THE Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM) is throwing its support behind the Majlis Raja-Raja (Council of Rulers) which has decreed that leaders of political parties are to cease and desist raising racial and religious issues to instigate or incite public violence.
CCM further described as timely the decree for the unity government of newly minted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to instil the spirit of equality and to emphasise on the Rukun Negara (National Principles) as the basis of the Malaysian society.
“(This is) vital for the full functioning of the Malaysian polity under a unity government,” CCM’s general-secretary Rev Jonathan Jesudas pointed out in a media statement.
“The role and wise leadership especially of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in promoting a politics of reconciliation and unity to replace toxic politics has borne much fruit in preparing Malaysia for a phase of coalition politics in the country.”
The support extended to the Agong and the Council of Rulers comes on the heel of CCM’s condemnation of Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who accused Malaysian Christians to be in cohort with a group of Jews to promote Christianism and to Christianise Malaysia.
In chiding the Bersatu president, CCM said what had been uttered in an apparent 15th General Election (GE15) ceramah not only spelt untruth but “is irresponsible of his standing to make such a statement to the public which is carried and widely viewed on social media”.
“We live in a multi-religious and multi-racial country and the sensitivity of each community must be taken into account when addressing public forums,” lamented the council back then.
“Such statements, carelessly uttered, have a tendency to create racial and religious tension and strife. It must be addressed by the authorities to ensure that such blatant disregard of the truth and of the sensitivities of the various religions are not condoned or repeated.”
In a one minute 44 seconds TikTok video, Muhyiddin was seen urging his audience not to vote for Pakatan Harapan (PH) which he deemed as “courting big danger” as the coalition “is being backed by a group of Jews and Christians who are pushing for a Christianisation agenda in Malaysia”. – Dec 1, 2022
