Nine Christians Reported Arrested in Malaysia

This chart is in interpretation and adaptation of material found in Adherents.com (http://adherents.com),
The percentiles of individual world religions add up to more than 100% because the numbers used are the
upper limits of estimates. Except for Judaism, only the most populous faith traditions are included. The
percentiles of denominations within religions add up to slightly less than 100% because small splinter
groups are not part of the chart.

Source

AP reports:

“Malaysian police have arrested nine Christians accused of trying to convert Muslim university students - a serious crime punishable by prison in this Muslim-majority country, a lawyer said on Wednesday.

The suspects have denied the allegation, which could aggravate complaints by religious minorities that authorities are increasingly ignoring their rights in favour of Islam.

Proselytising of Muslims by members of other religions is forbidden in Malaysia, though the reverse is allowed. Muslims, who comprise nearly two-thirds of Malaysia's 28 million people, are also not legally permitted to change religion.

Police detained the nine in a hostel room at the Universiti Putra Malaysia near Kuala Lumpur late on Tuesday, said Annou Xavier, a lawyer who handles cases involving religion.”

Read the full story HERE

This is the other side of the story:

“Four students from Hong Kong were hauled up for questioning by Selangor police for allegedly trespassing on Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) grounds. They were later released.”

Read the report in the Star, Malaysia by clicking HERE

You choose for yourself which tale to believe, however .in my opinion, the former is more believable. University campuses, even in Malaysia, are not well know for tight security and arrests for simple trespass almost unheard of!

UPDATES: 16th July 2009

Read what the SUN Malaysia has to say, click HERE

Read the BBC news story

"Religious row flares in Malaysia" by clicking HERE

and see what the spin in the Malaysia government controlled New Straits Times is by clicking HERE

Studium discendi voluntate quae cogi non potest constat

Study depends on the good will of the student, a quality which cannot be secured by compulsion