Oct-Dec 2015
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FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION ONLY OCT - DEC 2015 THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF CHRISTIANS FOR PEACE AND HARMONY IN MALAYSIA Can our nation be healed? s a nation, Malaysia has made form the country. If largeness of his dignity and viewing him with progress in national unity and heart can vanquish shrunken narrow- compassion and forgiveness. A inclusiveness. However, ness of mind and self-centred spirit God is love, and on God's events of late have threatened to tear in individuals, if love can banish fear, self-giving rests the ultimate hope of our people apart. There are tougher if hope can overwhelm despair, if humanity. Let the spirit of love begin issues that we must face and often, light can overcome darkness, the to take hold of the national soul, so these issues do not have a solution. nation can be healed. that people of different races begin Instead, they require compromises But it has to start in the individual to think of the other before them- and accommodation by all parties. human heart. That is the battle- selves and fully embrace the virtue of Christians play a critical role in ground. If enough people win there, love – to “do unto others what you fostering peace and harmony among the nation wins. would have them do unto you.” the peoples through our message of Christians are called to love every- (Matthew 7:12) agape love. We believe that if love and one, irrespective of his race, religion When Christ said: “Forgive your forgiveness can touch and change or political leaning. And love simply enemies”, it is not only for the sake individual hearts and lives, then love means desiring the highest and the of the enemy, but for one's own sake and forgiveness can touch and trans- best for the other person, respecting because love liberates one from the continue on pg 2... Spreading peace throughout Malaysia… Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Najib Razak with CPHM Trustees and state Peace Ambassadors after launching CPHM. See Pg 3 for the story on the launch. 1 burden of bitterness. Hatred, like conflict is ethnic, religious, economic rust, eats into the soul of the or of any other cause. We believe in individual and then an entire nation. constructive Christian engagement in Jomo Kenyatta at Kenya's the social, economic and political independence said, “Unless we build arenas based on: our nation on forgiveness, we will 1. An approach that is predicated lose the day.” on love and forgiveness, and focusing Martin Luther King at the height on building bridges to other commu- of the Civil Rights struggle nities via strategic stakeholder proclaimed: engagement to foster positive inter- “We must develop and maintain action in nation building; the capacity to forgive. He who is 2. Seeking a better understanding devoid of the power to forgive is of others in Christian compassion devoid of the power to love. There is and empathy, generating goodwill, some good in the worst of us and building and increasing trust in a some evil in the best of us. When we strategic and sustainable manner; and discover this, we are less prone to 3. Cultivating Christian sympathy in hate our enemies... Forgiveness is not feeling and courtesy in speech in such just an occasional act; it is a engagements, being slow to take permanent attitude.” offence and always ready for recon- Love for others needs to ciliation. become part of a new CPHM seeks to transform conflict vision, a new style of think- and division into new relationships ing. The “politics of forgive- and peaceful communities living in ness” will attempt its utmost harmony with each other. We recog- to see the plight and real nise that political solutions are humanity of the enemy. important, but without the engage- Thus, we believe that the ment of individuals and communities time has come for Chris- in a spirit of love and forgiveness, tians to rise up to manage real and lasting peace may be difficult the differences in opinions to sustain. on a myriad of issues in the CPHM looks forward to sharing nation by setting up Chris- the different initiatives and activities tians for Peace and that have been planned and executed Harmony in Malaysia to achieve its founding objectives of (CPHM). being a catalyst within the Christian CPHM seeks to build community for peace and harmony peace and harmony between in Malaysia. peoples, whether the s a nation, Malaysia has made form the country. If largeness of his dignity and viewing him with progress in national unity and heart can vanquish shrunken narrow- compassion and forgiveness. inclusiveness. However, ness of mind and self-centred spirit God is love, and on God's events of late have threatened to tear in individuals, if love can banish fear, self-giving rests the ultimate hope of our people apart. There are tougher if hope can overwhelm despair, if humanity. Let the spirit of love begin issues that we must face and often, light can overcome darkness, the to take hold of the national soul, so these issues do not have a solution. nation can be healed. that people of different races begin Instead, they require compromises But it has to start in the individual to think of the other before them- and accommodation by all parties. human heart. That is the battle- selves and fully embrace the virtue of Christians play a critical role in ground. If enough people win there, love – to “do unto others what you fostering peace and harmony among the nation wins. would have them do unto you.” the peoples through our message of Christians are called to love every- (Matthew 7:12) agape love. We believe that if love and one, irrespective of his race, religion When Christ said: “Forgive your forgiveness can touch and change or political leaning. And love simply enemies”, it is not only for the sake individual hearts and lives, then love means desiring the highest and the of the enemy, but for one's own sake and forgiveness can touch and trans- best for the other person, respecting because love liberates one from the burden of bitterness. Hatred, like conflict is ethnic, religious, economic rust, eats into the soul of the or of any other cause. We believe in individual and then an entire nation. constructive Christian engagement in for A More Board Of Jomo Kenyatta at Kenya's the social, economic and political Hope Trustees independence said, “Unless we build arenas based on: our nation on forgiveness, we will 1. An approach that is predicated Peaceful Malaysia lose the day.” on love and forgiveness, and focusing CHAIRMAN man Rev. Wong Kim Kong shared Martin Luther King at the height on building bridges to other commu- that the formation of CPHM was Rev. Wong Kim Kong of the Civil Rights struggle nities via strategic stakeholder crucial in these times because of the proclaimed: engagement to foster positive inter- increasing religious strain that is being VICE-CHAIRMAN “We must develop and maintain action in nation building; felt across Malaysia today. He shared Lee Min Choon the capacity to forgive. He who is 2. Seeking a better understanding that the heart of CPHM is to spread devoid of the power to forgive is of others in Christian compassion positive messages of peace and ADVISOR devoid of the power to love. There is and empathy, generating goodwill, harmony so as to encourage modera- some good in the worst of us and building and increasing trust in a Jason Leong tion and love for the nation and its some evil in the best of us. When we strategic and sustainable manner; and people. discover this, we are less prone to 3. Cultivating Christian sympathy in TRUSTEES He added, “In the midst of diver- hate our enemies... Forgiveness is not feeling and courtesy in speech in such Grace Hee sity, we are fortunate as Malaysians. Caroline Soon We share one common factor that Joshua Hong unites us together. It is our citizenry Mutang Tagal commitment and loyalty to our King Edwin Agong and the nation… Let us together Dr Chieng Lee Chong redeem the rich heritage of our nation – peaceful and harmonious Sreedhar Subramaniam Closing the gap… From left: Apostolic Nuncio Joseph Marino (Vatican to co-existence of all races.” Malaysia); CPHM Trustee Caroline Soon; Rev. Wong; Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Datuk Seri Najib too urged attend- ADDRESS Joseph Kurup (Minister in the PM’s Department); Perkasa President Datuk Ibrahim ees to walk the path of peace and No. 6, First Floor Ali; CPHM Advisor Jason Leong; a guest; and CPHM Trustee Joshua Hong. harmony. “We’re all Malaysians, the Jalan SS2/61 only difference is not how long you’ve 47300 Petaling Jaya been here or where you come from or Selangor hristians for Peace and Harmony in Malaysia (CPHM) 03-78758570 / C was officially launched on June 017-464 6045 2nd by Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Najib Razak at the Majestic Hotel in [email protected] Kuala Lumpur. The auspicious dinner www.cphm.org.my Witnessing the birth of CPHM… Dato’ Seri Najib (3rd from left) and Rev. Wong (on wheelchair) with CPHM Trustees. event was attended by 1,200 repre- sentatives from over 300 churches, dignitaries and ambassadors, non- governmental organisations and other just an occasional act; it is a engagements, being slow to take faith-based groups such as the permanent attitude.” offence and always ready for recon- Muslims Youth Movement of Malay- Love for others needs to ciliation. sia (ABIM) and Perkasa as well as Datuk Seri Idris Jala, former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, (centre) become part of a new CPHM seeks to transform conflict several Cabinet ministers.