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Malaysia

  • Update: Detained Bibles released


    A seized Bible is stamped with the
    inscription “For Christians Only.”

    Two shipments totaling approximately 30,000 Bibles detained by Malaysian port authorities in January (click here for more information) were recently released. Authorities seized the Bibles, which had been imported from Indonesia for distribution in schools, churches and longhouses, because they claimed they could cause a conflict with an ongoing court case involving use of the word "Allah" in a Catholic newspaper. Most Christians, however, believe the government is worried that the Bibles will be distributed to Muslim Malays, and see the seizure as part of a systematic plan to deny access to the Bible in Malay. Authorities had taken similar action in March 2009, when they detained 5,100 copies of the Good News Bible in Malay in Port Klang.

    The government's decision to release this recent shipment came with the condition that the books are stamped with a serial number and the inscription "For Christians Only" on the cover. Malaysian Christian leaders have refused these terms, fearing the government would use the serial numbers to track the Bibles and penalize those who accepted them. At last report, the Malaysian Bible Society has rejected the restrictions placed on the Bibles and is refusing to collect them.

    Praise God for the release of these Bibles. Pray Christians in Malaysia will remain faithful in spite of opposition from those in authority. Pray they will know that they are not alone, but part of the Body of Christ. Pray these Bibles will somehow get into the hands of those who long for the life and truth found through Jesus Christ (John 14:6).

    You can learn more about the challenges facing Christian in Malaysia at the Malaysia Country Report.
  • Christian literature held by authorities

    Authorities in Malaysia's Kuching Port have detained approximately 30,000 copies of the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs in the Malay language, causing great upset among the nation's Christians. Gideons International imported the books from Indonesia for distribution in schools, churches and longhouses in Betong and other Christian areas in Sarawak state. They have been detained since January. Authorities told an officer that he could not distribute the books because they "contained words which are also found in the Qur'an." The officer was ordered to transport the books to the Home Ministry's office for storage. This same officer recently enquired of the Home Ministry officials on the status of the Malay Bibles, and was told by authorities that they had yet to receive instructions on the matter.

    This is not the first time government authorities have detained Malay-language Bibles. In March 2009, 5,100 copies of the Good News Bible in Malay, imported by the Bible Society of Malaysia, were detained in Port Klang.

    Pray this Christian literature will be released for distribution. Pray that, even among such opposition, the Word of the Lord will continue to go forth in Malaysia. Pray religious freedom will be justly respected throughout Malaysia.
  • Nine churches attacked

    Photo from church member's video
    Nine churches were recently targeted in Malaysia in a series of arson attacks sparked by religious tensions between Muslims and Christians over the use of the word "Allah." In the Malay-language, "Allah" is the common term Christians have used for God for hundreds of years. However, many Muslims believe the word "Allah" should be restricted to Muslims, as they believe its use by other religions could lead to confusion and possible conversions. The attacks, which began on January 8, came after a Supreme Court ruling on December 31 which overturned a government ban on the use of "Allah" by Christians -- a ruling the government has since appealed. One of the nine churches targeted in the violence, the Metro Tabernacle Church at Desa Melawati, was significantly damaged.

    Pray for guidance for Christians in Malaysia as they face opposition. Ask God to provide for and encourage those affected by these attacks. Pray that increased persecution will result in increased boldness among believers in Malaysia (Acts 4:29-31).

    For a video report on rising religions tensions in Malaysia, please click here. For more information on the suffering of Christians in Malaysia,click here.
  • Christian's faith recognized by Islamic court


    Photo from New Straits Times

    In a rare victory for religious minorities in Malaysia, a Christian man was legally recognized as a non-Muslim by an Islamic court on March 6. Mohammad Shah (60), who goes by the alias Gilbert Freeman, brought his case to the Sharia court in Negeri Sembilan state after the National Registration Department refused to acknowledge his Christian faith when he applied for a new identity card. Freeman was raised a Christian by his mother after his Muslim father abandoned the family when Freeman was only two months old. As a result, the judge ruled that Freeman had never been a Muslim and his identity card could therefore be changed. The court also found no evidence that Freeman's parents were ever legally married.

    Praise the Lord that Freeman's faith has been recognized in this way. Pray for increased religious freedom in Malaysia.

    To find out more about the plight of Malaysian Christians, go to theMalaysia Country Report.
  • Bibles Confiscated at Airport
    Kuala Lumpur Airport
    Kuala Lumpur Airport
    On January 28, a customs officer confiscated two boxes containing 32 Bibles from a Christian woman in the Kuala Lumpur airport as she was returning from the Philippines. When the officer asked Juliana Nichols to open the boxes she was carrying and declare their contents, she produced a letter from her parish priest stating that the English Bibles were meant for use in her church. The officer told her that thetexts needed to be cleared with the Internal Security Ministry's Control Division of Publications and Al-Quran Texts and seized them. The general secretary of the Council of Churches of Malaysia, ReverendHermen Shastri, issued a press statement on February 4 that called for the immediate release of the Bibles and asked for an official apology from the Royal Malaysian Customs Department. "The Council of Churches is flabbergasted that such acts are happening in our country with such frequency and impunity," said Shastri. "We want to state categorically that the Bible is Holy Scripture for Christians.... No authority on earth should deny Christians the right to possess, read and travel with their Bibles." The Bibles have since been returned to Nichols, according to reports received this week.

    This is only the most recent in a number of troubling incidents in Malaysia that would seem to signal a declining level of religious liberty for religious minorities. Pray that freedom of religion will be upheld for all people in Malaysia. Pray that Christians in Malaysia will rest in the promises of God's provision and strength as they serve Him amid rising opposition (Hebrews 10:32-39).

    For more information on the persecution of Christians in Malaysia, go to theMalasysia Country Report.
  • Christian Children Books Seized

    Malaysia

    According to the news website www.malaysiakini.com, state officials from the Internal Security Ministry recently confiscated English language Christian children's books from three Malaysian Publishing House (MPH) bookstores. The books were said to contain caricatures of prophets that "offend Muslim sensitivities." In mid-December, a total of 29 books were seized from the MPH outlet in the town of Senawang, reportedly after Islamic authorities complained about their offensive content. The six titles have been sent to the department's headquarters in Putrajaya for investigation. On January 3, at least ten books were taken off the shelves in the MPH bookstore in Ipoh Kinta City. Books were also recently seized from MPH stores in the city of Johor Bahru.
    Pray that God will strengthen Malaysian Christians to lovingly and boldly proclaim the gospel (Ephesians 6:18-20). Pray that the religious freedom of all people will be truly recognized in Malaysia.

    For more information on the persecution of Christians in Malaysia, go to theMalaysia Country Report.
  • Church Demolished By Authorities
    Photos fromSalem Voice

    Government authorities demolished a church belonging to the "Orang Asli" tribe of indigenous Christians in Kuala Lumpur, Kentan State on June 8. The authorities claimed that the church was built without state permission. However, according to a local church leader, the land is owned by the village head and they have the lawful right to use it for their own purposes. Local Christians have rejected the district office's suggestion to rebuild a "community center" at another site and intend on reconstructing the church in its original location.

    Pray that these Christians will be encouraged to meet together for worship and prayer, despite opposition. Pray that Christians in Malaysia will continue to remain faithful, united in heart and mind.

    The feature article of the July edition of The Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter will focus on the difficulties facing Christians in Malaysia. To subscribe today, click here. Recently, the Malaysian government banned a number of Christian books on the grounds that they "undermined the faith of Muslims." To view a list of these books, click here.

    For more information on persecution in Malaysia,click here.
  • High Court Rules that Lina Joy Cannot Change Religions

    On May 30, the federal court of Malaysia denied Lina Joy legal recognition of her conversion from Islam to Christianity in 1998 (click here for more details). According to a May 30 report from Asia News, it was decided that only the Islamic court may remove the word "Islam" from her documents. Her case has been the subject of internal debate and pressure from Muslim militants. Following the ruling, hundreds of Islamic demonstrators celebrated outside the courthouse.

    The feature article of the July edition of The Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter will focus on the difficulties facing Christians in Malaysia. To subscribe today, click here.
  • Lina Joy in Hiding

    In 1998, Azalina Jailani converted to Christianity and changed her name to Lina Joy. She went to court to force the National Registration Department to change her religious status from Islam to Christian so that she could be married in a civil ceremony to her Christian husband.  Her request was rejected when the judge ruled, "As a Malay, the plaintiff exists under the tenets of Islam until her death" (for more details on Lina Joy's situation, follow the links on Malaysia's Country Report). According to reports received this week, Joy and her fiancé have gone into hiding after they received numerous death threats. Joy's lawyer, Benjamin Dawson, told the New York Times that the only chance of the two living together in peace may be for them to leave their country.
  • Prime Minister Weighs In as Malaysia Awaits Court Ruling
    Malaysia's Prime Minister,
    Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
    As Christians in Malaysia await a high court ruling on the legality of Malay citizens becoming Christians (follow the links on Malaysia's Country Report), the country's Prime Minister has entered the debate and called for stricter enforcement of laws barring the preaching of other faiths to Malaysia's Muslims. On August 21, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi called on states to "take whatever actions are needed" to prevent the proselytizing of Muslims. 

    While most Malaysian states have laws outlawing any attempt to convert Muslims to another religion, there is no such law in three states and in federal laws. Badawi urged all states to consider instituting such laws to "preserve racial harmony."

    Pray that Malaysians will recognize that Christ is only one source of true peace (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Pray that the Christians in Malaysia will be bold regardless of the pressures facing them (Acts 4:29).

    For more information on the difficulties facing Christians in Malaysia,click here.

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