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

BERSIH Press Statement: Audience With Agong

Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (BERSIH 2.0) expresses its utmost gratitude for the audience with His Majesty Yang Di-Pertuan Agong granted to its three representatives namely Dato’ Ambiga Sreenevasan, Dato’ A. Samad Said dan Zaid Kamaruddin on July 5, 2011. Read more »

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Press Statement - Bersih

OHCHR has recently been receiving reports of a crackdown by the Malaysian authorities, including harassment, intimidation, arrests and threats, targeting members of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) in the lead-up to a peaceful demonstration scheduled for this coming Saturday, 9 July.

According to reliable sources, at least 150 people have been summoned, arrested or charged, including a number of opposition Members of Parliament. Read more »

PSM Arrests A Harbinger Of More Repressive Acts

A Hindu rights pressure group has expressed solidarity with Parti Sosialis Malaysia members who were recently detained under the Emergency Ordinance.

Hindraf Makkal Sakti national advisor N Ganesan (left) said the Umno-led government had executed the same action on its members following a rally in 2007, where its lawyers were detained under the Internal Security Act. Read more »

Cop Informs Court Of Ops Padam

Chief Inspector Ahmad Bin Ishak, Chief Police Officer of PJ Police Station informed the Sessions Court at Petaling Jaya that “Ops Padam” (operation erase) was the police code name for the operation carried out against those participating in the rally on November 9, 2008 at Amcorp Mall, Petaling Jaya.

Ahmad gave evidence that his duties in Ops Padam included organising the police into groups to carry out arrest, maintain peace and take photographs. Read more »

Bar Council: Halt Assault On Rule Of Law And Democratic Rights

The Malaysian Bar respects the decision of BERSIH 2.0 to exercise its constitutional right to assemble by doing so in a stadium.

The Yang Di-Pertuan Agong’s special statement, and willingness to meet the top leaders of BERSIH 2.0, are timely and most welcomed.

The Malaysian Bar expresses its shock at the over-reaction of the Government, and condemns the obvious and deliberate escalation in the Government’s brazen abuse of power and persecution of dissenting voices over the past few days. Read more »

Church Not A Social Organization, Pope Reminds Pilgrims

“The Church is not a social or philanthropic organization,” Pope Benedict XVI reminded a group of pilgrims from southern Italy who visited the Vatican on July 2.

“She is the community of God.”

The Holy Father welcomed the pilgrims, from the Diocese of Altamura-Gravina-Acquaviva delle Fonti, who were led by their Bishop Mario Paciello. Read more »

Fr. Paulino’s Trial Resumes

The trial of Fr. Paulino Miranda and 20 others charged for participating in an illegal assembly and for failing to adhere to an order to disperse issued by the police resumed today.

Deputy OCPD of Petaling Jaya Abdul Razak Bin Alias took the stand for the prosecution. Read more »

Najib To Meet Pope Benedict, Seeks Diplomatic Links

Datuk Seri Najib Razak will journey to Rome on July 18 and meet with Pope Benedict XVI to establish diplomatic ties with the head of the Roman Catholic Church, sources said.

The Malaysian Insider understands the prime minister’s personal visit is to help repair frayed ties arising from the Catholic Church’s legal suit to use “Allah” to refer to the Christian god in its Bahasa Malaysia publication.

The case is pending in the Court of Appeal after the church won the right in the High Court on December 31, 2009. Read more »

Truly, God’s Servant!

The curtains came down on St. Thomas More, The Musical, after 6 shows held over two weekends, namely, the weekends of 24 &25 June and 2 & 3 July 2011.

The casts made up of very talented actors and actresses both young and old gave a timely reminder of what it meant to be, God’s Servant.

The story begins in a present day home, where a mother expresses her disappointment with her children’s denial of God when their faith was challenged. Read more »

Titah Khas Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin

Istana Negara malam ini mengeluarkan Titah Khas Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin mengenai perhimpunan pada 9 Julai ini.

Berikut adalah teks penuh Titah Khas tersebut: Read more »

End Crackdown on Peaceful Campaigners

The Malaysian government should immediately end its crackdown on the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) and release everyone arbitrarily detained for involvement in its activities, Human Rights Watch said today.

Police should return all Bersih-related materials confiscated during the past week and cease pursuing spurious criminal charges, including sedition and “waging war against the king,” against peaceful political activists, Human Rights Watch said. Read more »

Open Letter to the Chairperson of AICHR

1 July 2011

Your Excellency,

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), the South East Asian Committee for Advocacy (SEACA), the Southeast Asian Center for e-Media (SEACeM), the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), and the Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID) write to you today to draw your urgent attention to the on-going threats and intimidation by the Malaysian government against the electoral reform campaigners and supporters. Read more »

MCCBCHST Statement: Peaceful Assembly Is A Constitutional Right

Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) notes that Bersih Organisers, Perkasa and UMNO Youth are intending to hold peaceful assemblies on 9 July 2011.

MCCBCHST is of the view that since our Federal Constitution, the Supreme Law of our land provides under Article 10(1)(b) that "all citizens have the right to assemble peaceably and without arms", the proposed assemblies by the said groups should be allowed. Read more »

Pope's Homily On His 60th Anniversary As A Priest

"I no longer call you servants, but friends” (cf. Jn 15:15).

Sixty years on from the day of my priestly ordination, I hear once again deep within me these words of Jesus that were addressed to us new priests at the end of the ordination ceremony by the Archbishop, Cardinal Faulhaber, in his slightly frail yet firm voice.

According to the liturgical practice of that time, these words conferred on the newly-ordained priests the authority to forgive sins. Read more »

Bishop Calls For An End To Christian Bashing

Catholic Bishop Dr Paul Tan Chee Ing today denounced the latest instance of what he called "Christian bashing" following reports in Utusan Malaysia alleging funding for the Bersih 2.0 march by foreign Christian organisations.

The Bishop of the Melaka-Johor diocese who is concurrently president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Malaysia, said the Malay daily "appears to have a licence to publish unsubstantiated and wild allegations aimed at fomenting discord between Christians and Muslims in Malaysia." Read more »

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