Debra Chong
A Christian-majority Indonesia could be a threat to a small Muslim nation like Malaysia, controversial academic Ridhuan Tee Abdullah has said as growing Christian proselytisation in the Southeast Asian giant fuels fears of Islam’s followers leaving the religion.
The Chinese-Muslim convert was weighing in on a recent furore in the world’s most populous Muslim nation that is experiencing a growing wave of converts to Christianity — as many as two million people a year — that had sparked a recent campaign to reverse the religious trend called “Save Maryam”.
Indonesia used to be 90 per cent Muslim, he said, but was now recording only 200 million Muslims out of a total population of 240 million.
“Mengikut jangkaan, jika sesuatu tidak dilakukan, pada 2035, Indonesia akan menjadi negara majoriti Kristian (According to estimates, if nothing is done, Indonesia will become a Christian-majority country by 2035).
“Jika perkara ini berlaku, ini satu ancaman besar kepada negara Islam kecil seperti Malaysia (If nothing is done, this will be a huge threat to a small Muslim nation like Malaysia),” said the Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia lecturer, in his column “Buka Minda (Open Mind)” published today by Malay daily Sinar Harian.
Tee, who is a member of the Islamic Consultative Council and Wasatiyyah panel in the Prime Minister’s Department, has long styled himself a champion of Islam.
He noted that many Muslim Indonesians converted to Christianity due to a variety of factors including the high poverty rate there that caused some to “sell out” their faith and the lack of laws to protect Muslims against Christian proselytisation in contrast to Malaysia.
But the columnist, who also writes for Umno-owned Malay broadsheet Utusan Malaysia, said the Christianisation movement was on the upswing here.
Tee appeared to suggest that Christians were the “enemy” of Muslims, citing a passage from the Quran, Surah Al-Anfal.
He said Christians had great financial power around the world and the Malay archipelago was now their main target after they had “failed” in their missionary attempts in the West.
He warned that Christian evangelical movements could attempt to employ similar tactics here as they did in Indonesia and called on Muslim Malaysians to “save” their brethren in the archipelago.
“Ingatlah wahai saudaraku, orang Indonesia itu juga adalah saudara kita (Remember my brothers, the Indonesians are our brethren too).
“Selamat mereka, selamatlah kita (If they are safe, we too are safe),” he said.
In multicultural Malaysia, non-Muslims are barred by the law from proselytising their faiths to Muslims even as they are constitutionally guaranteed the freedom to practise their religions.
However, several right-wing religious groups have accused churches here of converting Muslims to Christianity and turning them into apostates, which is viewed as a serious offence and which has strained Christian-Muslim ties here over the past few years.
You give muslims a bad name
Comment by peekaboo — August 10, 2012 @ 11:06 PM |
I think this man by name Tee is a very arrogant guy. He’s always thinking he’s that great. He’s mentally unsound. the best palce for him is at Tanjung Rambutan. Don’t you ever try to create unharmonious situation between the Muslims and the Christians.
Comment by Buduk — August 7, 2012 @ 10:24 PM |
Most of the biggest crooks in Malaysia are Muslim leaders and politicians who went to mission or christian schools. Of course none of them were converted to Christian at all. Should they be converted , I do not think they will be corrupted like they are now.
Comment by Irene Kana — August 7, 2012 @ 6:05 PM |
We have our own ketuanan dayak,right?
Comment by antu jaya ramba — August 7, 2012 @ 5:38 PM |
Ya, those are the FAKE DAYAKS from SNG SWEEP-ARSE PARTY including the guy who has just sold his Dayak soul to them! What a FAKE he is that WONG fella!
Comment by Brian — August 8, 2012 @ 1:37 PM |
No religion should be considered a threat to another. People should be free to choose their religion and also respect those who embrace other religions. As long as people adopt this reasonable stance there will be no religious strife in the country.
Comment by Ling — August 7, 2012 @ 4:26 PM |
This muslim Fanatic tee tries hard to be malay buy becoming a muslim but his chinese flesh is unwilling. He is a person with personality complex with his soul desires to become one of them but his flesh and borns is still as chinese as the sperm from where he was created. His blood is now probably mixed! And even more worrying is that he has terrorist tendency in his minds. RELA members make yourself proud,don’t let him near any place of worship, he might have a loaded gun under his ARAB Imported Attire and ready to fire!!!!.rat tat..tat..tat..but in the end he is just a mass murderer? What a tortured life this guy must be having but thats his choice.. he has chosened to be rediculed and he has justly earned it!
Comment by Brian — August 7, 2012 @ 2:23 PM |
Ridhuan Tee Abdullah should repent and follow good example from other muslim like late Yasser Arafat
Contrary of many negative perceptions about Arafat, he always try very hard to get Muslims and Christians together no matter what
Yes Muslims and Christians should become friends not enemies as what Arafat said
So much so, Jerusalem church always reserved a seat for Arafat during Christmas prayer (heh!)
So who is this sick prick Ridhuan Tee to tell otherwise?
HIDUP ARAFAT! ALLAH IS GREAT!
_____________________________
In Bethlehem, Arafat Looks to Jerusalem
LA Times, December 24, 1995| MARJORIE MILLER |
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat arrived on the doorstep of Jerusalem on Saturday to celebrate Christmas in the city regarded as the birthplace of Jesus, now under Palestinian control for the first time.
Speaking to tens of thousands of Palestinians from the rooftop of the Church of the Nativity on Manger Square, Arafat told doubters among his ranks to look at how far he had come in the peace process with Israelis and to keep their sights fixed on Jerusalem, a few minutes up the road.
“For those who said, ‘Gaza first and last,’ we say, ‘Gaza first and then Arab Jerusalem, to an independent state,’ ” Arafat said.
The largely Muslim crowd, gathered beneath a fusion of Christmas decorations and Palestinian flags, roared its approval.
Under a 1993 Israeli-Palestinian peace accord, Arafat first took control of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank town of Jericho. A second agreement between Arafat and Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin before the Israeli leader was slain last month will give the Palestinians control of seven more West Bank cities and hundreds of villages and paved the way for the first Palestinian elections, set for Jan. 20.
The two sides are to begin negotiations over control of Jerusalem and other outstanding issues in May.
Israelis insist that they will never redivide Jerusalem and give up the Arab half of the city conquered in the 1967 Mideast War.
Arafat flew by helicopter from the Gaza Strip to the town of Beit Sahur and, surrounded by Palestinian security officers, drove the few blocks to Bethlehem.
He made several attempts to be conciliatory in his speech, calling Bethlehem a “city of peace” and saying that it should serve as an example.
“My brothers, we are now in a historic period in the life of the Palestinian people and the Arab nation. Yes, Muslims, Christians and Jews on this Holy Land created by the Lord,” he said.
While hailing the Israeli pullout after 28 years, many Christian residents of Bethlehem and other West Bank towns have expressed concerns about living under the rule of a Muslim majority.
*
Arafat, a Muslim who married a Christian-born woman, appeared to be speaking to Christian residents Saturday when he opened his speech quoting in Arabic from the biblical book of Luke, “Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, goodwill toward men.”
Christ, he said, was “a Palestinian prophet.”
The Muslim call to prayer rang out on loudspeakers against the sound of church bells and the pounding of drums from young Palestinian marching bands in the square.
Bethlehem is about two-thirds Muslim, and the celebrants in Manger Square were overwhelmingly Muslim.
Security was extremely tight, with uniformed and plainclothes police watching the crowd for weapons.
Access to the Church of the Nativity was restricted for several hours leading up to Arafat’s speech. And yet there was an air of gaiety in the plaza that many residents and visitors said they had never felt in the years under Israeli control.
A huge portrait of Arafat hung from the New Tourist Shopping Center welcoming the Palestinian leader, and the red, green, black and white Palestinian flag draped the facade of the Church of the Nativity.
The square was tightly packed, with the ebullient crowd overflowing down side streets where vendors sold hot falafel in pita, sunflower seeds and pistachio nuts.
In Christmases past, they said, there was always the tense expectation of rock-throwing or shooting, a fear of confrontation between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers or police.
“In other years, it was really all European or American tourists here, and the local folks weren’t really allowed in like this,” said the Rev. Sandy Olewine, a pastor from the Holman Methodist Church in Los Angeles who is doing research in Israel.
“The feeling in the air is very different,” said Nancy Bowen, a professor of Old Testament studies from Richmond, Ind. “Last year we came in a bus with Israeli police escorts on the bus and in two jeeps in front of us. This year, we just walked in.”
Originally, Arafat’s rally had been scheduled for Christmas Eve. He changed his plans reportedly after Roman Catholic Church officials said they feared that the holy day would be turned into a political event.
Arafat’s wife, Suha, arrived in Bethlehem on Friday to light the main Christmas tree near the Church of the Nativity.
Although she converted to Islam before marrying Arafat, she prayed in the church on Saturday and laid her baby daughter in front of the place where tradition says Jesus was born.
“The baby, of course, is a Muslim, but there is a tolerance between Christians and Muslims,” Suha Arafat said.
She said her husband represented tolerance and was carrying out Christ’s “message of peace.”
In the square outside, Louris Odeh, a resident of neighboring Beit Sahur, was among the Christian minority who turned out to greet Arafat.
“This holiday is like two–Christmas and Arafat’s coming. It is the first time we have come here without passing through an Israeli army checkpoint,” said Odeh, waiting with her daughter and grandson.
After the rally, Arafat held his weekly “cabinet” meeting in Bethlehem, then effectively dissolved the body to allow members to run in next month’s elections.
“We officially resigned tonight,” Palestinian official Saeb Erekat said. “This was the last Palestinian Authority meeting, and the meeting was sort of a farewell party.”
Arafat and Suha are scheduled to stay in Bethlehem for midnight Mass tonight.
“This is a historic visit. It is the first one of its kind in the history of Palestine,” Mayor Elias Freij said in a live broadcast on Voice of Palestine radio.
The radio quoted Arafat as saying that from the roof of Church of the Nativity he had been able to see “the light at the end of the tunnel, the turrets of mosques and churches of Jerusalem.”
Comment by Teddy Gumbang — August 7, 2012 @ 12:17 PM |
POOR YASSER WAS POISONED WITH NUCLEAR CONTAMINATION & NOT MANY IN THE MIDDLE EAST WOULD HAVE SUCH A DANGEROUS SUBSTANCE
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/palestinianauthority/9374010/Yasser-Arafat-poisoned-with-Polonium.html
Comment by anon — August 7, 2012 @ 2:30 PM |
“Christians were the “enemy” of Muslims”.., that sound like Tee having some sort of terrorist’s mind, a wrong teaching to fellow muslims,
Comment by magnum5583 — August 7, 2012 @ 9:26 AM |
Is that why non-Christian Jihadists are blowing up innocent Muslims and other people everywhere?
It must be an incorrect interpretation of the Koran to take innocent lives?
Some one tell us why….
Anyway Ridhuan Tee is trash- you can be a Muslim but you don’t have to sacrifice your dignity as a human being and become a dog!
If Muslims have strong faith they will not be converted to any other religion!
Comment by Malay Christian — August 7, 2012 @ 11:01 AM |
Chinese convert trying to make a name for himself and he won”t succeed because you will always be Chinese on the inside.Ask all those Chinese who converted to Islam for cash or work incentives during the times of Abdul Rahman Yaccob and most went back to their old faiths.If you are a real Muslim there is no need for you to be heard in such a controversial way.There are a lot of good Muslims everywhere especially in Sarawak and they don’t feel threatened by nonsense that comes from people like you Mr.Tee.
Comment by Sarawakian1 — August 7, 2012 @ 8:57 AM |
I have often read about this stupit chiness convert trying to prove to the other “Chinayu” being more melayu by trying to be more “muslim” then the other moslim. He have always, in the past, attacked the christian people with his statements and remarks. I think and belief that he is trying to wage a cursade againts the christian here. Remember Tee, faith in christianity are not bought with $$$$ and cent but by GOD’s grace. So don’t talk about the people convertion into christian because of $ and Cent. I guess, when you converted, it was purely for your own conveniance too, looking at what the government have to/can offer, especially for people like you. Because, by being chiness in a country Malaysia, i believed that you have GOD the almight to blame because you would not and never will be able to have all the previlages the other bumiputra are enjoying. So you decided to play trick with GOD by changing your faith and belief so that you canseat with the other bumiputra in Malaysia too but try to be more bumiputra. Remember Tee, once’s a dog , is always a dog.
Comment by batudanau — August 7, 2012 @ 8:32 AM |
He is not a Malay but he want to be more Malay than a Malay by birth. Sungguh memalukan.
Comment by James Big — August 7, 2012 @ 7:23 AM |
I am sorry to say that this man is definitely not mentally sound.
Comment by tigeryk — August 7, 2012 @ 4:22 AM |
Tee…why are you creating hot air over nothing? It will be more profitable if you can have more plans to create and bring people TOGETHER TO a more harmonious group…
IS THIS the way to show the peace and love of God to your fellowmen? Remember. ..God says…’ love thy neighbors ‘ which INCLUDES ALL FELLOWMEN – NOT CERTAIN. PEOPLE ONLY.
Comment by teres6842550 — August 7, 2012 @ 2:54 AM |