News: PJ church attacked, minor damage

PETALING JAYA, Jan 9 — Arsonists attempted to set fire to the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church here, causing minor damage to the building, the fourth Klang Valley Christian church attacked over two days. Church authorities said the building in Petaling Jaya Old Town was believed to be firebombed sometime between last night and this morning.


“The fire-bomb missed a window and caused minor damage,” said Rev Dr Hermen Shastri, the general-secretary of the Council of Churches, Malaysia. He told The Malaysian Insider that the Lutheran Church bishop informed him of the incident. Shastri said a report has been lodged and police have started investigations. Church pastor reverend Augustine Muthusamy speaking to The Malaysian Insider said he and the church caretaker had found out about the attack at about 2.15 pm and later lodged a police report. “We are shocked, some are a bit more fearful,” said a calm Augustine. “But we would like to thank the police, they have been quick to respond and very efficient up to the highest levels of officers,” added Augustine.

The police have secured all churches in the country following yesterday’s attacks. The worst-hit was the Metro Tabernacle Church in Desa Melawati which had its administrative office gutted in the midnight attack. Police forensics team at the crime scene. The firebomb left a huge burn mark but did only minor damage to the church. — Picture by Jack OoiTwo churches in Petaling Jaya were attacked with the Life Chapel in Section 17 suffering scorch marks while Assumption Church was not damaged. The series of attacks on the churches has brought the nation to a standstill and has cast Malaysia in a bad light internationally. It has also triggered a blame-game on the political front with the opposition parties holding the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional, especially Umno, responsible following hardline sentiments propagated through the government-owned media like Utusan Malaysia. Prime Minister and Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak vehemently denied any Umno link to the attacks. Meanwhile Augustine said the issue has been blown out of proportion and pleaded for calm. He believes Muslims as a whole should not be blamed for the attacks. “I believe it’s done by a few bad people,” he said adding that it was best to solve the issue through a dialogue and, as a Christian, he is willing to engage with his fellow Muslim Malaysians to diffuse tensions. Source: The Malaysian Insider 09/01/10.