Bishop condemns ‘Sunday’ polling

ARCHIVES 2013

By admin-s On Apr 15, 2013

(FMT) – Bishop Paul Tan says the decision to hold polling on a Sunday, reflects the callous insensitivity towards Christians.

The Election Commission’s decision to hold the 13th general election on a Sunday has earned the wrath of a senior clergyman.

Bishop Paul Tan condemned it as a reflection of the callous insensitivity towards Christians here.

He said that despite the government knowing that Sunday is a holy day where Christians must go to Church and worship God, EC has fixed May 5 for polling.

“This disrespect of the government of the Christian rights is to be denounced. It just proves that the government is not sincere in its 1Malaysia slogan,” added the head of the Malacca and Johor diocese.

Tan noted that the voting in the last two general elections was held on a Saturday which is ideal for the discharge of the civic obligation to vote, particularly in a country that adheres to a five-day work week.

Of a sudden, he said, this time the vote has been fixed for a Sunday which would be disruptive to Christians wanting to acquit themselves of their religious and civic duties on the same day.

The vocal bishop said the decision to hold the vote on a Sunday is characteristic of the government’s insensitivity to Christians as reflected by the immunity conferred on some politicians who engaged in stoking unfounded fears of Christian proselytisation of Muslims and even threatened to burn the bible.

“This decision to hold the vote on a Sunday caps a series of actions or their lack which in combination reflect callous insensitivity to the feelings of Christians in Malaysia,” he added.