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

Archbishop Of Kuala Lumpur: Authorities Must Take Action Against Irresponsible, Baseless And Provocative Reporting

A national Malay language daily, Utusan Malaysia, today (7th May 2011) carried a report under the headlines “Malaysia negara Kristian?”, (Malaysia, a Christian country?) where it was alleged that Christian leaders (paderi-paderi or priests/pastors) who at a closed door meeting in Penang had vowed to make Malaysia the official religion of Malaysia and to install a Christian as its Prime Minister.

It was further reported that a meeting was to take place this evening at the Catholic Christian Centre (Pusat Kristian Katolik) in Penang and a public lecture will be organized tomorrow. Read more »

President's Notes: Seminar On Social Teachings Of The Catholic Church

The Seminar was held on 1st and 2nd May 2011 at the Christian Ecumenical Worship Centre, Kuching. Approximately 422 registered for the Seminar.

The Speakers included Rosalind Tan, Rev. Fr. Michael Chua, Leonard Teoh & Joy Appukuttan. Read more »

Catholic Lawyer Lodges Police Report Against Pembela

A Catholic lawyer called on the police today to act against an umbrella coalition of Muslim groups, Pembela, for making seditious statements against the Christian community.

Annou Xavier said that the threats by Pembela were highly provocative and could result in a backlash against Christians in the country. Read more »

Christian Leaders Reject PM’s Overture

The idea of one rule for Borneo and another for the Peninsula when distributing Malay-language bibles, floated by the government, has been roundly criticised by a Catholic leader.

Bishop Paul Tan Chee Ing, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia, told the Malaysiakini news website today such a stance was “flatly unacceptable.” Read more »

Malaysia Softens Stance On Seized Bibles

Malaysia's government has reversed its decision to stamp a seized shipment of Malay-language Bibles with serial numbers and government seals, softening its stance after Christians slammed the move as desecrating their holy book.

A dispute over the distribution of Malay-language Bibles containing the word "Allah" as a translation for God has caused authorities to hold 35,000 Indonesian-made Bibles at two Malaysian ports since 2009. Read more »

Christian Persecution Is Najib’s Cross To Bear

Are the impositions placed on Malaysian Christians, which range from the desecration of Holy Communion to the Holy Bibles being defaced, a form of modern day persecution of the Christians in Malaysia?

What is it with this government and with those Malay/Muslims who are intolerant of their Christian neighbours?

Are we (Jewish, Christians and Muslims alike) not “People of the Book”? Read more »

CLS Announcement: Committee Members For 2011/12 Elected

Catholic Lawyers Society Kuala Lumpur is pleased to announce that the following members were elected as office-bearers of the Committee 2011/12 at the 17th Annual General Meeting held on Mar 19, 2011. Read more »

Ongkili: Open-hearted Talk Can Help Resolve Stamping Issue

An open-hearted dialogue between church leaders and the Home Ministry will help resolve the issue of stamping the copies of Bahasa Malaysia Bible, said Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili, who was formerly the minister in charge of national unity.

Dr Ongkili said although the ideal situation was to leave copies of the Bahasa Malaysia Bible unmarked, the content was more important. Read more »

CLS Press Statement: Unconstitutional Restrictions Imposed On Release Of Bibles

Our forefathers in their great wisdom have found it fit to categorically state in no uncertain terms through Article 11(1) of the Federal Constitution that every person has the right to profess and practise his religion and propagate it. While in Article 11(2) of the Federal Constitution it expressly provides that every religious group has the right to manage its own religious affairs.

The recent acts of the Federal Government in first detaining the Bibles in Port Klang and Kuching and then placing unreasonable conditions for its release are contrary to the Federal Constitution. Read more »

CFM: Holy Scriptures Desecrated

The Christian community in Malaysia is deeply hurt that the Government has desecrated and defaced the Bible.

Initial news that the Government had agreed to release copies of the Bible in Bahasa Malaysia which had been impounded in both Port Klang and Kuching was greeted with joy.

However, this joy soon turned into grief and mourning when it was discovered that the release was subject to certain conditions. Read more »

Malaysian Christian Lawyer Barred From Shariah Courts

A Christian lawyer in Malaysia has failed in her attempt to be allowed to practise in the Muslim Shariah courts.

Victoria Jayaseele Martin said she wanted to appear for non-Muslim clients fighting in such courts, to provide them with fairer representation.

An increasing number of cases heard in the Islamic courts involve both Muslims and non-Muslims.

Malaysia runs two parallel legal systems. Read more »

President’s Notes: Talk On Annulment & Marriage Tribunal

The Session was held on 26 February 2011 and conducted by the Society’s spiritual director Rev. Fr. Jestus Pereira who is also the Judicial Vicar of the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur.

He started his session by explaining the codification of Canon Law in 1917 followed by the amendments in 1983 which structured the Canon Law into books, parts, title and chapters. Read more »

President’s Commentary: Red Mass Celebration 2011

We have heard and read biblical passages where Jesus has repeatedly extended his invitation to all with the expression ‘follow me!”

At first glance such an invitation would mean having to give up everything one possesses and follow Christ.

With such narrow thoughts, I found myself puzzled by Bishop Joseph Hii’s choice of readings for the Red Mass. Read more »

Lawyers Help Catholics Understand Constitution

The MyConstitution campaign aims to help Malaysians understand the Federal Constitution better

Religion in Malaysia is a personal matter, a lawyer promoting understanding of the Federal Constitution told Catholics recently.

“The government should not be concerned about what you do unless it is a crime,” Aston Philip Paiva told parishioners of St. Ignatius Church in Petaling Jaya on July 11. Read more »

The (Religious) Minorities’ Retort

Except for the silver-plated sign at the left corner of its main gate, no one would expect that the walled building along Jalan Pemaju in Section U1/15 of the city of Shah Alam in Selangor State is actually a church.

Not a few visitors of the Glenmarie Industrial Estate during weekdays mistake the two-and-a-half-storey Roman Catholic Church of the Divine Mercy as another assembly or production plant of big-name companies such as Sony Ericsson, Yamaha, Nokia – or maybe even the central kitchen of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Read more »

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