Finally the "Herald" could receive permission to continue publishing it as before, but I think it took too long to settle down the issue. Although we should be happy about the conclusion, we must be always careful what the next will be happening between the authorities and the Christian community in Malaysia. I will go on updating the collected news reports on this issue and related problems.
Anyway, I wish you all a truly blessed New Year! (Lily)
１．The Star Online （http://thestar.com.my）
Herald can print in Bahasa, 31 December 2007
by Elizabeth Looi
PETALING JAYA: The publisher of Herald - The Catholic Weekly newspaper has been allowed to continue printing its Bahasa Malaysia section with no restrictions on the use of the word Allah for God.
The permit for the 13-year-old paper expires today. The editor, Father Lawrence Andrew, said a representative from the Internal Security Ministry delivered a letter containing the permit to print the paper, dated Dec 28, by hand at 10am yesterday. “This letter places no restrictions whatsoever and includes the permit for all the languages, including the Bahasa Malaysia segment. “We thank the Government for this gesture of goodwill in renewing Herald’s printing permit and restoring its right to publish in all languages without any conditions. “We also thank (Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department) Tan Sri Bernard Dompok for his assistance, as well as the various news agencies and other media groups for supporting us with their wide coverage,” Father Lawrence said in a statement.
The paper carries reports, in English, Bahasa Malaysia, Tamil and Chinese, about the Catholic community. It has a circulation of 12,000.
The ministry had earlier issued directives to the publisher to cease the use of Allah in the weekly, failing which its permit would either be suspended or revoked. The publisher then filed a writ of summons and statement of claim in the Kuala Lumpur High Court to seek appropriate declarations of the use of Allah on Dec 5.
Father Lawrence later said the letter did not specify anything, adding that it was the usual approval letter for printing permit. “But with the letter, I’m certain that we can continue with the publication as well as the use of the word Allah,” he said. He, however, said he did not want to speculate on whether the publisher would withdraw the writ of summons.
Dompok said he brought the matter to the attention of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi a few days before Christmas and the latter promised to look into it. “I think the permit is good news and the Government has given the Christian community a wonderful Christmas present. “The community will certainly be happy to know that the Government is looking into their welfare and that the Government is interested in all the races,” said Dompok.
National Evangelical Christian Fellowship secretary-general Wong Kim Kong welcomed the Government’s approval of the permit.
２. The Star Online （http://thestar.com.my）
Herald gets good news, 30 December 2007
by Elizabeth Looi
PETALING JAYA: The publisher of Herald - The Catholic Weekly newspaper, which reports on the Catholic community in English, Bahasa Malaysia, Tamil and Chinese, has had its permit renewed. The editor, Reverend Father Lawrence Andrew, said a representative from the Internal Security Ministry delivered the letter of approval, dated Dec 28, by hand at 10am Sunday.
"We thank (Minister in the Prime Minister's Department) Tan Sri Bernard Dompok for his assistance, as well as the various news agencies and other media groups for supporting us with their wide coverage," Father Lawrence said in a statement.
The paper has a circulation of 12,000 among the Catholic community. When contacted, Dompok said he had brought the matter to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi a few days before Christmas and Abdullah had promised to look into it. "I think the permit is good news and the Government has given the Christian community a wonderful Christmas present. "The community will certainly be happy to know that the Government is looking into their welfare," said Dompok.
３. The Sun（http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=20355）
Herald's permit renewed with no language restrictions
30 December 2007, by Kimberley Lau
PETALING JAYA: Herald has been given the green light to publish the weekly next year without any language restrictions.
The local Catholic weekly, which was earlier instructed by the Internal Security Ministry to stop its Bahasa Malaysia segment, was granted its printing permit for 2008 yesterday.
"We were pleasantly surprised to receive a letter of approval dated Dec 28 which was hand-delivered to us yesterday (Dec 30) at about 10am," said Herald's editor Father Lawrence Andrew today. "This letter places no restrictions whatsoever and includes the permit for all the languages, including the Bahasa Malaysia segment. It is as it was before."
On Dec 17, Herald received a letter from the Internal Security Ministry stating that the Bahasa Malaysia segment of the weekly was to be abolished, with effect from the renewed permit for 2008. The publication in return wrote a letter to the ministry, requesting it to reconsider its decision. Even before the permit issue came up, Herald had filed a suit on Dec 5 against the government for prohibiting it from using the word "Allah". The Internal Security Ministry had issued a series of directives for the publication to cease the use of the word, failing which the publication's permit could either be suspended or revoked. Lawrence declined to comment on the suit.
（End）
