Malaysiakini (http://www.malaysiakini.com)
(1) Allah row: Court puts off SIB hearing again, 23 June 2010
by Hafiz Yatim
The highly anticipated Sidang Injil Borneo's (SIB) leave application hearing at the Kuala Lumpur High Court's Appellate and Special Powers division tomorrow has been postponed.
High Court justice Aziah Ali had informed both parties that the hearing date is “to be vacated”.
When contacted lawyer Bobby Chew, representing the church - also known as the Evangelical Church of Borneo - confirmed that the case had been put off.
“A date has yet to be fixed for hearing. The judge has asked for both parties to file additional written submissions,” Chew told Malaysiakini.
On April 30, SIB failed to reach an out-of court settlement with the Home Ministry over the use of the word 'Allah' in its Christian books, and the court subsequently set tomorrow to begin hearing on the case.
SIB and its president, pastor Jerry WA Dusing, had filed a leave application on Dec 10, 2007 for a judicial review to challenge the ministry and the government for the ban on use of the term in the church's Bahasa Malaysia publications.
They filed the application to initiate proceeding to contest the seizure of six boxes of Christian educational publications shipped from Indonesia by the Customs Department at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal in Sepang in August that year.
However, the confiscated books were later returned to the church on Jan 25, 2008.
Following that, SIB withdrew some of its declarations in the leave application, and focus instead on the government's contention that no other religion could import books which used 'Allah' in referring to God.
Ban aimed to prevent confusion among Muslims
Dusing and SIB are seeking a declaration that it is their constitutional right to use the word 'Allah' in their religious practices and publications.
The Home Ministry, which controls the Customs Department, had claimed that the ban is to prevent confusion among Muslims.
Dusing, however, said the books were teaching reference materials meant only for Christian consumption and would not be used to preach to Muslims.
The Allah issue has become a contentious issue for Muslims following another High Court decision that allow the term to be used among the Malay-speaking community of the Christian faith in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.
Justice Lau Bee Lan found the ban imposed by the ministry unconstitutional and ruled that the issue was justiciable.
The verdict delivered on Dec 31, last year caused outrage among some Muslims and this resulted in a number of attacks and arson involving Christian, Sikh as well as Muslim places of worship.
(2) No progress in interfaith talks, 24 June 2010
by Joseph Sipalan
There has been no progress on the government's Committee on Promoting Interfaith Understanding and Harmony since its first meeting earlier this year.
Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) president Rev Thomas Philips said it has been "quite some time" since the government got in touch with them.
"The cabinet has not said anything and we have not received any information as yet," he said when contacted last night.
The committee hit a snag last April following a misunderstanding between the council and Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who was reported as saying that it was a "small fry" committee.
This prompted the council to pull out of the committee, pending a clarification by the deputy premier.
Muhyiddin quickly denied the charge, saying he was misquoted - an explanation the council accepted.
"We said okay, we are ready to move forward but we haven't heard from them since then. Now we have to wait and see where it goes from here," Thomas said.
Outside interference?
He noted that the indefinite postponement may have something to do with "certain groups" who are unhappy with the committee's interfaith tag, though he declined to elaborate.
Without making references to any organisation or individuals, he said that these groups may be twisting the issue to fulfil their own agendas.
The most vocal opponent to the committee was Malay rights group Perkasa, who claimed that it does not reflect Islam's position as the nation's official religion.
Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali also demanded that the committee either be put under the purview of Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Jamil Khir Baharom, who is in charge of Islamic affairs, or be renamed as the committee on inter-racial understanding.
Thomas said it does not matter to the council what the committee is called, so long as the government continues to support efforts for all faiths to engage each other.
"We don't want to raise tension or unnecessary anxiety, but we also can't go on like this. We must move to engage (each other) so that this mistrust can be removed."
There is still hope
Thomas noted however that the council has faith that the committee will eventually come together.
"We are still optimistic that we'll move forward. Everyone needs to accept the reality that we need to sit together and talk, or else we will be sitting in our own cocoons and not moving forward," he said.
In April, the government announced its plan to set up the committee, which falls under the portfolio of Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Koh Tsu Koon who is in charge of the National Unity and Integration Department.
The committee is chaired by former Kota Bharu MP Ilani Isahak and includes senior representatives from the Islamic Development Department (Jakim), the Institute of Islamic Understanding (Ikim) and the MCCBCHST.
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