INFORMATION MINISTRY TO HOLD MORE RACIAL INTERACTION PROGRAMMES

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 (Bernama) -- The Information Communication and Culture Ministry will organise more progammes such as gotong-royong (joint bearing of burdens) activities soon to boost racial interaction.

Its minister Dr Rais Yatim said the friendly interaction
programmes had nothing to do with religion, but to enable the people to get to
know one another better.

"Such programmes will bring the people together to help build the Malaysian
nation," he told reporters here today after visiting the founder and head of the
Malaysia's Art of Silat Association (Pertubuhan Seni Silat Lincah Malaysia)
(PSSLM) Omardin Mauju at the National Heart Institute (IJN) where he was warded
three days ago after a heart attack.

Silat refers to a family of martial arts native to Southeast Asia. Silat is
the combative art of fighting and survival believed to have originated from
ancient Malaysian and Indonesian civilizations.

On the attempted arson on churches, Rais said all members of society must
condemn the action which was not only an offence under Malaysian law but also
against humanity.

"Burning any house of worship, whether it's a mosque, church or temple is
viewed universally as a heinous misdeed," he said.


Rais also agreed with the view that Muslim and Christian leaders should meet
at the discussion table to resolve the issue after calm has returned.

"This (religious interaction) seldom happens between a Christian priest and
an imam, and between a Hindu priest and a Chinese temple priest when we have
hundreds of non-governmental organisations which can help bridge the gap. We
should together think about this."

On Omardin, who is a close friend, Rais said the silat guru, according to
the doctors at IJN, was in stable condition.

-- BERNAMA