Malaysiakini.com（http://www.malaysiakini.com）
1. Lim taken to task for wrong Islamic verse, 17 November 2008
by Athi Veeranggan
An opposition assemblyperson has cast aspersions on Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s attempt to use of a verse from Al-Quran, the Islamic holy book.
Referring to Pakatan Rakyat’s recent Hari Raya greeting banners displayed across the state, Dr Hilmi Yahaya (Umno-Teluk Bahang) chided the state government for wrongly spelling the word ‘Amar’ in the Islamic verse ‘Amar Makruf Nahi Mungkar’ (Enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil).Pakatan banners instead read ‘Amal Makruf Nahi Mungkar’.
According to Hilmi, ‘amal’ means ‘do’ while while ‘amar’ means ‘rule’. As such, Lim’s wrong spelling of the word gives a different meaning to ‘Amar Makruf Nahi Mungkar’, which generally refers to good governance.
Hilmi told the State Assembly that ‘amal’ in this context is not the proper use of the Arabic word.
The Umno assemblyperson also questioned whether Lim, a non-Muslim, was qualified to use such Islamic verses as terms of reference for his governance of the state.
“These are Islamic verses from Al-Quran, which is only meant for Muslims. Can the chief minister use such verses?” he said, calling on Islamic religious authorities to clarify the issue.
Lim has frequently used the verse in his speeches, including during his live debate showdown on land scams with former chief minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon in August, and his recent Hari Raya greeting banners, which were put up in many key spots across the state.
Hilmi also chided Lim for equating his governance with that of Islamic leader Caliph Umar Abdul Aziz, saying that Pakatan Rakyat government had hardly carried out anything worthy to be measured in the same manner.
“Prove your governance first before comparing yourself with others,” he said.
‘Do not insult other religions’
Later Shahbudin Yahaya (Umno-Permatang Berangan) accused the state government of misusing the Islamic verse to gain political mileage.
He then read the full version of the verse in Arabic and explained that it called for good governance and belief in God.
“Do not misuse Islamic terminologies for political mileage. Do not insult other religions,” warned Shahbudin, who is also the State Islamic Religious Affairs Council president.
He suggested that Lim and his Pakatan colleagues to consult learned Muslim scholars before using the verses to avoid confusion.
2. Deputy CM defends use of Arabic verse, 19 November 2008
by Athi Veeranggan
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's frequent use of an Arabic verse from the Al-Quran as a term of reference in his governance of the state does not violate Islamic religious ethics.
Indeed, in defending his boss, Deputy Chief Minister I Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin said that Lim's frequent use of the term ‘Amar Ma'ruf Nahi Mungkar' (Enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil) was something Muslims should be proud of.
"When a non-Muslim chief minister uses an Islamic verse as a term of reference for good governance, it augurs well for the religion," he told newsmen at the state legislative assembly lobby today.
He also argued that Lim had not violated religious sensitivities by uttering the Arabic verse as he was not quoting it in a religious context.
"The chief minister was merely using the term as an Arabic term of reference to good governance, not as a quote from the Al-Quran," he said when asked about the criticism heaped on Lim by Umno assemblypersons for using the term at the on-going sitting.
On Monday, Dr Hilmi Yahaya (Umno-Teluk Bahang) cast aspersions on Lim's frequent use of the term. He also chided the chief minister for wrongly spelling the word ‘Amar' as ‘Amal' in Hari Raya greeting banners across the state.
Matter clarified with state mufti
The Umno assemblyperson also questioned whether Lim was qualified to use such Islamic verses as terms of reference for his governance of the state.
"These are Islamic verses from the Al-Quran, which are only meant for Muslims. Can the chief minister use such verses?" he asked, calling on Islamic religious authorities to clarify the issue.
To this, Mohammad Fairus, who is in charge of the state's religious affairs, entrepreneurial and co-operative development, information and community relations, said, "We have clarified this matter with the state mufti and he said there is nothing wrong with the chief minister using it as a term of governance."
Lim has frequently used the verse in his speeches, including during a debate on land scams with former chief minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon in August.
3.Tiff over Arabic term ends assembly sitting, 20 November 2008
by Athi Veeranggan
The final day of the Penang assembly sitting ended on a fiery note when Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng (DAP – Air Putih) and several opposition members had a heated exchange of words over the Arabic term
Amar Ma'aruf Nahi Mungkar .
Lim was delivering his winding-up speech on the state’s 2009 budget when Barisan Nasional's Shabudin Yahya (Umno – Permatang Berangan) chided him for misusing the Arabic term, a verse from Islamic holy book the Al Quran, for political gain.
Shabudin said the chief minister should first understand the entire meaning of Quranic verse before using it in his speeches and campaign banners.
Lim (left) has frequently used the verse - which means ‘enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil - in his speeches and the state government had also utilised it in Hari Raya greeting banners across the state recently.
Shabudin, who is Penang Islamic Religious Council president, said Amar Ma'aruf Nahi Mungkar did not only mean to rule for something good while rejecting evil, vices and other wrongdoings.
He said the term also had the intention of motivating a leader or ruler to lead his subjects to absorb Islamic religious values and accept Allah as their sole Almighty.
"Since the chief minister is not a Muslim, it would be difficult to practice what he preaches. My advice is for the chief minister to stop using this term," he said.
Umno man an ISA supporter
In his reply, Lim denied that he was using the term for political mileage but rather was attempting to absorb the values espoused by the term in his governance as he wanted to infuse Penang’s administration with the values of other religions and cultures.
"Since I did not use it as a term of reference from the Al Quran, I'm not wrong in using it," he said.
He then challenged Shabudin to denounce the Internal Security Act (ISA) if he was an advocate of Amal Ma'aruf Nahi Mungkar to which government backbenchers vigorously thumped tables in support.
When the Umno assemblyperson said that he supported ISA to protect national security interests, Lim immediately accused him of being a hypocrite.
"When you support the ISA then you are not qualified to question me on Amar Ma'aruf Nahi Mungkar," said Lim, who also used the term during his televised TV debate on land scams with former chief minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon in August.
Earlier, at start of the meeting, R Sanisvara Nethaji Rayer (DAP – Seri Delima) called on Deputy Speaker Tan Hock Leong (PKR – Machang Bubok) to ban Utusan Malaysia reporters from covering the House proceedings.
Rayer was apparently offended by what he said was Utusan's alleged biased and racist reports over Deputy Chief Minister Dr P Ramasamy’s (DAP - Prai) disclosure in the House last week that civil service job application forms from non-Malays were torn and thrown away by government officers.
Legislator given nickname
The Seri Delima assemblyperson said Utusan had turned Ramasamy’s (right) statement into a racial issue to incite hatred among Malaysians.
Tan declined to ban Utusan’s reporters but nonetheless warned the Malay daily to exercise caution and be more responsible in reporting House proceedings.
Opposition Leader Azhar Ibrahim (Umno- Penaga) then took a swipe at Rayer for frequently referring to the House Standing Orders to stifle the opposition’s voice.
"Among all the 40 assemblypersons, he (Rayer) is the only one who does it. I have lost count of how many times our young Yang Berhormat has referred to the House rules to stop the opposition from talking.
"Next time, I will count them," the veteran legislator quipped.
A first-time assemblyperson, Rayer had earlier referred to the House rules to stop Azhar from using the word lingkup (gone bust).
Malaysiakini discovered that the legislators have given Rayer a nickname - 'YB Peraturan' (Mr Rules - for his penchant of quoting House rules every now and then.
Later, the House passed the budget and all relevant bills after which the third sitting of the 12th Penang Legislative Assembly term came to a formal end.
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