Another "moderate" muslim majority country falls apart

[citizen k]

Pig heads left at Malaysian mosques amid tensions
By SEAN YOONG, Associated Press

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Worshippers found severed heads of pigs at two Malaysian mosques Wednesday following a spate of firebomb attacks on churches amid a dispute over the use of the word "Allah" by Christians, officials said.

It was the most serious incident to hit Islamic places of worship following vandalism and other assaults at 11 churches, a Sikh temple, a mosque and two Muslim prayer halls across the Muslim-majority country in the past three weeks. Pigs are considered unclean by Muslims.

The attacks followed outrage among Muslims over a Dec. 31 court verdict that allowed non-Muslims to use "Allah" as a translation for "God" in the Malay language. Many Malaysian Muslims believe the word should be exclusive to their religion, and that its use by others could confuse some Muslims and even lure them to convert.

Several men who went to a suburban mosque to perform morning prayers Wednesday were shocked to discover two bloodied pig heads wrapped in plastic bags in the mosque compound, said Zulkifli Mohamad, the top official at the Sri Sentosa Mosque on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's largest city.

Two severed pig heads were also found at the Taman Dato Harun Mosque in a nearby district, said the mosque's prayer leader, Hazelaihi Abdullah.

"We feel this is an evil attempt by some people to aggravate tensions," Zulkifli told The Associated Press.

Government authorities have denounced the attacks on places of worship as a threat to decades of generally amicable relations between ethnic Malay Muslims, who make up nearly two-thirds of Malaysia's 28 million people, and religious minorities, mainly ethnic Chinese and Indians who practice Buddhism, Christianity or Hinduism.

Khalid Abu Bakar, the police chief of central Selangor state, urged Muslims to remain calm, saying he would meet community leaders to discuss the situation.

"The person responsible for this incident just wants to incite" anger, Khalid said.

The tensions center on a court dispute in which the Herald, a newspaper published by the Roman Catholic Church in Malaysia, argued it has the right to use the word "Allah" in its Malay-language edition because the word predates Islam and is used by Christians in other predominantly Muslim countries, such as Egypt, Indonesia and Syria.

The High Court ruled last month in favor of the Herald, overturning a years-old government ban on the use of the word in non-Muslim publications. The government has appealed the decision.

Among the attacks in various Malaysian states, eight churches and two small Islamic prayer halls were firebombed, two churches were splashed with paint, one had a window broken, a rum bottle was thrown at a mosque and a Sikh temple was pelted with stones, apparently because Sikhs use "Allah" in their scriptures.

The firebombings at the Islamic halls caused little damage except for scorch marks, but Zulkifli, the mosque official, said the pig heads were "a serious desecration."

Authorities arrested 15 Muslim men in connection with the attacks on churches, and four other unidentified suspects linked to the attacks on the Muslim prayer halls.

The controversy has reinforced perceptions that the country is coming under the influence of hard-line Islam.
Last year, dozens of Muslims paraded with the bloodied head of a cow, a sacred animal in Hinduism, to protest the proposed relocation of a Hindu temple in their neighborhood.Minorities say they face institutionalized religious discrimination, citing problems such as slow approval to build new churches and temples. Government officials deny any bias.


Associated Press writer Julia Zappei contributed to this report.

[Razgovory]

How pigheaded of them.

[Martinus]

Onward Christian Soldiers
Onward Buddhist Priests
Onward, fruits of Islam
Fight 'till you're deceased
Fight your little battles
Join in thickest fray
For the Greater Glory of Dis-cor-di-a Yeah, yeah, yeah, Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Blffffffff

[Josquius]

You're blaiming the muslims but it sounds like the christians are at fault here.

[Eddie Teach]

Sounds like there's plenty of blame to go around.

[CountDeMoney]

If only they'd all rally around the banner of anti-homosexuality.  That would bring peace.

[DisturbedPervert]

The destruction of the Teapot Temple is avenged!!!

[CountDeMoney]

Koala Lemur.  Stupid name for a city anyway.

[Viking]

Koala Lemur.  Stupid name for a city anyway.

If you want to kill Malaysians just drive a Hummer through KL, the Kamikaze mopeders will do that themselves.

[Valmy]

You're blaiming the muslims but it sounds like the christians are at fault here.

How do you figure?  Or do you consider pig heads worse than firebombings?

[Neil]

You're blaiming the muslims but it sounds like the christians are at fault here.

How do you figure?  Or do you consider pig heads worse than firebombings?

Jos is an idiot who hates himself and his people.

[DisturbedPervert]

How do you figure? 

Muslims shouldn't be retaliated against

[Duque de Bragança]

Was Malaysia ever considered as moderate muslim ?

[Martinus]

Was Malaysia ever considered as moderate muslim ?

I think we had a couple of islamist apologists on the forum who thought so.

[Valmy]

Was Malaysia ever considered as moderate muslim ?

East Asian Muslims are usually presented as more laid back moderate muslims.