THE perceived threat of Christian evangelicals is nothing new as it has been played up repeatedly over the years by those out to cause friction between people of different religions, Amanah vice-president Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa said.

“How many Muslims have become apostates? I don’t know. How have they turned a Muslim-majority country into a Christian state? Is there any proof to this?”

But what surprises Mujahid more was that those making these allegations knew there was no truth to the accusation that Christian evangelicals were propagating the faith to Muslims.

Mujahid was commenting on an article by Centre for Human Rights Research and Advocacy (Centhra) chief executive officer Azril Mohd Amin, which was published by Utusan Malaysia on Thursday, urging the government to come out with anti-evangelicalism laws.

Azril had also described evangelical Christianity as a “dangerous movement” that should be banned.

“This amazes me. They (the threats) are all false. There is no truth, and those who turn this into an issue know there is no truth. 

“But they still play it up, and that worries me because it can worsen interfaith relations among the people of different religions,” Mujahid, who is also Parit Buntar MP, told The Malaysian Insight after a DAP-organised buka puasa event at at Sunway Hotel in George Town, Penang yesterday.

Earlier at the buka puasa event, Mujahid also spoke about the allegation of Penang being turned into a Christian city.

PAS information chief Nasruddin Hassan had posted on his Facebook page recently, alleging that there was a Christianisation movement, made more radical by evangelists that were actively going around in Penang.

The Temerloh MP had said the intention of the group was to amend the state constitution to turn Penang into a Christian city.

“It is a shame that such false news are being spread during the holy month of Ramadan, a time when we should be fostering peace, better understanding and mutual respect,” Mujahid said.

DAP vice chairman and senator Dr Ariffin Omar also rubbished the allegation, saying that it was impossible and illogical to say that Penang was being turned into a Christian city.

Ariffin said when he lectured at the National Defence University, there was even an allegation that he was setting up a church and would become the bishop.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the Penang administration would rather focus on the state’s development than entertain slander.

He touched on the state’s commitment to Islamic affairs development, such as giving aid to religious teachers and other groups that deserved contributions from the state.

The host, Penang DAP chief Chow Kon Yeow said the party hoped to bring people together for more festive celebrations while his vice-chairman Zairil Khir Johari said buka puasa events were good to promote unity and sharing.

“If DAP is truly anti-Islam, surely nobody would be here,” Zairil said at the event which was also attended by Muslim groups and associations. – June 17, 2017.