Kurup condemns ‘Himpunan Bible’ hoax

PETALING JAYA: Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Joseph Kurup condemned the "Himpunan Bible" hoax and advised the public not to participate in any gathering at Dataran Merdeka on Saturday.
He said the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) should lodge a police report on the message being circulated so that investigations can be conducted.
Kurup was referring to a message on social media which said: "Himpunan Bible – Berjalan untuk keamanan dan kasih sayang" (Bible Gathering – march for peace and love) which names BSM as the organiser, and that participants are to march from the Kuala Lumpur Gospel Hall to Dataran Merdeka.
"I know for a fact that BSM will not resort to such an action. They are peace loving people who believe that all our differences can be resolved peacefully and amicably," he said in a statement.
BSM had clarified that it never planned to hold any assembly and had categorically denied having anything to do with the "Himpunan Bible" poster.
"We cannot allow a small group of religious hardliners to create animosity and disunity among peace-loving Malaysians. Please do not allow ourselves to be further hoodwinked by religious bigots and hardliners who are bent on dividing us."
Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism president Jagir Singh said everyone should abide by the attorney-general's decision that there is no case against BSM for possession of Malay and Iban-language Bibles.
Council of Churches of Malaysia general secretary Rev Dr Hermen Shastri said no one can accept someone from another religion destroying sacred scriptures.
"Both the federal and state governments should help to defend the right of minorities to practise their faith and resolve the matter by upholding the Federal Constitution."