1. Bernama (http://www.bernama.com)
‘Kalimah Allah' Issue Should Not Be Revived - Muhyiddin, 3 August 2010
PUTRAJAYA, Aug 3 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the issue on the use of the 'kalimah Allah' should not be revived as the matter was still being pursued in court.
He said the matter should be resolved amicably and any opinion on it should take into consideration the interest of the general public rather than that of a particular group, whether in terms of politics or administration.
He said component parties of the Barisan Nasional (BN) should also accept the fact that the issue should not become a burden that could cause tension when the matter had already cooled off.
"Attention should be given to such considerations. I don't understand why the DAP and MCA are taking a common stand on such matters.
"We know that this matter had previously been strongly debated and had created a unhealthy situation," he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on the Development of Youths, here Tuesday.
He was commenting on a news portal report (Malaysiakini) Monday that both DAP and MCA called for the ban on the use of 'Allah' in Christian publications to be rescinded.
Loh Seng Kok, who is the MCA publicity bureau chief and the party's central committee member, said in a statement that forbidding "Allah" from being used in non-Muslims' publications had turned the matter into a divisive national issue, one that might become an Achilles' Heel for the BN.
-
- BERNAMA
2. Malaysiakini (http://www.malaysiakini.com)
‘Allah' row turning into BN's albatross, 3 August 2010
'A true leader must take the bull by the horns and do what is right. That's the business of a leader. Do we see a leader in Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein?'
DAP, MCA call on Hisham to rescind 'Allah' ban
Freemsia: Will the home minister lift the ban on the use of the word 'Allah' by Christians? Only time will tell. We all know that this is a non-issue.
It was just politicised by Umno to be seen as more Islamic and religious compared to PAS to get back their dwindling support from the Malays. With the politicisation the issue, Umno ends up shooting itself in the foot.
Disgusted: Former home minister Syed Hamid Albar has dug a hole for Umno/BN to fall into by banning the use of 'Allah' as well as the confiscation of religious materials containing the word. BN will regret its folly at the next GE.
Anonymous: Since the home minister has admitted that the ban on the use of 'Allah' by Catholic Herald should not have taken place, he feels that it is like an albatross hanging around one's neck. Now, the government finds it difficult to get rid of it for fear of a backlash from extremist elements.
A true leader must take the bull by the horns and do what is right. Minister Mentor of Singapore Lee Kuan yew, once said, "If I decide that something is worth doing, then I'll put my heart and soul to it. The whole ground can be against me, but if I know it is right, I'll do it. That's the business of a leader."
Do we see a leader in Hishammuddin Hussein?
Wira: Hisham's intention is probably to blame his predecessor on the 'Allah' issue. I don't think he has the political courage to harness the tiger that has been released. His condoning of the cow-head gang suggests his weak position.
Joe: To date, Customs Department officials are under verbal instructions from the Religious Department not to release the Al-Kitab impounded by them unless the consignment is re-exported from Malaysia, even though the Home Ministry has issued a letter to the Customs authorising the release of the consignment.
The BN-Umno regime is going to pay dearly in the coming general election for playing up religion for its political purpose.
Louis: Hishammuddin Hussein is now aware that the government should not ban the use of Allah by non-Muslims. If he is sincere, it is within his power to lift the ban.
Tell the Truth: I am glad the home minister admitted that the ban on the use of the word 'Allah' was a mistake made by the former home minister Syed Hamid Albar. Indeed, it is a mistake that needs to be corrected.
Another blunder Syed Hamid made was to ban Christians from making pilgrimage to Israel since 2009. This has made Christians angry with the government. Since Dr Mahathir Mohamad's era, this special concession was given to Christians. Why should he put a ban to it? So that he can earn brownie points for the Umno elections?
Anyhow Syed Hamid was voted out, showing that the ban didn't impress Umno members. I urge our present home minister to reconsider lifting the ban so that Christians can once again make the pilgrimage.
Not Confused: Everyone with a grain of intelligence and common sense knows that the word 'Allah' is now owned by those of the Muslim faith. Any lexicologist or historian can give you chapter and verse about where the word originated and who uses it in this, the 21st century.
The BN/Umno regime has become very adept at shooting itself in the foot at every turn. They all speak with forked tongues - saying one thing one minute and something else the next. Their actions are an utter disgrace and cause the entire country untold embarrassment across the globe.
Gen2: If Pakatan Rakyat and MCA keep the 'Allah' issue in the public view till the next general elections, we can watch BN fidget in discomfort. Turn right, die. Turn left, also die.
・The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only Malaysiakini subscribers can post comments. Over the past six months, Malaysiakinians have posted 50,000 comments. Be part of the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda.
3．Malaysia Insider (http://www.themalaysianinsider.com)
(1) DPM warns MCA over ‘Allah’ appeal, 3 August 2010
by Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani
PUTRAJAYA, Aug 3 — Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin gave a stern warning today to MCA over its appeal for the government to rescind the ban on non-Muslims use of the word “Allah”, after Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein admitted that the decision was regrettable.
The Deputy Prime Minister said that MCA must accept the decision of the government and should not trigger another debate on the word “Allah.”
Muhyiddin also questioned MCA’s intention in sharing the same platform with DAP.
“Component parties must accept so there would not be a debate that will set off another situation which is already calm. I am not sure why DAP and MCA have the same stand in this matter. We know this issue became a heated debate which led to an unhealthy environment.
“So that situation should not be triggered again, let the matter be solved in a proper manner. The comments made must consider the interests of the general public and not the interests of certain groups, be it political or from the Administration,” he told reporters after chairing a committee meeting on youth development at Perdana Putra here.
Hishammuddin said his predecessor in the Home Ministry should not have banned the word “Allah” from being used by the Catholic Church and added that the decision will continue to haunt his ministry “for a very long time.”
“In this Ministry, it is a zero-sum game. We are [now] in an uncharted landscape which will haunt us for a very long time.
“We should have let the sleeping dogs lie. It was triggered by those that believe that the word ‘Allah’ should not be used in Sabah and Sarawak,” Hishammuddin said during the Fourth Annual Malaysian Student Leaders Summit.
Yesterday, MCA urged Hishammuddin to use his authority to rescind the ban on the non-Muslims use of the word “Allah” and said that Barisan Nasional (BN) must stop the “Allah” ruling from further polarising the public.
MCA added that that nobody can claim monopoly over the word “Allah” and added that “no confusion arises when one’s spiritual conviction is strong.”
The DAP’s Lim Kit Siang also called on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to end the long-drawn out court dispute and said that dropping the appeal would “demonstrate the government’s seriousness and commitment to resolve the issue through inter-religious dialogue.”
The Barisan Nasional (BN) deputy chairman said that the word “Allah” is an old issue and the government will stand by its decision.
“The case is still in court and I am not sure if the comments made can be considered as prejudicial. I think we want to avoid politicizing the issue. I hope that there is no party that will try to trigger this into a new issue because this is an old issue and we know the stand of the government.”
Former home minister Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar had imposed the word ban on the Church’s newspaper, The Herald, two years ago.
Syed Hamid had temporary allowed the conditional use of the word “Allah”, only to rescind the government gazette later.
He had then cited fears that the use of word outside an Islamic context would confuse Muslims.
The Catholic Church has since taken the home minister to court early last year, challenging the ban slapped on its weekly newspaper.
The Herald, after the ministry threatened to revoke its annual publishing permit.
In a landmark judgment last New Year’s Eve, High Court judge, Datuk Lau Bee Lan ruled the Catholic Church has the constitutional right to use the word and that it was not exclusive to the religion of Islam, as the ministry had claimed.
But the home ministry filed an appeal against the High Court decision in February and won a stay, preventing the Church from using the word until the case is dealt with in the Court of Appeal.
(2) MCA VP rebuts DPM over ‘Allah’ ruling, 3 August 2010
by Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 — Youth and Sports deputy minister Senator Gan Ping Sieu today rebutted Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s claim that the ban on non-Muslims use of the word “Allah” was an old issue.
The MCA vice president told The Malaysian Insider that the word “Allah” only became an issue when the government decided to ban the word.
“I personally believe it that was an old issue and never a problem but then it became a new issue because of the ban. If we had gone back to the old practice then there would not have been any problem. Nothing would have arisen and this would not have become a hot topic,” he said after attending a committee meeting on youth development chaired by the deputy prime minister at Perdana Putra here.
Earlier today Muhyiddin gave a stern warning to MCA over its appeal for the government to rescind the ban on non-Muslims use of the word “Allah”, after Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein admitted that the decision was regrettable.
“The case is still in court and I am not sure if the comments made can be considered as prejudicial. I think we want to avoid politicising the issue. I hope that there is no party that will try to trigger this into a new issue because this is an old issue and we know the stand of the government,” said Muhyiddin.
Last week, Hishammuddin said his predecessor in the Home Ministry should not have banned the word “Allah” from being used by the Catholic Church and added that the decision will continue to haunt his ministry “for a very long time.”
“In this Ministry, it is a zero-sum game. We are [now] in an uncharted landscape which will haunt us for a very long time. “We should have let the sleeping dogs lie. It was triggered by those that believe that the word ‘Allah’ should not be used in Sabah and Sarawak,” Hishammuddin said during the Fourth Annual Malaysian Student Leaders Summit.
The Barisan Nasional deputy chairman also said that MCA must accept the decision of the government and questioned the party’s intention in sharing the same platform with DAP.
Gan explained that his party was only expressing its views on the matter.
“There is no such thing that MCA is working together with DAP. We are actually talking about the issues affecting the non-Muslims at large and we are conveying our party’s view and stand on this matter,” he said.
Yesterday, MCA urged Hishammuddin to use his authority to rescind the ban on the non-Muslims use of the word “Allah” and said that Barisan Nasional (BN) must stop the “Allah” ruling from further polarising the public.
MCA added that that nobody can claim monopoly over the word “Allah” and added that “no confusion arises when one’s spiritual conviction is strong.”
The DAP’s Lim Kit Siang also called on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to end the long-drawn out court dispute and said that dropping the appeal would “demonstrate the government’s seriousness and commitment to resolve the issue through inter-religious dialogue.”
(End)
