The government of Malaysia is to embark on a 'harm prevention' campaign to curb the spread of HIV/Aids in the country by distributing free condoms and syringes to some 130,000 intravenous drug users.

The late pope's stand on condoms vis--vis HIV/Aids is clear: 'The Church's moral doctrine allows no exceptions (for condoms), even for people infected with Aids or for those who want to use condoms to prevent AIDS,' declared John Paul II at the 1988 International Congress of Moral Theologians held in Rome.

Although there is no section under Canon Law which addresses the HIV-condom issue, the Church's position is obvious.

Therefore, the implementation of this 'harm prevention' policy would immediately place tax- paying Catholic citizens in somewhat of a moral-ethical dilemma, as they would be indirectly funding a policy that is in clear conflict with Catholic ethics.

Malaysian Catholics would surely be eager to know the Malaysian Catholic Church's official response to this issue.

Would the Archbishop care to comment?