REPORT ON VISIT TO MALAYSIA 2010 (May 28th – July 20th )

Val Inchley

My original plan was to spend most of the time in Malaysia but also a week in Singapore. However,

the group in Singapore cancelled due to having to shift their church premises. This worked out as

clearly the Lord’s plan as it meant I could spend that week in Ipoh, where I had a great time of

blessing with both the Nepalis and the Tamil church.

Most of my time was taken up with Nepali ministry (preaching, teaching & visiting) and preparation for

that and meeting up with various Malaysians involved in Nepali ministry. On

arrival and in between visits I stayed with Heike and the total time with her

amounted to approximately 3 weeks. That allowed for fellowship,

understanding her situation and praying with her about study and ministry

problems and her future plans. However, I also visited IKEA (to sort out the

details for the new kitchen in my flat in the UK that my friends are currently organising) and Low Yat

(where I bought a new computer – as the present one, like me, is getting old)!

Nepali Fellowships

I visited Nepali fellowships from Kedah in the north to Johor Bahru in the

south, mostly travelling by bus. In almost all places – i.e. 2 fellowships in KL

(Sungai

Buloh &

Damansara); Klang; Kluang;

Batu Pahat; JB; 2 fellowships in

Ipoh; and Penang (Sancho Mitra,

Bayan Point, Prai & Valdor) I

preached evangelistic

messages. In Ipoh 10 men

accepted the Lord.

The following are some pictures to illustrate the different Nepali fellowships scattered throughout

Malaysia.

This was a Bible Yatra

seminar in the north,in

KEDAH, in Alor Star, with

participants from 2 of the

scattered fellowships in

the state (Jitra & Gurun)

The following pictures are all from PENANG state and illustrate fellowships and house groups.

In order, they are: (1) Sancho Mitra Fellowship (2) Bayan Point Fellowship (3) Arrowana Ladies

(4) Prai Fellowship (5) Valdor Fellowship (6) Local House Group

Below are pictures of the two fellowships in IPOH

In the KL area there are many small

fellowships. In order, those illustrated

are: (1) Shalom Centrte (2) St Mary’s

Church (3) Damansara Fellowship

group (4) Sungai Buloh meeting place

(5) Petaling Jaya Fellowship

In the south, in JOHOR BAHRU state, which is a very big, there are many fellowships. The two

pictures on this page are (1) Kluang and (2) Batu Pahat.

Devendra

Mitra Niwas

Sapana

NeMUN

Prior to my going to Malaysia, I was involved with the formation of the

Nepali Migrants Unity Network and Sapana Basyal (married to a Malaysian)

and Rajesh Maharjan (ex Qatar) had begun to design a logo and publicity

brochure. While in Malaysia, I refined this and produced a draft in

English (and also did some preparatory work on a Nepali version

together with Sapana). In each of the fellowships I visited, including where I

taught Bible Yatra, I was able to share about NeMUN and its link with Mitra

Niwas. This idea was positively seen as fulfilling a genuine need. Even the

suggestion of current migrants contributing to the budget was acceptable and a

couple of groups indicated that they would like to do this.

In JB itself, there are fellowships associated with 3 churches (denominations). In order they are:

(1) Joint Fellowship meeting (2) Men’s Bible Stusy (3) Village church (4) Town church (5) Mens’

hostel group, (6) Ladies hostel group

INF Partnership

One of the things I was asked to do by INF was to look into 2 possible options for partners for INF in

connection with our proposed Asia Regional Office. Heike helped set up the meetings and came with

me – which means she is available as a contact person if one or other of these is further developed.

Pax Tan is a senior staff member of Malaysian Care. This is a large and well-respected registered

NGO, which has involvement with refugees but not with migrants. It has links with Interserve.

Michael Moey is the Chair of Mobilisation Network, which is a coordinating body for

migrant work particularly among Nepalis. It is registered as a non-profit company.

Both men would be willing to consider their organisation partnering with INF – which

would involve them in representation, finance transfer (perhaps) and maybe some kind of

training activities. They are aware that INF does not want to open its own office and does not – at this

time – even see the need for an office in the organisation’s premises. There are pros and cons of

each organisation. MC is the better known and respected in Malaysia and is an NGO (registration

rules are stricter) but it does not work specifically with migrants. MN is newer and currently quite

small (Michael only has a small committee as yet) and is registered as a company, but it is directly

targeting migrants.

Nepali Ambassador to Malaysia

During my time in Malaysia, Sapana Basyal Karong and Kailee Wong had arranged a meeting with Dr

Rishi Adhikari, the Nepali Ambassador to Malaysia. This was a follow up to a former meeting about 2

years ago just after Dr A had arrived.

Sapana Basyal (KL & Ktm – convenor), Kailee Wong, Ashok Ghimire, Gill Nash, Ps Peter, Rabin Bogati & Susan

Khoo (Penang), Michael Moey (MNSB), Shirley Tan (MMP), Ps Santosh (MMP – PJ), Buddhi Khadka (Shalom

Centre), Ps Dhan & Amrit and Ps Elanka (MMK), Ps Rohn Pakhrin & Santa Lal Dong (JB – Holy Word), Ps Dawa

Sherpa & Rajan Nagarkoti (JB – Calvary), Ps Bhakta (Kluang), Ps Indra (Batu Pahat), Ps Bedu Khanal (Muar),

Ps Purkha (Segambut), Bed Kumar Khatiwadi (GEFONT) and Heike & myself. (not in order as in photo)

It was a very pleasant and informal gathering and I was impressed that the Ambassador (plus the

Labour Attaché plus the Consul) were willing to give over 2 hours of their time to discuss migrant

issues with a group of Christians (Nepali pastors and Malaysians involved with Nepali ministry).

Various matters were raised including the need for a comprehensive MoU (the terms of which should

be publicised), especially if Nepali girls are going to be accepted to work as maids in Malaysia. For

some reason they say a minimum wage cannot be specified ‘as wage levels depend on market

forces’. Contracts should be produced in both Nepali and English. Problems related to ID and travel

documents need to be settled so that migrants are not likely to be arrested. The problems of

Outsourcing need to be stopped. Our help with translation and advocacy is clearly appreciated but

some official recognition is also needed. The upcoming amnesty was also

mentioned.

One of the participants at that meeting was Bed Kumar Khatiwadi, a Christian who

works with GEFONT (General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions) as the Co-

ordinator of their Support Group, Malaysia (Nepali Migrant Workers' Association).

However, currently migrants are prohibited from forming unions.

Bible Yatra

Over the 7 weeks I taught Bible Yatra 5 times (NT x 4 & OT x 1) in Petaling Jaya (nr KL), Klang,

Penang, Kedah & Ipoh. Except for the 70 who attended in Klang, the numbers attending the Nepali

seminars were not great but the enthusiasm

was. Because of long working hours, 3 of

the 4 Nepali seminars were conducted in

the late evening or in one day-long session.

The 5th seminar was in English for one of

the Tamil Methodist Churches in Ipoh,

whose members support the Nepali

ministry. I was hesitant about this, but they

were so keen and I felt it was a good way to

express our gratitude for all they do for the

Nepalis. Now they want OT next year!

Rabin & Gita

(Penang)

Ashok

(Penang/Kedah)

Buddhi (KL) Lalu (KL)

Amrit & Dhan (Klang)

Phurke

(Segambut nr KL)

Nepali Girls

Whereas last year, numbers of migrants were on the decline, this year they are increasing (with the

improvement in the financial situation) and discussion is underway to allow Nepali girls to come to

Malaysia as maids (so far most Nepali girls work in factories). Even now, there are already more girls

than last year. However, follow up is difficult as most of the pastors do not have their families with

them and cannot visit the girls in their hostels on their own.

In some places there are married pastors (e.g. Penang, KL, & Ipoh. Also, one

pastor in JB currently has his sister visiting and with a friend who works in a hotel,

they are able to visit the scattered groups of girls in their hostels). While I was in

JB I was able to visit with them and this was far more profitable than going on my own

It was exciting to discover that Maya – who was baptized

when I was visiting last year – is going on with the Lord and

that her sister is now also a believer. Heike & I had visited

her mother in Jorpati last year.

One day, Heike and I went with Michael (Moey) and Buddhi

(who works with MN and MMP in the KL area)

to investigate a new group of girls in a place

called Nilai. To our amazement, we found one Christian girl (Nirmala from Bagdol) and

a (non-Christian) relative of Buddhi’s. Heike is involved in following this contact up but

there are many other such groups where we still have no contacts.

Nepali Leaders

Because the turnover of migrants is relatively short, leadership is a sometimes a problem as is also

the training of new lay leaders. In Klang, the leader of the MMM related group has

recently returned to Nepal and I have subsequently heard that both of the main

leaders of the MMK group will be leaving soon (their other

senior leader – who had been studying MDiv has also

recently left). There was a monthly meeting held in the

Cameron Highlands but now that has stopped,

although folks from Ipoh are trying to visit every 2

weeks.

Surya & Grace

(Ipoh)

Some groups have no real leaders. Some leaders are working full time in demanding jobs and have

little time for preparation for services or pastoral work. Others are on professional or outsourcing

visas and able to work full-time as pastors. However, little visitation can be done in the day-time as

most migrants are at work then for long hours. Some pastors are on student visas, but this means

they are only free for ministry at the week-ends. Most pastors have left their families behind in Nepal

and this inevitably creates its own tensions. I was also able to discuss NeMUN with all the leaders I

met – with universal enthusiasm.

Malaysians

For many years now the Malaysian church (mostly Chinese and Indian Tamil-speakers) has been

giving generously to the migrants (and to visitors like myself who go to minister to Nepalis). The most

profitable ministry has been with the Nepali migrants, but they are also involved with other

nationalities like Myanmarese, Indonesians and Bangladeshis.

This generosity has been shown in their opening their church premises for Nepali fellowships,

accepting Nepali pastors as associates, providing transportation to/from meetings, providing

khana/khaja at meetings, helping with English and computer courses and welcoming and paying

expenses for visiting teachers. There are several associations in different parts of the country that

have a loose connection with each other – both through the Nepali Sangati (started by Franklin

Karong) and now Mobilisation Network (formerly Outreach to Foreigners). In the north, in Penang,

there is a drop-in centre, Sancho Mitra and links between several fellowships and a looser link with

others in Kedah. In the KL-Klang area MMP (Migrant Ministry Partnership – that runs Shalom Centre

in KL), MMM (Malaysian Missionary Movement – Tamil Methodist) and MMK (Migrant Ministry Klang

– an interdenominational group of Klang churches of which 3 have a special interest in Nepali

ministry) work. In the south, in JB there are 3 groups of churches that facilitate Nepali ministry, but

the Nepali pastors work closely together and with others from towns elsewhere in the state.

Dawa & Rajan

(Johor Bahru)

Indra

(Batu Pahat)

Bhakta

(Kluang)

Aite, Santa & Rohn

(Johor Bahru)

JB Pastors’ Fellowship

In all areas I had meals and chats with various Malaysians and

was able to share with them also the vision of NeMUN and give

them draft English brochures. Their response was universally

positive. In JB I was also given the opportunity to share (which

I did through a PP presentation) for 5-10 minutes on NeMUN at

the area Pastors’ Fellowship.