SOME 15 Muslim groups in Penang cried foul today over a three-year-old video and article on Christianity, alleging it was the work of extreme Christian evangelists out to incite people to invade and take over the country.

The groups, which include Jaringan Muslimin Pulau Pinang (JMPP), Pekida, Perkasa, and Penang PAS, also claimed that a three-year-old video titled “Message to the Malaysian Church 2014”, which can be viewed on YouTube, contained “seditious” elements.

The Muslim groups, led by a Mohd Hafiz Kassim, said the seven-minute video contained messages like “prepare for the war”.

“This video is very dangerous, contains extreme seditious elements which threatens the security of the country,” Mohd Hafiz said in his police report at the Bayan Baru police station in George Town, Penang, today.

Mohd Hafiz also complained about an April 2016 post titled “Rise and Speak – Pastor Afeef Halasah from Jordan” on the Christianity Malaysia website.

An offending paragraph in the article read: “There are people who are called to be missionaries in other nations. Yet, the general will of God for all of us in Malaysia is to invade this nation with the kingdom of God. We are called to bring down God’s principles and cultures into Malaysia.”

“The pastor’s remarks clearly incites Christians to invade this country supposedly under their God’s orders. This is a very dangerous statement that threatens the nation’s security,” Mohd Hafiz said.

He then took aim at Selangor state assembly speaker Hannah Yeoh, who had urged the Oversea Church Fellows (OCF) to go to Penang to help the Christian movement because it was a calling from God, in her book “Becoming Hannah”.

Mohd Hafiz also targeted DAP’s senator and vice-president Ariffin Omar, who was accused of supporting the setting up of a Christian city in Penang, a Pakatan Harapan-controlled state.

Ariffin had reportedly said: “What’s wrong with Penang becoming a Christian city. You have to change the state constitution. Without changing it, how can Penang become a Christian state?” during an April 21 debate in the Dewan Negara.

However, Ariffin has since denied the allegation, explaining that his remarks were taken out of context. He said he was asking a rhetorical question on the matter to another senator to show that the latter lacked intelligence.

“The police report is to urge the police to investigate and take the appropriate action against those involved in publishing these materials,” Mohd Hafiz said.

During a press conference to explain the police report, JMPP chairman Mohamed Hafiz Mohamed Nordin said the published materials on the Internet and Yeoh’s book showed that Christians were being incited to challenge Islam, the religion of state, and Muslims.

Mohamed Hafiz also wanted the police to probe Halasah, the foreign pastor for “daring to come to Malaysia and say the wrong things that is an offence under the Sedition Act”.

He said it was proven that outsiders were inciting local Christians to rise, leading to untoward incidents.

“He is often invited to Malaysia to speak to Christians, to tell them to change the government. If they are changing the government through the conventional way, it is fine; but he uses words like ‘invade’.

“The Malaysian government is headed by the King, not just BN (Barisan Nasional). The effort to poison the minds of Christians is an extraordinary and fearful act and is seditious. That is why the police report is lodged.

“Those who agree with him are going against the constitution and the law,” he said, adding that they might even be deemed to be waging war against the King.

He said foreigners should respect Malaysia’s laws and its constitution, adding that the NGOs would also approach relevant authorities including Islamic Development Department (Jakim) to ensure people like Halasah would not be allowed to enter the country and jeopardise peace.

“We will write to the Palace if necessary since the King is the head of religion,” he said.

Mohamed Hafiz said the report also mentioned Yeoh since earlier reports lodged in Selangor against her over her book had not resulted in any action.

He said her book, which he claimed was spreading Christianity openly, was sold in the market, which should not have been allowed.

“She called Christians to come back and build the Kingdom of God. What is that Kingdom of God? Whose God? She should stop. The authorities should take stern action.

“We are not Muslims who are against Christianity. But they cannot propagate to Muslims, or talk in public about their religion to attract followers. The constitution prohibits it.

“Other religions must be harmonious with Islam and Muslims. They must stop this kind of incitement,” he said. – September 24, 2017.