Asia-Pacific
More churches attacked in Malaysian Allah feud
(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-01-10 15:59
 |
Large Medium Small |
|
 Police inspect the damage on the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Petaling Jaya outside Kuala Lumpur on January 9, 2010. [Photo/Agencies] |
Rev. Hermen Shastri, general secretary of the Council of Churches of Malaysia, said Christians won't be intimidated by the attacks, describing them as the work of extremist minority among Muslims.
"What is clear is that it is done by extremist groups. It does not reflect the majority Muslims in the country. We all have to stand together to stamp out terror perpetuated by these extremist groups," he told The Associated Press.
Still, government leaders and many Muslims have condemned the firebombings, saying it is un-Islamic to attack places of worship.
Prime Minister Najib Razak visited the Metro Tabernacle church late Saturday and announced a grant of 500,000 ringgit ($147,000) for rebuilding it at a new location, a major concession in a country where permission is rarely given for building new churches or temples.
The Allah ban is unusual in the Muslim world. The Arabic word is commonly used by Christians to describe God in such countries as Egypt, Syria and Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim nation.
