Day 24
Malaysia
For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, churches in Malaysia were allowed to celebrate Easter in person. COVID-19 restrictions in Malaysia were eased at the start of April which meant church services were allowed to go ahead. Praise the Lord for the joy this brought to many Christian Believers. Pray that many more Malaysians will come to know the all-powerful God who is at work in this nation despite the persecutions that Christians face. His wisdom is profound, and His power is vast (The Bible, Job 9:4).
Ismail Sabri Yaakob was recently appointed Prime Minister, the third in three years. Since the 2018 shock election victory over the coalition that had ruled the nation for the previous 60 years, the hoped-for changes were not forthcoming, and the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic attracted considerable criticism, resulting in political instability. Ethnic and religious divides characterize this nation. Fundamentalist Muslims carry a significant presence in Malaysia. Over the past decade, the government conducted widespread crackdowns to silence, harass and lock up hundreds of critics. It was found that authorities were behind the kidnapping of Christian pastors and outspoken activists in the last 5 years. The outspoken wife of Pastor Raymond Koh who was kidnapped and disappeared in February 2017, Susanna Liew, was named the International Woman of the Year in 2020 by the Annual International Women of Courage (IWOC) Awards.
