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Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Harapan Komuniti breaks silence on Jais raid

The non-governmental organisation behind the dinner that has become the centre of controversy after it was raided by the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) has broken its silence.

In a statement issued today, the NGO - which works with the poor and 'downtrodden' and people living with HIV and AIDS - its executive director Raymond Koh said that 'thanksgiving' dinner was attended by "donors, friends and beneficiaries of Harapan Komuniti" before it was raided by 30 Jais and police officers.

“They proceeded into the hall and took photos and videos and even removed pamphlets from the various drawers and cabinets in the said hall, without any permission from us or the landlord of DUMC's premises.
The following is Harapan Komuniti's full statement

Harapan Komuniti is a non-profit organisation, working to bring love, hope, peace and dignity to the needy, downtrodden, children, women and people living with HIV and AIDS. We help people, regardless of race, religion or creed.

Harapan Komuniti is a partner of Organisation of Malaysian AIDS Council.

On Aug 3, Harapan Komuniti held a thanksgiving/fundraising dinner at DUMC's (Damansara Utama Methodist Church) premises. That dinner was attended by donors, friends and beneficiaries of Harapan Komuniti.

About 120 people, from various backgrounds, attended the dinner and were treated with a meal catered by Muslims, followed by live performance, a 1Malaysia dance, a quiz, and reporting by individuals. Harapan Komuniti also offered a general prayer.

Around 9.30pm, about 30 officers from Jais (Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor) and the police, some were in uniforms and others in plainclothes came into the said premise without any search warrant or permission.

Harapan Komuniti immediately requested the Jais officers if they had any warrant and despite repeated requests, Jais officers refused to hand to us any warrant to search or arrest.

They proceeded into the hall and took photos and videos and even removed pamphlets from the various drawers and cabinets in the said hall, without any permission from us or the landlord of DUMC's premises.

Harapan Komuniti's lawyer Annou Xavier stated that Malaysia should be fortunate to have non-profit organisations such as Harapan Komuniti that gives 'Harapan' or hope to the needy, afflicted, poor, marginalised and yet, on that fateful night, Jais decided to take the opportunity to raid the thanksgiving charity dinner on the assumption that conversion of religion was taking place.

Harapan Komuniti has helped many needy and downtrodden citizens of Malaysia, without regard to race, religion, creed, yet Jais took it upon themselves to disrupt a peaceful and harmonious charity event.

Annou further states that Harapan Komuniti is a '1Malaysia' organisation in its pure sense, in that its board members consist of a Malay, Mohd Rahim Ithnen, a Chinese, Raymond Koh and an Indian, Sri Ram KS Gopal to help all races, religion and creed, and not some parties that simply chant '1Malaysia' merely as a slogan.

He hopes that such an unwarranted raid would not take place in the future that would cause unnecessary anxiety and trauma to peace-loving Malaysians.

Raymond Koh
Executive director
Harapan Komuniti

17 comments:

  1. Adakah kerajaan negeri atau kerajaan persekutuan yg harus dipersalahkan dalam isu ini? kejadian ini berlaku di negeri yg diperintah oleh pakatan rakyat, bagaimanapun, jais bukanlah entiti yg dikawal sepenuhnya oleh kerajaan negeri kerana mereka tidak menerima perlantikan melalui kerajaan negeri itu sendiri. bagaimana dengan peranan aktif pihak polis dalam kejadian ini? adakah polis boleh diarahkan oleh kerajaan negeri berbuat demikian? rasanya tidak. polis menerima arahan dari KDN. yg jelas kerajaan negeri telah dengan sengaja dipersalahkan dan ini diburukkan lagi oleh reaksi exco kerajaan negeri selanggor yg bertanggungjawab ke atas hal ehwal agama islam yg seolah-olah merelakkan tindakan ini. apapun, yg pasti isu ini sekali lagi mencetuskan ketegangan antara agama dan buktinya boleh dilihat dengan jelas pada berita perdana tv3. terdapat sekumpulan penunjuk perasaan yg membantah malah dengan mengungkit semula isu penggunaan bahasa melayu dlm bible. negara ini semakin terarah ke kancah keruntuhan perpaduan kaum lebih2 dlm isu yg melibatkan toleransi agama. tidak mustahil satu hari nanti Malaysia akan mengikut jejak negara jiran indonesia yg sudah menyaksikan satu keganasan agama terutamanya keganasan yg dilakukan oleh puak agama majoriti. mereka bukan saja melakukan kekejaman terhadap penganut agama Kristian, malah terhadap penganut agama yg serumpun dgn mereka iaitu Ahmadiyah. Mungkinkah KHIAMAT semakin hampir? MUNGKIN. Macam mana dgn 2012? Ia sesuatu yg sangat menakutkan utk difikir. Wahyu dgn jelas menyatakan antara petanda penghujung dunia ialah apabila keganasan agama berlaku, yg bermaksud AGAMA menentang AGAMA.

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  2. Pemuda PAS selangor sokong tangkapan ini. Kenapa negeri2 dalam pakatan rakyat selalu timbul masalah2 agama dan bangsa juga? Lihat saja Kedah, pulau pinang dan selangor.

    Rakyat Sabah mesti tolak parti dari semenanjung dalam PRU13 yang selalu mengamalkan pecah dan memerintah.

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  3. Kalu Kerajaan di perintah oleh Agama maka,demikianlah jadinya buat ini haram,buat itu salah yang tak salah sembayang 24 jam saja!

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  4. It's wrong to do charity nowadays?

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  5. Hope this sort of religious issue will not spread to Sabah and Sarawak.

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  6. Kerana kebodohan sendiri yang akan meruntuhkan perpaduan dan keamanan yang sedia ada. Yang berlagak alim dan kunun2 macam tidak pernah buat dosa tu, insaflah. Bukan kamu saja yang tinggal di muka bumi ini.

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  7. We are living in a country that has multi religion. Therefore, we must learn how to TOLERATE and RESPECT each other. Get rid the conservative mind. Why so paranoid ah you people?

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  8. isu2 melibatkan agama ini harus kita jgn mainkan lagi.

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  9. setuju dengan samanda. isu agama tidak patut dimainkan dan sebarang isu yang berlaku perlu diselesaikan dengan baik.

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  10. Sepatutnya JAis tidak boleh bersikap demikian. Bukankah kita dinasihatkan untuk sentiasa hormat menghormati sesama kita.

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  11. LOL. Setuju warren. Berlagak alim, dibelakang belum tahu lagi. LoL.

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  12. Tanya mereka yang yang terlibat kenapa mereka berada disitu. Dengar alasan mereka dan jika ingin menghukum mereka silakan. Jangan salahkan pihak penganjur kerna apa yang berlaku bukan salah pihak penganjur.

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  13. makan amal pun boleh jadi kesalahan besar. jadi Najib melawat pope apa hal.. Jealous mungkin orang yang buat report tu sebab tidak kena jemput.

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  14. ini hanya salah faham ja. tidak perlulah diperbesarkan. mungkin yang buat aduan tu pun silap.

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  15. isu ini agak sensitif bagi mereka yang beragama Kristian.jadi, selesaikanlah isu ini sebaiknya.

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  16. Nampaknya ada orang cuba untuk memberikan berita yang palsu mengenai orang murtad ini. Baru-baru ini pemberita menunggu disatu bangunan atas sebab menerima SMS yang disebarkan mengenai isu murtad ini. Tapi nampaknya itu cuma khabar angin, sia-sia saja para pemberita menunggu dikawasan tersebut kerana tidak ada apa-apa yang berlaku atas dakwaan tersebut.

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  17. lagi la jadi kontroversi kalau isu ini keluar dari mulut ahli2 politik..

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