News from Home, World and the Vatican

News selected by Catholic Lawyers Society Kuala Lumpur (CLS) for Catholics in Malaysia concerned about social justice and peace.

Includes CLS Internal News | CLS in the News | CLS Press Statements

British Lawyer Deported Over Hindraf Lawsuit

The Immigration Department has deported British lawyer Imran Khan, who arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport yesterday for a fact-finding mission on the marginalisation of Indian Malaysians.

This is the second time a foreign lawyer has been booted out of the country this year - last month, French lawyer William Bourdon, who was representing human rights group Suaram in a lawsuit over the Scorpene submarine scandal, was deported after he landed in KLIA. Read more »

Christian Witness From 911 To London Riots

Pope Benedict is calling on young people in Madrid to become missionaries for the faith and one group of young people has already begun taking up the challenge as they make their way to World Youth Day celebrations in Spain.

Some 100 young men and women from the Manhattan, New York parish of St. Colomba are in London for a couple of days before heading on to France and then Spain, bringing the Good News to a country rattled by some of the most violent rioting and wanton violence in its recent history. Read more »

CLS Celebrates 17 years Of Its Founding

Over 200 guests and members got together to celebrate the Catholic Lawyers' Society’s 17th anniversary of its founding.              

The event, held last night at the Oriental Banquet Restaurant, Petaling Jaya saw the presence of the Society’s Ecclesiastical Assistant Rev. Fr. Jestus Pereira and Society’s advisor, Dato’ Sir Peter Mooney. Guest included fellow Catholic, Y B Teresa Kok and Rev Fr. Clarence Dass, editor of Catholic Asian News. Read more »

BBC Less Anti-Catholic Under Muslim Head Of Religion, Says Ann Widdecombe

The BBC has become less anti-Catholic under a Muslim head of religious programming, according to former Conservative Minister Ann Widdecombe (left).

Miss Widdecombe said that since Aquil Ahmed was appointed two years ago the BBC’s religious coverage had “improved vastly”. Speaking to the Irish Catholic, she said: “He isn’t a Christian but he understands faith, he understands religion. Read more »

Viewpoint: The Real Lesson From Jais-Damansara Utama Methodist Church Controversy

Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad is the state assemblyman for Seri Setia and Parti Keadilan Rakyat's Communications Director. This is his viewpoint with respect to the recent controversy over the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) raid on the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC).

The controversy reminded me of a visit I made to a shelter for Muslim HIV patients in Subang Jaya a few years back. Read more »

Harapan Komuniti Press Statement: Thanksgiving / Fundraising at DUMC

Harapan Komuniti is a non profit organization, working to bring love, hope, peace and dignity to the needy, downtrodden, children, women and people living with HIV and AIDS. We help people, regardless of race, religion or creed.

Harapan Komuniti is a partner of Organization of Malaysian AIDS Council. Read more »

Third Of World's People Facing Rising Restrictions on Religion

Restrictions on religious beliefs and practices rose between mid-2006 and mid-2009 in 23 of the world’s 198 countries (12%), decreased in 12 countries (6%) and remained essentially unchanged in 163 countries (82%), according to a new study by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life.

Because several countries with increasing restrictions on religion are very populous, however, the increases affected a much larger share of people than of states. Read more »

Viewpoint: Raid By JAIS An 'Uncivilised' Act

We, from the Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF) read the news regarding the proposed Faith Crime Act by the deputy education minister yesterday with trepidation.

The proposal came about as a response to Jais' unwarranted raid of Damansara Utama Methodist Church last week. Read more »

MCCBCHST: Nation Must Be Led With Understanding, Truth, Compassion, Justice And Respect

The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) unreservedly condemns the unwarranted raid on the premises of the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) on the evening of 3 August 2011 by officers of the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) and the police which clearly breached the constitutionally guaranteed, and internationally recognised, sanctity of a holy place of worship - an event which has been confirmed by the Malaysian AIDS Council to have been organised to raise funds. Read more »

Muslim NGOs Target Selangor MB Over Church Raid

The Defenders of Islam movement (Pembela) has slammed Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim (left) for his "apologetic" stance over last week's raid by the state Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) on the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC).

In a statement, Pembela president Yusri Mohamad condemned political interferance in Islamic affairs and called for Jais to be given freedom in carrying out its duties. Read more »

Malaysian Prelate Blasts Politicians After Religious Police Raid Church

A Malaysian bishop has offered strong criticism of politicians who seek to foster anti-Christian sentiment in the largely Muslim nation.

Bishop Paul Tan Chee Ing’s remarks follow a decision by religious police to raid a Christian thanksgiving dinner at which Muslims were present. Claiming that Christians were proselytizing Muslims, the state executive councilor for religious affairs defended the raid. Read more »

If Muslims Turn To Others For Help, Who's To Blame?

Outspoken religious scholar Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin has urged Muslims in positions of authority in religious bodies to cease their knee-jerk reactions to those of the community who - denied help by their own brethren - turn to other religious communities for help.

Commenting on the controversial raid by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) on a multiracial dinner organised in a church compound in which poor Muslims were allegedly involved in proselytising efforts, Asri said Islamic bodies have no one to fault but themselves if poor and vulnerable Muslims accept offers of assistance from non-Muslim based organisations. Read more »

Viewpoint: Where Is The Respect!!!

How is it that Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (“JAIS”) could barge into Church grounds with the assistance of Polis DiRaja Malaysia without the slightest credence of tolerance, dignity and respect that ought to be accorded to a Place of Worship!

What has become of our Constitutional Right to Freedom of Religion? What has become of our Rukun Negara, “Kepercayaan Kepada Tuhan”!!! When are they going to respect people of other faiths and places of worship? Read more »

Bar Council: Celebrate Freedom, Not Fear

The Malaysian Bar deeply deplores the action by the Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (“JAIS”) who, with the assistance of Polis DiRaja Malaysia, rudely interrupted a thanksgiving dinner hosted by a community-based non-governmental organisation and held at Damansara Utama Methodist Church 3 August 2011.

We welcome the statement of regret offered by the Menteri Besar of Selangor over the incident, and his call for JAIS to furnish a detailed report on the incident.  We trust that appropriate disciplinary action will be taken if JAIS officers are found to have exceeded their authority in this regard. Read more »

High Noon: Sun And Moon Guided Prayer Times And Liturgy

Hidden among the paving stones of St. Peter's Square there is a simple clock and calendar. All you need is a sunny day.

The 83-foot stone obelisk in the middle of the square acts as a sundial that can accurately indicate midday and the two solstices thanks to a granite meridian and marble markers embedded in the square. Pope Benedict XVI proudly pointed out the hidden timepiece during an Angelus address he gave on the winter solstice a few years ago. Read more »

Recent News

13 years 2 weeks ago
13 years 46 weeks ago