Dr Mahathir Reminds People To Stay Calm On Church Issue

SHAH ALAM, Jan 9 (Bernama) -- Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad advised the people to stay calm in the wake of the arson attacks at three churches around Kuala Lumpur and not resort to any unruly behaviour which could jeopardise racial harmony in the country.
He said it was always easier to control sophisticated, educated and liberal people in matters involving religious sentiments but not the "so-called" less-educated and irrational ones.
"The only way to resolve this issue (church arson) is to stay calm, but how can you assure that the less-educated would also listen and (stay clam)," he told reporters after launching Proton's 2010 Family Day celebration held in conjunction with its 25th anniversary, here Saturday.
Three churches, the Metro Tabernacle Church in Desa Melawati, Kuala Lumpur; the Assumption Church and the Life Chapel in Petaling Jaya were subjected to arson attacks late Thursday night and early yesterday.
Mahathir said that it was always better to discuss sensitive issues like religious issues behind closed-doors and not by going overboard in holding public rallies and demonstrations.
"In this country, certain sensitive issues should be resolved behind closed-doors, but when you have a public event with courts making decisions, then some people might be happy and there will be some unhappy ... I am unhappy," he said in referring to the High Court decision on Dec 31 allowing the Roman Catholic Church in Malaysia to use the word "Allah" in its weekly publication, Herald.
On the call by the National Union of Journalists Malaysia (NUJ) asking media publishers not to play up racial issues in their publications, Mahathir said newsmen should be mature enough not to play up such issues.
He also called on Malaysians not to toe the line on liberal views on certain sensitive issues being adopted and practised by some developed countries. "We are living in a multi-religious, multi-economy, multi-cultural and multi-lingual society ... we shouldn't be toeing the line of so-called developed countries' civilization and liberal views.
"We have become a developed country in our own mould and that doesn't mean being so liberal as to start walking around naked and so forth. That is their (developed countries') way of considering themselves being developed and not us," he added.

tunku : we should all stay calm not only one group.we have seen now some tried to retaliate by an attack on a surau in klang. this is not a healthy situation. media too must not play racial issues.we have seen malaysiakini playing racial issues daily in their website.the KDN should act immediately on them. the Allah issue should not have been brought to court in the first place. like what Tun Mahathir said that issue which is sensitive like religious issues should be discuss and settle behind closed-doors.when thing happens like the current issue, certain group takes advantage for their personal agenda and make life worst for all of us.the pakatan leaders visit the arson attack sites and blames the government for the incidents without any helps but the government visit the site and offer helps without blaming others.