Churches come under attack in Malaysia

As the majority Muslims, angered over the decision by the High Court to let Christians use the word “Allah” while referring to God, were preparing to hold protest during Friday prayers, a church in the suburbs was fire-bombed around Thursday midnight. The entire ground floor office of the Metro Tabernacle Church in Desa Melawati was gutted. Molotov cocktails were thrown into the compounds of two other churches, the Assumption Catholic Church and the Life Chapel Protestant Church in Petaling Jaya, causing damage to one of them.

Police said some motorcycle-borne youths were seen throwing incendiary objects inside the church before fleeing.

Prime Minister Najib Razak condemned the attacks and directed the police to safeguard all religious places.