KUALA LUMPUR - Pakatan Rakyat (PR) said today it will not
support Saturday’s gathering of a million Muslims as Islam is not facing the
threat of Christianisation.
Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told a press
conference today that there was no reason to fear the church as “we have all
the power and laws to enhance the understanding of Islam but it has not been
done” by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government.
“Instead, those in power only inculcate fear. We have never
believed that Islam is being threatened by Christianisation,” the PKR de fato
leader said.
The Himpunan Sejuta Umat (Himpun) or Gathering of a Million
Faithful, is organised by various right-wing religious groups calling for
Muslims to rise up against the “challenge of Christianisation.”
The rally was mooted after the controversial raid on the
Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) on August 3 where it was alleged that
Christians were proselytising to Muslims there.
About 1,000 Facebook users have confirmed their attendance so
far but should Himpun draw much more this weekend, it could push Umno and PAS
to seek relevance among more religious Malays.
With ethnic tensions already rising in the years following
the 2008 general election, it could raise already simmering fears of
Islamisation among non-Muslims and more liberal Malays.
Anwar (picture) added that after PAS said last night it would
not back Himpun as the organisers wanted it to be apolitical, PKR had also
decided to follow suit as “there can be negative impact” to inter-faith
relations.
“But we have compelling evidence to suggest that Umno is
involved as its media is playing it up and they only support an event if it is
backed by Umno,” the Permatang Pauh MP said.
Source : MI
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