No more visits to houses of worship, says ministry’s agency

No more visits to houses of worship, says ministry’s agency

Impact Malaysia says the visits under the 'Jom Ziarah' programme have been cancelled following a directive from youth and sports minister Hannah Yeoh.

A scheduled visit to a Catholic church in Klang today was called off.
PETALING JAYA:
An agency under the youth and sports ministry which was recently questioned for organising visits to houses of worship, said such initiatives under the ministry have been scrapped.

Impact Malaysia said this included today’s planned visit to a Catholic church in Klang, the Malay Mail reported.

Its CEO, Ahmed Faris Amir said the visits, under the “Jom Ziarah” programme, were cancelled following a directive from youth and sports minister Hannah Yeoh.

Impact Malaysia had also organised similar visits to mosques and Hindu temples.

“The programme isn’t happening today following Hannah Yeoh’s decision that youth unity programmes will no longer be implemented by her ministry but instead by other relevant ministries and departments,” Faris was quoted as saying.

Bersatu member Badrul Hisham Shaharin recently linked the initiative – aimed at fostering better understanding among the country’s multiracial and multi-religious communities – to Christian evangelism.

A police report was subsequently lodged against Badrul, while the blogger lodged a police report against Yeoh for allegedly proselytising Christianity to Muslim youths through the programme.

Police are currently investigating Badrul for criminal defamation.

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