MARINA POURS SCORN ON IGP: Of course, it's about religion - Dr M's daughter ticks off top cop

KUALA LUMPUR - The protest that forced a Taman Medan church to remove its cross was patently religious in nature, social activist Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir said today when disputing the Inspector-General of Police’s claim otherwise.

Commenting on Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar’s absolution for the protesters today, Marina pointed out that the protesters themselves had specifically claimed the faith of Muslim youths could be swayed by the sight of the cross.

“… [They] were talking about how the cross is going to influence people. It is about religion... don’t know what religion, but it was about religion,” Marina told Malay Mail Online.

The daughter of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad also expressed disappointment with the protesters for claiming to be worried that an inanimate cross was a threat to the faith of their children, saying the Christian symbol was meaningless to Muslims.

“We (Muslims) do not worship crosses so it should not mean anything to us... it is the Muslims who are giving crosses, which are inanimate objects, the power to influence young people which is wrong,” Marina said.

“What is this country coming to?”

Yesterday, a group of about 50 protesters reportedly gathered in front of the church at around 10am during its Sunday service, to protest against the installation of a cross on the facade of the building.

The protesters claimed that an open display of a cross is a challenge to the area’s Muslim majority residents and could influence young Muslims.

Today, Khalid said that the police did not see any criminal or seditious element in yesterday’s protest.

“We don’t see it as seditious because it did not touch on Christianity. It was just about the location of the church,” he said at a news conference at the police headquarters in Bukit Aman here.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said later, however, that the protesters will be investigated for sedition. - Malay Mail