Kuala Lumpur: Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today reassured the Christian community that the government has "not forgotten" them.
Offering his "friendship" at the annual Christian Federation Malaysia's Christmas hi-tea today, he stressed he will not practice favouritism as prime minister.
"I do not want to be a prime minister for only a section of the community but for all Malaysians and I have said this repeatedly.
"This is my commitment to you and do not for a moment think that you have been forgotten.
"The countless personal interactions I have had with church leaders shows that I have not forgotten the Christian community as some have alleged."
He said that as a proponent of the 1Malaysia concept, he believes in celebrating diversity.
The 'pendatang' remark
By doing so, he said, "the nomenclature of pendatang (immigrants) will be a thing of the past".
He was responding to Lutheran Church of Malaysia's Bishop Philip Lok who in his speech earlier today said Christians have been labelled as "pendatang".
Lok said that this has been among the "new challenges" faced by the church of Malaysia.
"Most recently, and most unfairly, we are also indirectly labelled by some people as immigrants or pendatang.
"Yet, in the face of these challenges one thing remain - the church's firm commitment ... for the nation," the bishop said.
"We are and will be the Malaysian church that will never go away."
The Christian community has in the recent years been charged with among others, proselytising to Muslims and working with the opposition to turn Malaysia into a Christian state.
Revolutions are no good
Meanwhile, in his speech, the PM, who with his wife Rosmah Mansor flew in from overseas to attend the high-tea, appealed to Christian leaders to support the government's "journey of change or renewal".
"Upheavals in the Middle East serves as a cogent reminder that revolution is not the best practice, given the violence and discord which follows the removal of a dictatorship or autocratic leader.
"I understand many of you felt a sense of despondency that not enough has been done by the government to engage the Chritian community but in good conscience I can say we can say we have achieved a lot ... away from the glare of publicity," he said.
An example of this, he said, is the lifting of restrictions of Christians pilgrims from Malaysia to Jerusalem.
"I believe a God-fearing Christian with strong values will be good for Malaysia," he said, also commending the community's long-standing contributions to the nation.
Also at the event were Transport Minister Kong Cho Ha, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Koh Tsu Koon, Information, Culture and Communications Minister Rais Yatim, Deputy Finance Minister Donald Lim, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, Selangor senior exco member Teresa Kok and PKR MPs Zuraida Kamaruddin and Tian Chua.--Courtesy of Malaysiakini