Служение
Seventh-day Adventist Church leaders in Malaysia are voicing concerns that the country's upcoming general election could leave out Adventist voters. This year's election on March 8 falls on a Saturday, a day considered holy by Adventists around the world.
Lesaya Lopog Sorudim, chairman of the Malaysian Adventist Voters Watch, told the Daily Express that in the areas of Sabah, Sarawak and Penang the absence of Adventists on polling day could swing the election result either way.
The church, which follows the biblical mandate to keep the Sabbath day holy, encourages church members not to engage in secular activities from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday.
Lawrence Banyie, president of the Adventist Church in East Malaysia, said the church's three administrative units in Malaysia have petitioned the election commission to extend their hours until after sundown but have not yet received a reply.
He admits however, that even extending polling hours may not help church members living outside of metropolitan areas. "To do that is not practical in many rural areas of the country, because of transportation problems. The government or political parties usually provide transportation to bring in and bring back voters from everywhere around the countryside -- and by night time transportation will be the problem."
Banyie says next time church leaders will request that election officials not hold elections on a Saturday.
About 60 percent of Malaysia's 27 million people are Muslims. The rest are mainly Christians, Buddhists and Hindus. There are about 46,000 Adventists in Malaysia.
Seventh-day Adventist Church leaders in Malaysia are voicing concerns that the country's upcoming general election could leave out Adventist voters. This year's election on March 8 falls on a Saturday, a day considered holy by Adventists around the world.
Lesaya Lopog Sorudim, chairman of the Malaysian Adventist Voters Watch, told the Daily Express that in the areas of Sabah, Sarawak and Penang the absence of Adventists on polling day could swing the election result either way.
The church, which follows the biblical mandate to keep the Sabbath day holy, encourages church members not to engage in secular activities from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday.
Lawrence Banyie, president of the Adventist Church in East Malaysia, said the church's three administrative units in Malaysia have petitioned the election commission to extend their hours until after sundown but have not yet received a reply.
He admits however, that even extending polling hours may not help church members living outside of metropolitan areas. "To do that is not practical in many rural areas of the country, because of transportation problems. The government or political parties usually provide transportation to bring in and bring back voters from everywhere around the countryside -- and by night time transportation will be the problem."
Banyie says next time church leaders will request that election officials not hold elections on a Saturday.
About 60 percent of Malaysia's 27 million people are Muslims. The rest are mainly Christians, Buddhists and Hindus. There are about 46,000 Adventists in Malaysia.
