Malacca Johore Diocese News Update #206

With the New Year, Malaysia takes over ASEAN chairmanship from Laos, with the theme “Inclusion and Sustainability”. New laws come into effect:

Jan 17, 2025


Dear Friends of MJD, the Jubilee Year calls you to be Pilgrims of Hope.

New laws! Tighten or righten?

With the New Year, Malaysia takes over ASEAN chairmanship from Laos, with the theme “Inclusion and Sustainability”. New laws come into effect:

a) CASP licence for social media platforms to improve online safety, protect users and strengthen regulations over internet messaging services.

b) Non-smoking control which includes 28 areas, now includes laundry shops and workplace buildings.

c) Mandatory SOCSO for self -employed i.e. hawkers and licensed traders.

d) FLYsiswa, flight subsidy for students using domestic routes increased

e) KTMB introduces cashless payments for ticket purchases.

f) All childcare centres (taska) are required to be registered with the Social Welfare Department and display the registration number plaques.

g) Johor reverts to the Saturday- Sunday weekend.

New laws and amendments to tighten or to righten? Good laws protect the poor, the weak, the defenceless and the exploited. Good laws listen to grievances. Good laws redress injustice. Good laws are colour-blind.

Bridge-building Times: Paolo Coelho was having lunch with a Catholic priest and a young Muslim man. When the meal was served, all helped themselves except the Muslim, who was keeping the annual fast as prescribed by the Quran. When the lunch was over, one of the guests, as he was leaving, remarked: “You see how fanatical these Muslims are! I’m glad to see that you Catholics are not like them.” The priest replied: “He is trying to serve God just as I am. We merely follow different laws.” The priest concluded, saying: “It’s a shame that people only see the differences that separate them. If you were to look with more love, you would see what we have in common, then half the world’s problems would be solved.”

A Thought for the Week:

The Competition.
The cyclist noticed another rider ahead of him, about 1/4 of a km. He had a km to turn off, so he decided to overtake him. He began to pedal faster and faster, block by block, and now, he was only a hundred metres behind him. He imagined that he was in a triathlon. He caught and passed him, was feeling really good, thinking “I beat him”. The other rider was not even aware of this race. After passing him, the cyclist realised that he had been so focused on competing, that he had gone six blocks past the turn. He had to turn around and go all the way back.

The lesson from the race: Isn’t that what happens in life when we focus on competing with co-workers, neighbours, friends, family, trying to outdo them or trying to prove that we are more successful or more important? We spend our time and energy running after them and we miss out on our own paths to our destinies. There is no competition in the pursuit of one’s destiny. We only compete with ourselves.

Announcements for the Week:

1. The Ecumenical Prayer Service will take place on Thursday, January 23 at 8.00pm at St Mary’s Hall, Church of the Immaculate Conception, JB.

2. Bishop’s Christmas-New Year Muhibbah Dinner for Clergy, Religious Congregations, MJD Staff and families, EIRD members and Inter-Faith brothers and sisters, is set for January 21 at 7.30pm at MAJODI Centre, with the theme: Journeying Together as Bridgebuilders.

QnQ. The Q asks? More bad things than good happen! Is it true?

1. Bad things are always happening loudly. It can be an injury, a flat tire, a slip up that gets criticised - they are loud. Everybody talks about them and what a hassle they were.

2. Good things happen quietly. Name it: it can be a completed workout, a healthy meal, visiting a homeless person, or listening to a grieved person etc — they are hardly noticed. Reminds me of what Jesus said: Let not your right hand know, what your left has done.

3. What good things have you done quietly today? Choose to see and recognise the good things that get done quietly. It creates an impact on us.

See The Holy Spirit @ Work: The Holy Spirit is not “the Doer,” but rather the “Helper.” He will not do it without us, but if we engage Him, He will help us with what we need to make things happen. Rock Joyner

Something To Tickle You: Without faith, nothing is possible. With it, nothing is impossible. Mary McLeod Bethune

Bishop Bernard Paul

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