KUCHING: The Association of Churches in Sarawak (ACS) has turned down an invitation to participate in a Christmas carol programme by state-owned television station TVS after it declined ACS' request to include the song to "O Holy Night".

In a letter to the state's Unit for Other Religions (Unifor) dated Nov 13, ACS chairman Datuk Danald Jute said the association could not participate in "A Christmas Carol, Sarawak in Diversity" scheduled to be held at Padang Merdeka here on Dec 3 as TVS was unable to meet its request to replace "Jingle Bell Rock" with the Christmas carol.

TVS said this was "due to religious elements and also protocols from LPF (Film Censorship Board) and MCMC (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission)", Danald said in the letter which was widely shared on social media.

"It is sad and difficult for us to accept this reason. As we all know, Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Christ.

"This was why we asked TVS to change 'Jingle Bell Rock' to 'O Holy Night'," he said.

SUPP Youth chief Datuk Michael Tiang expressed shock that ACS' request to use "O Holy Night" was rejected due to "religious elements".

He said Christmas was a religious festival for Christians to celebrate in their way.

"We stand with ACS' decision not to participate in this programme.

"If the organiser intends to do a secular Christmas programme, there's nothing wrong.

"But if you want churches to participate, you better respect their way of celebrating Christmas by singing a Christian Christmas song instead of a commercial song," he told a press conference at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly on Friday (Nov 24).

Tiang also called on the relevant state and Federal authorities not to adopt any restrictive protocol or policy that would curb the freedom of religious groups to celebrate their festivals.

"This is against Article 11 of the Federal Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion," he added.