BANGKOK: The Prime Minister and the opposition Pan-Malaysia Islamic Party (PAS) have been quick to condemn arson attacks on three churches in the Kuala Lumpur area in the early hours of Jan. 8.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak told reporters he had ordered police to step up security at all churches.

Some Malaysian Catholics said, they feared the attacks could have been politically motivated and connected to the controversy over non-Muslims using the word "Allah".

Islam forbids the attacking of anyone's place of worship, PAS Vice President Salahuddin Ayub was reported as saying.

The attacks on one Catholic and two Protestant churches caused no injuries.

A home-made kerosene bomb was thrown into the compound of Assumption Church, a Catholic church in Petaling Jaya, outside Kuala Lumpur, around 4.30 a.m. but failed to set anything alight, according to parish priest Father Phillips Muthu.

A similar home-made device was later thrown into the compound of Life Chapel, belonging to the Brethren Church, also in Petaling Jaya, he said.

The ground floor office of Metro Tabernacle Church, a member of the Assemblies of God (AOG), a group of evangelical Protestant Churches, was burned at around midnight.

The three-story church is housed in a row of shop houses.

An AOG staff member said that investigations are continuing, and added that it was too early for the Church's leaders to make any conclusions on the motives for the attack.

Father Muthu said he was asking all parishioners to pray for the security and welfare of the nation.

He also said he is calling on parishioners in all the parish's 30 basic ecclesial communities (BECs) to continue building friendships with their Muslim neighbors and to assure them that the Catholic Church has no agenda to convert them.

Meanwhile, Muslim NGOs have planned demonstrations after Friday prayers at mosques around the country over the recent High Court decision to allow non-Muslims to use the term "Allah" for God. The decision has been suspended until an appeal is heard.

The country's chief of police has warned the people not to take part in the protests.

Prime Minister Najib had said on Jan. 7 that the government was powerless to stop the protests, but called for calm.

Some Christian leaders, on the other hand, have said the current controversy presents an opportunity for dialogue between Christians and Muslims.

Courtesy: UCAN