Prayer Requests from Malaysia

May-June 2005 NECF Prayer Digest

Bahasa Bibles

Since April 24, 2003, the Home Affairs Ministry has detained a load of 1,000 Bahasa Indonesia Bibles at the Port Klang customs. The bibles were imported by The Bible Society Malaysia from Lembaga Alkitab Indonesia, Jakarta. Since then, many letters have passed between the Society and the Ministry.

Two organisations have also attempted to help secure the release of the bibles. They are the Christian Federation Malaysia – the umbrella body comprising NECF Malaysia, Council of Churches of Malaysia, and the Catholic Church of Malaysia – and the MCCBCHS (Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism). CFM leaders have personally raised the matter with the Deputy Minister of Internal Security and the Prime Minister’s Political Secretary, among other cabinet ministers. Ministers in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Bernard Dompok and Datuk Maximus Ongkili – both who are Christians – are also assisting in the matter.

It appears that all avenues that require human effort have been made. We are now to wait and pray, as we have prayed unceasingly ever since the bibles were put away in a warehouse. Pray for the physical condition of the 1,000 Bibles, that they will be preserved and protected against "moth and rust". Pray too for the government, ministers and public servants to be sensible to religious freedom in this country, and to continue to stand for what is right and just.

Young criminals

The Government is concerned about the large number of young criminals in the country and fears the situation may jeopardise national security, according to a recent newspaper report. Over 5,500 juveniles were arrested last year for 3,658 criminal cases, of which 24 were murders involving nine students. Most of them were aged between 16 and 18 and were caught mainly for petty theft and stealing motorcycles. This is disturbing as crimes are being committed by youths and this may pose a threat to national security, said Internal Security Deputy Minister Chia Kwang Chye. Please continue to pray for our youths. Pray for all youth organisations – whether religious or non-religious, government or non-government – to implement effective programmes to help our young people.

Education

The Government is trying to make national schools more attractive to the non-Malays, many of whom attend Chinese and Tamil schools at primary level. Newspapers recently reported that 90 percent Chinese attend Chinese (national-type) schools.

There is still a sense of suspicion among the various communities where school is concerned. Besides the perception of lower quality education provided by national schools, non-Malays also fear the emphasis on Islam is an attempt to ‘Islamise’ their children. The generally smaller number of non-Malay teachers in school adds to non-Malay parents’ apprehension. The small percentage of non-Malays attending national schools greatly affects the government’s social integration efforts.

Racial polarisation is a major concern that demands our most passionate intercession. Please pray for effective measures to overcome, or at least minimise, the problem. The National Service programme, despite all the criticisms, is nevertheless a start towards racial integration. Pray for our policy makers whose decisions will affect the future of our millions of children.

Corruption

Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has warned against corruption being a culture in Malaysia. He cautioned that if corruption became rampant, there would be no turning back "because everybody, from the bottom to the top, will be corrupt". Please continue to pray for our Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi, that he will press on in his battle against this insidious evil. Pray too for the Inspector-General of Police who is battling corruption within the police force. Pray for these two leaders’ protection, and for God to appoint honest men and women to leadership positions in the government.