Muslims guard bishop heckled by zealous youths at Kuching court complex

Desmond Davidson Desmond Davidson Updated 6 years ago · Published on 27 Feb 2018 1:43PM · 5 Comments

Bishop Simon Peter Poh being escorted by Muslim youth out of the Kuching court complex today. Some 400 people turned up at the court complex to hear the Federal Court's decision on the appeals of three Muslim converts and a Muslim by birth to have their apostasy cases heard in a civil court. – The Malaysian Insight pic, February 27, 2018.

A ROMAN Catholic bishop was heckled by a group of Muslim youths, who shouted “Allahuakbar” at him, when he was making his exit at the end of a Federal Court hearing in Kuching today.

The court dismissed the appeals of three Muslim converts and a Muslim by birth to have their apostasy cases heard in a civil court, ruling that the Sarawak shariah court has jurisdiction to hear the apostasy applications.

Kuching district police chief Abang Ahmad Abang Julai described the verbal abuse of Bishop Simon Peter Poh by the youths, who were at the court complex car park, as a “minor incident”.

He said the youths had gotten “carried away emotionally”, and their action showed that they did not understand the issues brought before the court.

“Everything was under control. The bishop was actually shielded and protected by other Muslim youths, and escorted to his car,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Poh, who is Archbishop of Kuching, was shaken but unhurt in the incident.

A video now making the rounds shows him walking alone, with his robe making him stand out from among a sea of Muslims who had gathered at the court complex in Petra Jaya to hear the court’s decision.

When the heckling started, Muslim youth quickly threw a cordon around him and escorted him safely out of the court complex.

“In Sarawak, we work as friends,” the bishop said in the video.

“Let us not allow emotions to overcome everything.

“I am sure the state authorities, the chief minister, is watching. We will do our best to… rebuild harmony.

“I am not rattled by this (heckling incident). There were many good people… who were around me to make sure that I was okay.”

No arrests were made following the incident.

Police estimate the crowd at the court complex to number around 400.

In a statement circulated among chat groups later, Poh appealed to Christians to “understand this case carefully”.

“This case is not the Church vs Islam but on the dispute of who has the jurisdiction on allowing a Muslim to murtad (apostatise), either the shariah court or the civil court

“Naturally, since we have the shariah court to govern the Muslims, the shariah court has the power to grant Muslims the leave from Islam according the law.

“Therefore, we do not lose this case nor did we win it. What is important now is now that this is clear, where do we want to go with it.

“The court, be it the shariah or the civil, are only to apply the law. Thus next, we should pray that the lawmakers will table a just law to face this issue. Do not lose hope.

“Pray, continue to pray,” he said.

Poh added that he found the panel of judges which heard arguments yesterday before announcing its decision today to be “very neutral and fair”. – February 27, 2018.

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Comments

  • Minor for now and slowly will grow louder in the future

    Posted 6 years ago by Leslie Chan · Reply

  • Episodes like this makes others wonder what is it that the imams are really teaching our Muslim youths. That harassment and violence is the way to protect your religion? Instances like this reinforce the image of Islamic extremism, and the compassionate, embracing nature of other major religions.

    Posted 6 years ago by Quigon Bond · Reply

  • Paid parties to remain relevant.

    Posted 6 years ago by Taskforce101 101 · Reply

  • Once you embrace the religion, you are bound legally eternally. Islam is also known to be a religion of violence. I mean, come on, no point forcing people to believe in something they no longer do. Muslims .. please have some sense.

    Posted 6 years ago by White Rose · Reply

  • No court or religious body should be involved. Every individual has the fundamental right to walk away from any religion. Is this how Muslims keep a stranglehold to its population? To do is to claim the religion is weak.

    Posted 6 years ago by Edwin Siripala · Reply