PETALING JAYA: MCA has urged the police to return the seized hymnal books as the reason for the confiscation did not appear valid.
MCA Syariah Law and Policy Implementation Special Task Force Secretary Loh Seng Kok in a statement said the excuse given by the Johor CID chief, Datuk Hasnan Hassan that the hymn book was ‘sensitive’ was pathetic.
“If an image of a church on a photocopied hymn book is deemed sensitive, does the Johor police force deem all church and chapel buildings throughout Johor and Malaysia as ‘sensitive?’.
“We also read with disbelief the excuse by Johor Deputy CID chief Assistant Comm Denis Lim who said the case was being investigated under Section 298A of the Penal Code for causing disharmony, disunity, or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will on grounds of religion,” he said.
He added that if the Attorney-General can declare ‘no case’ against Perkasa chairman Datuk Ibrahim Ali’s on grounds that he was defending Islam, it made no sense to make a case against the hymn books by the orang Asli which has been used for the last 30 years.
Tan also said the fact that the confiscation was done by the police and not the Johor religious department, called for ‘no case’ to be declared against Catholic priest Father Cyril Mannayagam.
Cyril was previously brought to the police station to have his statement recorded after calling to expedite the return of the 30 seized hymn books, rightfully meant for the Orang Asli of Kampung Tanah Gempur.
He said his Task Force reiterates the call for a review of state Enactments to enable Malaysia’s non-Muslim indigenous community access to their religious literature, in our national language, so long as Article 11(4) of the Federal Constitution is maintained.
Tough situation: Cyril (left) with parishioner L. Bernard who went with the priest to photocopy the hymn books at St Andrew’s Church in Muar.
]TANGKAK: The content of the hymn books in Bahasa Malaysia seized by police from a bookshop here has been used for the past 30 years by orang asli parishioners, said Catholic priest Rev Father Cyril Mannayagam.
The books he added, were prepared by the orang asli community for their own use.
“Although church services can go on without the hymn books, the Kampung Tanah Gempur orang asli parishioners need them while singing hymns of worship.
“The content of the books has been used for the past 30 years,” he said, adding that the 50-page volumes were specially used for Advent (Christmas season).
The hymm book had been sent to a shop to be photocopied on Dec 5 and the original copy and 30 photocopied copies were then seized.
In a statement, Johor CID chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Hasnan Hassan said the hymn books titled Mari Kita Memuji Allah Kita (Come Praise Our God) contained the words “Allah” as well as a picture of a church with a crucifix on the front page, which were deemed to be sensitive.
SAC Hasnan confirmed a team from the Ledang district police had confiscated the hymn books, adding that the investigation papers had been forwarded to Deputy Public Prosecutor’s office.
When contacted, state deputy CID chief Asst Comm Dennis Lim said the hymn books would be returned to the church pending the decision of the DPP’s office.
“We did not arrest him as reported by a news portal. We merely recorded his statement at the police station. People have to understand that it is a sensitive issue.
“We brought the priest and his parishioner to district headquarters as it is our standard operating procedure to record statements in the station and not at corridors or beside the road,” he said.
The case is being investigated under Section 298A of the Penal Code for causing disharmony, disunity, or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will on grounds of religion.
Father Cyril, however, disagreed with the police statement on the incident that he was not forcefully brought to the station, adding that he and another parishioner were made to walk with the plainclothes policemen to the station.
“If given an option, I would not have agreed to go with them to the district headquarters as I felt I had not done anything wrong,” he said.
