KUALA LUMPUR: Police will not hesitate to take action if anyone gathered at or near the Bar Council because of its forum on conversion to Islam.
Dang Wangi OCPD Asst Comm Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman said police would be on full alert and advised people not to hold gatherings there.
He said this was meant for those who were against the forum and those who supported it.
ACP Zulkarnain said police will not close any roads leading into the area but police personnel will be stationed in the areas where the gathering is expected to take place.
Several non-government organisations and a political party have called for demonstrations to be held to protest against the council’s public forum.
“As normal procedure, we will have our light strike force (LSF) and the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel on standby in the area,” he said.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said the council would have to face the consequences as it had been warned against holding the forum.
“The police will be prepared to face any outcome in the interest of maintaining public order,” he said of the demonstrations by groups who were against the forum.
Leaders meanwhile continued to criticise the council for going ahead with the forum.
Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said the Internal Security Act (ISA) ought to be used if the continued questioning of Article 121 of the Federal Constitution resulted in racial tension.
Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin said the council should test the patience of the Malays and Muslims.
“Do not fan racial and religious issues to create tension and friction among the groups,” he said.
Women’s Development and Social Affairs Adviser to the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said the forum might do more harm than the benefits which were intended.
She said Wanita Umno disagreed with the forum, adding that sensitive issues should not be made the subject of any public forum especially when the perimeters were not properly defined.
“The Bar Council, as a responsible professional body, should have the maturity to deal with such issues in a more responsible, sensitive and tactful manner so as to preserve the peace and harmony enjoyed by all,” she said.
PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the forum on conversion to Islam should be held in closed-doors to allay fears given its sensitivities.
He said a closed-door forum would still allow people to express themselves without the discussion being seen as too provocative.
“I will personally advise that if they are to proceed, they should have a closed forum and then have engagement with those who have expressed concern,” he said at a press conference here yesterday.
- The Star
The Blogs 
Many local non-Moslem Sabahn convert to Islam simply because they get marriage with a Moslem/Muslimah. Go and see how the Pakistani in Sabah marriage with local non-Moslem women and then going back to Pakistan forgetting all his responsibility to his wives and children. Most of them marriage for sex and converting non-Moslem to Islam. Talking about responsibilities, damn it! Nothing!