The Malaysian Insider (http://www.themalaysianinsider.com)
(1) DAP taps into Christian concerns ahead of Sibu by-election, 7 May 2010
by Adib Zalkapli
SIBU, May 7 — The DAP has moved to address issues affecting the Christians here by getting their church-going leaders to talk to the community as part of its campaign for the Sibu by-election.
Last night, the party held a closed-door dialogue with some 60 church officials from the constituency where issues brought up included the use of the word “Allah” to refer to God in Malay and the printing and distribution of the Al-Kitab, the Malay translation of the Bible.
The dialogue was held behind closed doors to encourage more church leaders who are not comfortable to be associated with the opposition to attend.
About 53 per cent of the 55,000 voters in the Sibu constituency are Christians. The Chinese form about 66.6 per cent of the voters, the largely Christian Ibans 16.3 per cent and the Malay/Melanau approximately 16.2 per cent.
A DAP leader, who was at the dialogue, said some of the church leaders were still unconvinced with the government’s assurance that Christians in Sabah and Sarawak would be still be allowed to use the word “Allah”.
The Allah row started in 2007 after the Home Ministry invoked a 1986 Cabinet directive banning non-Muslims from using certain Arabic words when it refused to renew the publication permit of the Catholic tabloid Herald.
The Catholic Church later challenged the government’s decision and on Dec 31 last year, the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled that the Herald has the right to use the word “Allah” for its Malay section.
In January, Minister in the Prime Minister Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz assured the Christian community in Sabah and Sarawak that the ban on “Allah” would not affect them.
“It is still an issue here. Some of them complain how can we have separate rules for Semenanjung and Sabah/Sarawak,” said the DAP leader, who did not want to be identified.
“But I don’t know if this can translate into votes,” he added, acknowledging the strong influence that Barisan Nasional (BN) component member SUPP has over the churches in the constituency.
Another DAP leader, who was also present at the dialogue, said the meeting was a start of a series of planned closed-door discussions with the community.
“It was a dialogue to hear them out, they wanted certain issues to be addressed,” said DAP deputy secretary-general Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham.
“Generally the dialogue was about freedom of religion but other issues such as the NCR (Native Customary Rights) land were also raised. There will be more meetings. We are trying to engage every group,” Ngeh told The Malaysian Insider.
He said some of the participants also complained about the Islamisation in public institutions of higher learning which are affecting non-Muslims Bumiputeras.
“These are some of the issues that they brought up and want us to raise in Parliament,” said Ngeh, who is also Beruas MP.
The former Perak executive councillor, who used to teach Sunday school, plans to have more meetings with the Christian community throughout the campaign period, which officially begins tomorrow.
Nomination for the by-election has been set for tomorrow and polling is on May 16.
The contest is expected to be a three-cornered fight between the DAP’s Wong Ho Leng, Robert Lau Hui Yew from BN and independent candidate Narawi Haron.
The by-election was called following the death of five-term MP Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew, who was the uncle of Hui Yew.
(2) Police bans use of ‘Allah’ in Sibu campaign, 11 May 2010
by Adib Zalkapli
SIBU, May 11 — Sarawak police today banned political parties from using the ‘Allah’ row in the Sibu by-election, hours after DAP told a well-attended gathering for local Christians to vote for the party on May 16 as a sign of protest over the issue.
The ban was announced by Sarawak OCCI SAC II Huzir Mohamed who also threatened to take action under the Sedition Act or the Internal Security Act (ISA) against those who defied the order.
“We have been monitoring the ceramah and found that some parties have been using the khalimah Allah issue,” said Huzir.
“This is a sensitive issue. We advise all parties to stop using it once and for all,” he added.
“If any party persists in using it, we can take action under sedition or the ISA. To all parties, please don’t bring unnecessary problems,” he told a media briefing today.
However, the DAP asked the police if the force would also arrest those who were responsible for allegedly igniting the issue in the first place, naming Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein as one of the progenitors.
“Let the PM explain whether this was his directive,” DAP’s Lim Kit Siang said hinting that the party would not adhere to the directive.
DAP publicity chief Tony Pua said Barisan Nasional (BN) through SUPP was also responsible for bringing sensitive issues into the campaign.
“If ‘Allah’ issue cannot be raised then why are they using the Islamic state issue,” said Pua.
SUPP leaders have accused DAP of supporting the formation of Islamic state by cooperating with PAS in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR).
DAP has made the ‘Allah’ row its major campaign issue with the party’s candidate Wong Ho Leng vowing to solve the issue if elected.
SUPP candidate Robert Lau Hui Yew however downplayed the issue saying that national issues such as the ‘Allah’ ban does not resonate in Sibu.
The Chinese dominated BN component member has also pointed out that the ban for Christians to use ‘Allah’ when referring to God in the national language is not enforced in the Malaysia’s largest state.
More than 50 per cent of the 54,695 Sibu voters are Christians.
The Chinese form about 67 percent of the 54,695 voters while the Malay/Melanau about, 10.5 per cent.
The primarily Christian Sarawak Bumiputeras form about 22 per cent of the voters. This group continues to use the word ‘Allah’ in their worship.
・Copyright © 2010 The Malaysian Insider
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