“The CFM urges all investigations into donations, funding and grants be carried out thoroughly without fear or favour.
“Selective action not only serves to encourage further criminal activity but it brings further shame to our nation,” CFM Chairman Dr Eu Hong Seng said in a statement today.
It is believed that CFM were referring to the police investigating the Bar Council, the electoral reform coalition, Bersih, and news portal, Malaysiakini, over money received from the Open Society Foundations (OSF) which is linked to hedge fund billionaire George Soros.
The authorities decided to open investigations after a US website published leaked documents from the OSF which gave details of links to Bersih, Malaysiakini and the Bar Council.
The revelation by the whistleblower site also led to the Red Shirts group, headed by Sungei Besar Umno division chief Jamal Yunos, holding protests outside the Malaysiakini office in Petaling Jaya last week, besides threatening to burn the building.
The group had also warned of similar protests outside the Bar Council office in Kuala Lumpur.
Such threats, acts of intimidation and protests were also indirectly referred to in the CFM statement with the umbrella organisation for Malaysian Christians saying that “perpetrators of violence should not be emboldened by the inaction of authorities who have been mandated to maintain peace in our nation”.
“Threats of violence have been unabated for weeks, and protests and actual violence have occurred around the nation, with even more promised.
“We Malaysians look to our government and its agents who serve to protect all citizens to take action to curtail this escalating and potentially incendiary situation where even ‘a blood bath’ has been part of the threats,” Eu said, referring to Jamal’s alleged Facebook post warning against the Bersih 5 rally, scheduled for Nov 19.
CFM called for Parliament to warn MPs who defend such threats to peace and stability, suggesting that voters should take note of the “position and conduct” of such MPs, in determining how to vote at the next general election.
“CFM calls upon all citizens, government officials and MPs to fiercely defend democracy and the fundamental freedoms guaranteed therein under the Federal Constitution”.
Calling for peaceful rallies to be respected, Eu said, it is worse when the inaction of authorities embolden the perpetrators of violent acts of intimidation and threats.
“The authorities must conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into unlawful acts of intimidation and identifying and bringing to account those responsible.
“This is especially so with individual Malaysians, civil society organisations and the media being harassed, receiving death threats,” CFM said questioning the authorities for instead opening investigations on the “victims” of such threats over mere allegations.
The CFM also appealed to all Malaysians to join Christians in praying for the nation amid the “escalating tensions in our beloved land”.