KOTA TINGGI: The forum by the Bar Council in the federal capital was ended early yesterday to avoid tension and prevent the situation from getting out of control, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said.

"We didn't want the anger to lead to any untoward incident," he said in a Bernama report.

Police did well in controlling the situation, he said.

Syed Hamid said he hoped the council got the message that "there are certain things that are out of bounds for public discussion, even if held in a private place".

He said cases involving the conversion of a person to Islam could be referred to the courts for resolution.
In Ipoh, Gerakan national legal bureau chairman Datuk Chang Ko Youn said the forum should have been allowed to go on.

"There are many ancillary issues arising out of the provisions of Article 121(1a) and these must be resolved fast. I believe the forum, if it was allowed to go to its full length, could have found solutions to some of the issues."

Chang, who is also Gerakan vice-president, said the council should not be accused of fanning religious or racial sentiments or being disrespectful to Muslims for organising the forum.

A broad spectrum of Muslim opinion have opposed what they consider to be a public questioning of the status of Islam in the country.