I once wrote to Brig Gen Dato Arshad Raji on the my grievances about the treatment of minorities in the Army, especially on the religious needs of the Bumiputera Christians, in the Army.
This is what he wrote in his blog, "He was deprived of his religious obligations to conduct catechism classes with other Sarawakian and Sabahan Christian soldiers and their families in the camp. He reasoned out that the Church was some distance away from the camp, and that the soldiers were not able to take their families to Church regularly, because they do not have their own transport; besides them being out on training and operations most of the time. He thought that the most convenient way for his Christian soldiers and their families to get together for catechism classes, was to have it in their private homes in the camp. The officer cited that the instruction to disallow catechism to be conducted in camp was from the Division Commander, of which a copy of the instruction is still in his possession.
In full....I do still have the letters issued in October 1996, which were illegal directives, in a safe place. I thought that would be the last, we heard about the oppression and stifling of the religious practices of the minorities in the Army until I came across this letter in the hard copy of the Catholic Herald.
Dahaga akan Sabda Tuhan
Salam Damai Editor
Ingin saya berkongsi pengalaman saya dengan saudara-saudara Katolik di kalangan keluarga tentera yang tinggal di Kem Lapangan Terbang, Sungai Petani. Sejak saya mengenali mereka, saya boleh rasa keinginan mereka untuk mendengar kata-kata Tuhan dan hidup sebagai Kristian di kalangan keluarga Islam yang lain di Kem tersebut. Pada tahun lepas (2008), kelas Injil diatur dan dikendalikan di salah sebuah 'rumah' di pangsapuri mereka. Dengan bantuan dua rakan saya iaitu Louis dan Natalie, kelas ini diadakan pada setiap petang Ahad dan direstui oleh paderi paroki kami, Fr Michael Dass.
Malangnya, pada tuhan ini (2009) mereka tidak dibenarkan mengadakan kelas-kelas tersebut di kawasan Kem. Maka, Sdr Samson dan rakan-rakannya menganjurkan kelas tersebut di Pusat Pastoral Kristus Raja, Sg Petani. Syabas Samson dan rakan-rakan, kerana yang berusaha untuk mereka yang begitu dahaga akan Firman Tuhan.
Maureen Anne Muthu
Sungai Petani
Source: Herald Mei 3,2009 BM 7 under Surat/Berita Tempatan
So what was that shit Najib was saying,"Diversity among the various races and religions should be a source of strength and not a barrier to the country. That is how we go forward as Malaysians. It can come in the form of simple or mundane things, such as saying a friendly hello to each other or to help another person in need,
regardless of race or religion.” Well my word of advice is to take the 1Malaysia crapshit and shove it where the sun does not shine, when you have Army Officers who have the mentality of UMNO, preventing minorities in camps from performing their relgious obligations. All the more, the backbone of BN in Sarawak and Sabah needs to be broken by the very people BN is oppressing.
