PAS man wants to know Christians’ 9% secret

Source: National Census 2010

“How can only 9.2 percent of the population, a minority group, set up a Christian state? Tell me how in the world this could happen?”

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» Outnumbered, outvoted, outgunned, and wanting to take over?

Speaking in Penang on Sunday, Mujahid derided recent claims that DAP politicians and Christian leaders were conspiring to set up a Christian state in Malaysia by asking:

“How can only 9.2 percent of the population, a minority group, set up a Christian state? Tell me how in the world this could happen?”

Quoting official statistics, he said Malaysia also had more Buddhists than Christians. “They should be saying that Buddhists want to create a Buddhist state as they constitute about 16 percent of the country’s population.”

His remarks were lauded by the Catholic Bishop of Melaka-Johor, Rev Fr Paul Tan, who said Mujahid had made a “mathematics-based exorcism” of the Christian bogeyman. The controversy had been created by the Umno-friendly former PAS deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa, who had accused DAP leader Lim Guan Eng of planning a Christian state.

“The gentleman from Parit Buntar (Mujahid) has offered the simple explanation that the notion of nine percent of Malaysians that are Christian trying to make over the rest of the population in their own image is inherently — mathematically — absurd,” the bishop said.

In other remarks at the forum, Mujahid also urged national political leaders to ensure that, as much as a Muslim has the right to pray in the mosque, Christians, Buddhists and Hindus must have the same rights to pray in their own places of worship.

A prayer with the new bishop

A prayer of peace: chief ulama of Penang PAS, Soib Mohd Amin, leading a prayer with Bishop Sebastian Francis during a courtesy call on the bishop at his bishop’s office at Holy Spirit Cathedral, Penang, in September. Photo: Anil Netto

“Saying this does not make me less of a Muslim. This is the new politics we are talking about,” said Mujahid, who is MP for Parit Buntar and chairman of the PAS national unity committee.

In his party capacity, Mujahid has led PAS delegations to visit four Catholic churches in Penang and also paid a courtesy call on the new Catholic Bishop of Penang, Rev Fr Stephen Francis, who was installed last month.

PAS team shows no fear of the cross

Specially for you: Mujahid Yusuf Rawa, MP for Parit Buntar, and Abdul Rahman Kasim of Tasik Gelugor PAS present a cake to the new Bishop of Penang, Rev Fr Stephen Francis, in a courtesy call last month. Photo: Anil Netto

PAS has made a concious effort to reach out to the non-Muslim population since the 2008 election, when the newly-elected MP for Shah Alam, Khalid Abdul Samad, visited the Church of the Divine Mercy in his constituency and received a standing ovation from the congregation.

Samad was the first elected Muslim wakil rakyat to visit the church since it was completed in 2005 — after 28 years of controversy, during which the Barisan Nasional-run state and city council revoked planning permission, halted building works, moved the location several times, resulting in a suit by the church, and its final location in Hicom-Glenmarie Industrial Park on the outskirts of Shah Alam city.

Islamisation by Umno and BN frightened of the cross

Barisan Nasional frightened of the cross

In contrast to the approach taken by Khalid and Mujahid, most of the Muslim leaders of Barisan Nasional have been hesitant at being seen with Christian clergy. A Christmas tea party last year, attended by the prime minister, was embroiled in controversy after it was revealed that his aides had requested that crosses and other religious items not be displayed.

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