thing was in the pipeline, I was told again and again.
Lunatic fringe group or, as we’ve seen in the past, orchestrated by the same small-minded, loud-mouthed, low-lifes?
Remember how, in the run up to the anti-ISA rally in August, 2009, there sprang to life a pro-ISA group that threatened to take to the streets on the same day, 1st August?
Whereupon, the police ordered both groups to stay off the streets?
And Perkasa’s threat to also rally on 9th July to create the spectre of a potential clash with the BERSIH 2.0 rally?
Again, the order came from the police that both groups should not take to the streets.
Is this latest sms no more than a face-saving move by the organisers of the Himpunan Sejuta Ummah, perhaps now fearing that they may not be able to muster up the numbers to match their earlier boast, to now look to a directive by the police to call off this rally and the ‘phantom’ Christian rally?
More so, given the announcement by PAS that they will not have anything to do with the rally.
Will we then see an announcement to call off the Himpunan Sejuta Ummah in due compliance with the orders of the police?
And Utusan then going to town to harp on how the Christians had planned an aggressive retaliation on the streets to oppose the sought anti-apostasy law?
We will know in the coming days.
Meanwhile, my Christian brothers and sisters, let good sense and wisdom prevail.
Rahman Hyder
October 19, 2011
bro
am hoping you can organize a “Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia” concert in shah alam stadium. that would give us all a chance to show our love for this country and its people, plus raise some funds for the SABM movement.
Yang
October 19, 2011
Totally agree Encik Harris. The nation is going nowhere but the gutter if the UMNO/BN goons play up the religion and race sentiment. But i believe the truth and peace loving Christians will not go and be duped by the call to the street.
Shawn Tan
October 19, 2011
Another day another sandiwara.
Cina Kedah
October 19, 2011
Bro, we are not going to any rally, unless it was call by Hon. Dr Ambiga. We are all now waiting with only for the soon day to come to put mark on the ballot papers and kick BN out for good.
We couldn’t stomach the everyday news that they are bleeding the nation coffers and look very much they want to make Malaysia another Greece.
Leon Rethual
October 19, 2011
Dear Haris,
The sms message received could have been sent by persons confused with the ‘Marian Rally’ at Merdeka Stadium organised by the KL Archdiocese on the Sunday morning, 13 November 2011. There will be no morning masses in any of the Catholic churches in the Klang valley.
FYI
Shalom
amoker
October 19, 2011
Bro, no such thing from the Christian community officially or not. Unlike these people in UMNO and paid government religious officials, other people do have jobs to do. Maybe part of the 250000 can be seconded as ‘christians’ or even imported Bangla Christians ala Patriot.
Joachim Thayalan
October 19, 2011
Great thought of u bro haris…..lets the force be with u…..
Paul Warren
October 19, 2011
Rather juvenile and ill informed if anyone thinks they’d get three Christians to go out to the streets to protest the Himpunan stupidity. But just in case there are any, and I’m thinking of those who think in terms of “must stop this” all I can say is lunacy is not exactly the sole monopoly of the Muslim right.
For UMNO it is all about Malay unity. For a very long time the threat and fear of Malay unity was what they thought would keep the Malay folks together. But 2008 changed all that and finally UMNO may have conceded that the May 13 bogeyman has run away.
And then it was about Muslim unity and the Muslim ummah. I guess that too has not worked. So now, what about Christian hating? Well, it would seem like PAS Youth are on the same page as UMNO youth on this. After all this will resonate better with the rest of the Muslim world as well.
I expect this Himpunan rally to be no more than an orgy of Christian hating and Christian bashing. And they are all hoping for a response. Good luck to them!
mauriyaII
October 19, 2011
If the non-Malay Muslims had the power and the numbers, they would have chanelled their intelligence and resources to work towards a more caring and equitable society. They would have strived to make their motherland a beacon of hope among nations of the world. They would have endeavoured to eradicate poverty and unemployment to empower themselves to bring about a better future for themselves and generations to come. A developed nation would have been a reality than mere sloganeering. But what do we have?
A large group of low-lifes who do not have the basic norms of a civilized society are so myopic that they feel everyone, including the Malays would cling on to the seige mentality by going round creating religious tension in the hope they could score brownie points if another 513 should occur.
These shameless, misguided souls hide behind their position as religious leaders of the community. They expect the Muslims to follow their diktats without question. What these morons don’t understand is that the feudal days are long gone. Even words like beta, patik and hamba are frowned upon in a modern and civilized society. Even small kids are not frightened by momo.
Victor D'Cruz
October 19, 2011
No such political demo by Christians, Haris ….
It is probably something meant to create and reinforce the “siege-mindset” the theocrats & politicians thrive in, so as to rile up the Muslims- and create an atmosphere of “fear” amongst the rest.
It’s just the same old “politics of fear” at play here … only that this time they’re also trying to challenge PAS to up the ante in competing for the the title of “God’s Champion”.
Of course the “Holy Faithful” who believe that the pie in the sky will be there for the taking if the comply to some arbitrary “God’s Laws”- will be suckered big-time la …
Mark my words- when all else fails, don’t be surprised if there is a “bomb alert”, bomb blast (a la Ferdinand Marcos) or something like the orchestrated “arms heist”/coup attempt a la Al-Maunah …
While my faith in the secular Malaysia remains- looking at the way the chickenshit Malay politicians, who are devoid of courage on both sides of the divide pander to the Islamists, the Hope is thinning …
Billy
October 19, 2011
Hi Haris, thank you so much for your posting on the above. As a RC Christian myself, I have come to a point where I have become desensitise to the various antics of UMNO and its agents. Quite frankly, I don’t care anymore. If they want to kill all the Christians in this country, what can we do? If they want to burn our churches to the ground, what can we do? We are just a 2 million people community without arms nor strong defences, and the only thing we can do is just pray. At the end of the day, after all is done and said, we always bear in mind what Christ said on the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”, and that is precisely what we intend to adhere to.
Desmond
October 19, 2011
As mentioned, just another sandiwara, same tactics and still thinking the rest of us walk around without brains that can reason.
Joke isn’t it that a rally to promote clean and fair elections is labeled as a threat to national security and warranting the use of ISA but an anti-christian rally that could have serious and deadly repercussions can be given a police permit.
May God have mercy on Malaysia!
To all Christians-hang in there, react as Jesus would want you to, on your knees!
Shalom
M.Visvanathan
October 19, 2011
Bro I like that comment by Rahman Hyder. If you are indeed having such a concert I would love to lend a helping hand. Maybe even sing a song too if you guys think i am good enough to showcase my suara sumbang. Ha-Ha! I will sing a “joget” number for the ocasion. I am Malaysian. Period.
M.Visvanathan
bkho
October 19, 2011
Not interested in getting upset with people or situations anymore. After all,
they are powerless without any reaction from you
chew keng cheowChew Keng Cheow
October 19, 2011
Aiyoh Haris, you read them like a book like that they all how to cari makan?
zigger
October 19, 2011
This Himpunan Rally will not get their 1 million people to come out to rally without PAS support. Now they tried to pull out and find a face saving way to do it. They organise this rally to trap PAS so that PR will be divided and PAS will lose the non-muslim votes, but this backfire and they are now made to look like a fool. Since UMNO supports it, they will lose non-muslim votes. It is all a bluff. When PAS will not join, they try to pull out, by saying that the christians have a counter rally. Now PAS can see the truth. This rally is actually for PAS to take the bait.
Rajan
October 19, 2011
Dear Haris, It is time you start organizing voters collection centers, especially for the Orang Asli, the estate folks and the rural long houses of Sabah & Sarawak. These votes can be easily “cheated out by BN”.
Asian Malaysian
October 19, 2011
I appreciate where you are coming from, Haris Ibrahim, but I dont see how true Muslims can show the same “dignified indifference” when those least fit to represent Islam are allowed to trumpet their views as if they are. Even if they did apply for the police permit to do so.
Antares
October 19, 2011
Aiyoyo… great to read your lucid thoughts, Haris… admirable stamina lah, hat off to you! 🙂
Humanity really OUGHT TO have evolved beyond such atavistic primate territorial displays of bared fangs by now – but, obviously not, at least in certain quarters. And it’s not only Ketuanan Melayu types, look at the Cheneys and Kissingers of the world who continue to shake nuclear warheads at imaginary foes for threatening their corrupt and decadent way of life!
Let’s fast-forward to a more enjoyable reality, folks. The cat-shit stink of gutter politics is almost as bad as mustard gas. In the end, it’s really up to each one of us to decide whether or not to react to stray dogs barking at a passing caravan.
How to argue with such a disgracefully demented bunch of rent-seekers and parasites? It’s like debating with a lynchmob. Unless one is armed with a flamethrower and able to give them an instant foretaste of hell, one is better off grabbing the remote and switching off the goddamn TV.
I guess a lot of shit is stuck in the ranks of the Special Branch which has been around far too long – since the so-called Emergency in fact. NO EMERGENCY NOW… SO THEY SIMPLY HAVE TO TRY AND CREATE ONE LOR!
Silly buggers.
malchindian
October 19, 2011
It is good to see that PAS and PKR have taken a united stand to shun the rally. I am a little disturbed by their statements that they cannot influence or prevent individuals from attending. Doesn’t anyone teach ‘Actions have Consequences’ anymore?
I hope the church in Glenmarie Shah Alam stays on alert as they are the closest to the stadium. Better to err on the side of caution when dealing with riled up, foolish, emotional individuals.
padan ulae
October 19, 2011
Bro, people who play dirty politics and crazy for power will do anything to win the election. They are not patriotic at all but instead they are DESTROYERs of Malaysia. We know very well that we have been living peacefully for the last 48 years as Malaysians and now we are about to see bloodshed everywhere sooner or later in the country. As a Sarawakian I believe time will come when we will demand for INDEPENDENT from the federation. There comes the problems….many of our love ones will be persecuted and even killed…to claim for independent. I am a Catholic theologian and I studied a lot about Islam. I love their thoughts and inspirations but I dont like HIMPUN. Let us gather all Malaysians once more regardless of race and religion like BERSIH to show our real brotherhood.
Jini
October 19, 2011
Hi Haris… the christians will ‘retaliate’ by praying for our muslim brethren and for peace and understanding to reign. Dont worry, we got sms to pray for them, not to to pray against them…!
Jane
October 20, 2011
Yes, indeed, Jinni. Let there be peace and love. We unite in prayers. Amen.
Magellan
October 20, 2011
Bro Haris, just to reiterate the stand of fellow Christians, we are peace loving people and we do not fight even if a Christian is converted. That is his or her choice, this is what we call freedom to choose the religion that you prefer or want to profess. Cheers! for your warnings. Worry not about Christians retaliating! We are of the peaceful kind! Just look at how the Roman’s teased, taunted and treated Jesus Christ, yet none of his follower’s retaliated!
shakuntala
October 20, 2011
Wow!!!! ……….a 100,000…… for the Himpunan Sejutah Ummah, on Saturday?
Mostly fools, I would guess. One does not have to fear fools, one just laughs at them…hahaha!
Briiliant Haris…loud mouthed low lives!..