The archbishop of Kuala Lumpur Murphy Pakiam has criticised the government's "failure to act" over the incident, in which the pair joined a Catholic service to investigate claims Muslims were illegally converting.

"The journalists have displayed utmost disrespect for the Catholic community when they admit receiving and spitting out the Holy Communion," he told a press conference Thursday.

However, the government's top lawyer, Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail, said the pair did not understand the significance of the wafer, which Catholics believe represents the body of Jesus Christ.

"The actions of the two reporters may have hurt the feelings of the people but I was satisfied that they did not intend to offend anyone. It was an act of sheer ignorance," he said in a statement late Thursday.

"Therefore in view of the circumstances at that particular time and in the interest of justice, peace and harmony, I decided not to press any charges against them," he said.

Murphy Pakiam has called for an apology over the incident, which he said "does not augur well on inter-religious harmony and peace" in Muslim-majority Malaysia, which has been beset by religious disputes in recent months.

The multi-ethnic country was hit with a spate of firebombings against churches and mosques in January, triggered by a dispute over the use of the word "Allah" as a translation for "God" by non-Muslims.

The rows have strained relations between majority Muslim Malays and minorities including ethnic Chinese and Indian communities who fear the country is being "Islamised."

About nine percent of Malaysia's 28 million population are Christians, including 850,000 Catholics.

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Well, Gani Patail, the two reporters may not have understood the significance of the holy communion, not only to the Catholic Community, but also the entire Christian community, but you Gani Patail, presumably a learned, but obviously a useless idiot to boot, had all the time in the world to understand for yourself the significance of their actions. You had access to Catholics and other Christians who work for you in your chambers who could have educated you, and yet your recklessly idiotic statement and conclusions show that your ignorance and your lack of understanding of the significance of your decision is far more threatening to the security of the nation, if there is one to call, than cowing to the threats of the likes of Perkasa and UMNO rightists.


Anyway, the Christians owe you their gratefulness for opening their eyes as to what they might expect from this UMNO led government from here on. The masters you serve only see the voters either as Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, Muruts, Ibans, etc. And the BN is configured to have leaders of those communities looked at by their races. It would seem like what you have suggested and prompted for us to look at from here on is to see ourselves not according to our races. Maybe our religions. Now, let me see, dare I say, the Christians would constitute no less than 18% of the population? Maybe more? and they transcend all races too..including the closet Christians amongst the Malays that we read about now and then. You think the MCA leader or the MIC leader or for that matter any of the Indian party leaders or Kadazan or Iban leaders might be able to guide these voters to your masters?


Gani Patail, thank you!!