Missionary decision reserved
NZPA Staff Correspondent Kuala Lumpur
A Malaysian magistrate reserved decision yesterday in the trial of two New Zealand Christian missionaries charged with offending the religious sensibilities of a Muslim.
The magistrate, Mr Nain Darwish, told a court in Kajang, about 25km south of Kuala Lumpur, that he would announce his decision in the case — the first of its kind to be brought in Malaysia — on July 31. About 55 per cent of Malaysia’s 16 million population is Muslim and religion is a sensitive political issue with an election to be held two days after the court’s decision
is to be announced. Defence counsel, Yeoh Chong Keng, rested his case after the examination of the second of the two accused, Julie Mary Miessen, aged 27, of Christchurch, and two police witnesses called by the defence. The court heard the evidence of the other accused, Grant Terrence Nesdale, aged 28, of Hamilton, last week. Mr Nesdale has pleaded not guilty to charges of offending the religious sensibilities of Mohamad Mahmood, a Muslim, by saying the words, “Your Islam is not original, your Koran is not true, and your prophet Muhammad is not true”.
Miss Miessen is charged
with nodding and smiling to show approval of the words uttered by Mr Nesdale. The defence and prosecution both made final written submissions yesterday. During examination by Mr Yeoh yesterday morning, Miss Miessen told the court she had not heard the words allegedly uttered by Mr Nesdale on May 15.
She denied also that he had said any words with a similar meaning.
Miss Miessen denied prosecution allegations that she and the defendant had been improperly dressed, a suggestion Mr Yeoh said reflected the personal prejudice of the complainant, a devout Muslim.
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Press, 24 July 1986, Page 8
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290Missionary decision reserved Press, 24 July 1986, Page 8
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