He said they had also pledged to nurture peace and harmony between the faiths so that Malaysia would continue to be a peaceful and prosperous nation.
“I am glad to say that Christian leaders have given two important and meaningful undertakings,” he said after attending a luncheon with the leaders at his office here on Thursday.
Present were Ministers in the Prime Minister’s Department Dr Koh Tsu Koon and Idris Jala and Christian Federation of Malaysia chairman Bishop Ng Moon Hing.
Najib said he told the Christian leaders that the government needed time to study their views and problems.
“It’s not the intention of the government or Christian leaders to highlight these matters until they have been resolved.
We will talk about them once a decision is made and the matters are resolved.” He said similar dialogues could be held from time to time with other religious groups because he had held a meeting with Islamic leaders and intellectuals on Wednesday.
Asked when the dialogue with the Christian leaders was planned, Najib said his office had planned it two weeks ago, although he had intended to have it earlier.
A daily Utusan Malaysia had reported on the gathering of priests in Penang recently that allegedly discussed making Christianity the official religion of the country.
Asked about the Christian leaders’ reaction to that report, he said they felt uneasy about it.
“They have accepted my advice that we remain calm.
“That’s why we have to be careful about this matter. Any issue that causes uneasiness and tension should be avoided.
We must use our wisdom to deal with this issue.” He said he was waiting for the outcome of the police investigation into the gathering before making a decision.
He said he was satisfied with the government’s efforts to hold the dialogue.
“Hopefully, through this approach, we can demonstrate the government’s determination to cooperate on peace and prosperity.”
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