1. The Nut Gragh (http://www.thenutgraph.com)
Still unclear about “Allah”, 6 August 2010
by Ding Jo-Ann
1 Aug 2010: Hishammuddin “regrets” the “Allah” ban
“We should have let the sleeping dogs lie. It was triggered by those that believed that the word ‘Allah’ should not be used in Sabah and Sarawak.”
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, expressing regret that his ministry had banned Catholic newspaper Herald‘s use of “Allah” to refer to God during Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar’s tenure. He said the decision would continue to haunt his ministry “for a very long time”. (Source: Hishammuddin says regrets “Allah” ban, The Malaysian Insider, 1 Aug 2010)
2 Aug: MCA and DAP call for the “Allah” ban to be rescinded
“MCA therefore urges Dato’ Seri Hishamuddin to use all the authority vested in him as Home Minister to rescind the ban. By doing so, the Home Minister will be respected as a BN leader who looks after rights and interests of all Malaysians, including protecting the constitutional rights of minorities.”
“MCA therefore reiterates our position on ‘Allah’, i.e.:
1) No confusion arises when one’s spiritual conviction is strong
2) Nobody can copyright ‘Allah’ nor claim monopoly
3) Historical fact that ‘Allah’ predates Islam.”
MCA central committee member and publicity bureau deputy chairperson Loh Seng Kok in a press statement, calling for the ban on “Allah” to be rescinded. (Source: Rescind the “Allah” ban – MCA Publicity Bureau to Home Minister, mca.org.my, 2 Aug 2010)
“The Cabinet should make a decision to withdraw the appeal against the High Court judgment of Lau Bee Lan on the Allah controversy now that Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has admitted that his predecessor, Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar, should not have banned the word ‘Allah’ from being used by the Catholic Church.”
DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang, calling for the cabinet to withdraw its appeal against the High Court decision allowing Herald to use the word “Allah” in its publication, following Hishammuddin’s remarks. (Source: Cabinet should make a decision to withdraw the appeal against Lau Bee Lan judgment on the Allah controversy, Lim Kit Siang for Malaysia, 2 Aug 2010)
3 Aug 2010: Muhyiddin: Stop bringing up “Allah”
“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 an unhealthy situation.”
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, saying the issue on the use of “Allah” should not be revived as the appeal was pending in court. He said raising the issue could become a burden, especially when the matter had already cooled off. He also cautioned Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties from further discussing the matter. (Source: “Kalimah Allah” Issue Should Not Be Revived – Muhyiddin, Bernama, 3 Aug 2010)
4 Aug 2010: MCA U-turns and Hishammuddin backtracks
“We are not making the same stand with DAP. We only want the BN government to resolve the issue as soon as possible so that it will not be further exploited by the opposition.”
MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, denying that the MCA was taking the same stand as the DAP on the “Allah” issue. (Source: MCA makes U-turn over Allah row, Malaysiakini, 3 Aug 2010)
“Why would the government retract the appeal, or why would the church retract the court case? It applies both ways, you know.”
“There could be also a request for the church to drop the case, as much as there is a request for the government to drop the appeal … let the courts decide because that is the process.”
Hishammuddin, denying that his expression of “regret” over the “Allah” ban meant the government would retract its appeal. (Source: Gov’t has no reason to drop “Allah” appeal, Malaysiakini, 3 Aug 2010)
“If we say regret [and] it’s an issue, you can look at it in many ways if you want to indulge in polemics.
“I regret that there are terrorists in Malaysia, I regret there are peragut (snatch-thieves) in Malaysia, I regret that this (word ‘Allah’) is becoming an issue … but why pick on that to make it a firestorm or bigger than what it is?
“There are many regrets [over what] we do, but whether or not I regret is out of my control because it is in the courts.”
Hishammuddin, trying to explain to reporters what he meant when he said he “regretted” the “Allah” ban. (Source: Govt has no reason to drop “Allah” appeal, Malaysiakini, 3 Aug 2010)
2. Malaysiakini (http://www.malaysiakini.com)
(1) Guan Eng must heed Muslim authority on 'Allah', 9 August 2010
by Helen Ang
Lim Guan Eng, who claims he aspires to follow in the footsteps of Caliph Umar Abdul Aziz, recently chided Chua Soi Lek on the latter's ignorance about the glories of Islam.
As Lim is so knowledgeable on Islam, Malaysians would expect that he act as a bridge between the different communities. Thus his first order of priority must be to facilitate a fair and just resolution to the 'Allah' issue.
Malaysia's heads of Islam are the Agong and the Sultans. Therefore any leader emulating the Caliph Umar must pay heed to the determination of our esteemed sovereigns when seeking a solution to the 'Allah' impasse.
On Feb 12, the Conference of Rulers issued a statement on how Their Royal Highnesses were 'disappointed' (dukacita) with the translation of the word 'God' to 'Allah'.
The keeper of the royal seal said the consensus of the rulers was that if this issue was not urgently dealt with, it would pose a threat to the sanctity of Islam, and to peace and public order. The statement released by the office of the keeper of the royal seal also said the 'Allah' translation has caused confusion and dissatisfaction among the rakyat, especially those who are Muslim.
Earlier on Jan 8 in a statement issued by Istana Negara, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin said, “To ensure peace and harmony among the followers of different religions (in Malaysia), the meaning and reference to 'Allah' in the general context should conform to the description fixed by Islam because this practice has all this while been accepted by Malaysians of other faiths.”
The meaning of 'Allah' in Islam is that 'God is one', and not trinitarian.
Laws of the land
Tuanku Mizan desires his loyal subjects to live in peace and harmony. His Majesty's words are reminiscent of the phrasing of Article 3 of the federal constitution which states, “Islam is the religion of the federation, but other religions may be practiced in peace and harmony in any part of the federation”.
The civil unrest that followed both the Christian insistence on using 'Allah' and the High Court judgment in January this year, indicated that peace and harmony were jeopardised when this particular practice of Christianity - i.e. the matter of sharing 'Allah' - had impinged on Malay-Muslim sensitivities.
Hence those who admire the sagacity of Caliph Umar (like Lim does) must lend grave thought to whether the practice of Christianity (when incorporating the use of the term 'Allah') is being conducted in a manner conducive to national peace and harmony.
Tun Mohamed Suffian Hashim in his 'Introduction to the Constitution of Malaysia' wrote under the chapter on Islam, “In every Malay state there is a Religious Council to advise the Ruler on Muslim matters, in each of the states of Malacca and Penang there is also a separate Religious Council to advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Muslim matters, and in each state in East Malaysia a separate Islamic Religious Council to advise the state government. All these councils have been established by state law.”
The state religious councils such as Jais and Mais have determined it is inadvisable for Christians to use the word 'Allah'. Since the year 1980, a total of 10 states have authorised enactments on the Control and Restriction of the Propagation of Non-Islamic Religions. These include restrictions in the use of 25 Islamic words and expressions among non-Muslims.
Religious leaders speak
There is a state mufti for each of the Malaysian states. On the 'Allah' issue, the mufti of Perak Harussani Zakaria said that whosoever (the Muslim) who allows a Christian to employ the name 'Allah' is condoning 'syirik' (committing the sin of polytheism) and may thus be deemed 'kufur' (an unbeliever).
The same view was expressed by Harun Din (right), the deputy mursyidul am of PAS.
Mohd Tamyes Abd Wahid who is mufti of Selangor said, “By right, they (the Catholic Herald) ought to realise that the word 'Allah' should not be used by them as it is exclusive to Islam and refers to Tuhan yang maha esa.”
If Lim, who wishes to emulate the governance style of Caliph Umar Abdul Aziz, were to consult the rest of the state muftis in the Islamic spirit of musyawarah, he will find that none of them are in favour of Christians translating God into 'Allah'.
The National Fatwa Council, a board on which all the state muftis sit, had reiterated in May 2008 their ban on non-Muslims using 'Allah' as well as three other terms - 'Kaabah', 'Baitullah' and 'solat'.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of Islamic affairs Jamil Khir Baharom in a press statement on Jan 2 said that his ministry would bring the case against the Catholic Herald to the Court of Appeal in their quest to defend the sanctity of Islam. The sanctity of Islam would be tarnished if Allah were to be made the same as the God(s) of other religions.
Jakim director-general Wan Mohamad Sheikh Abdul Aziz in his press statement on Jan 4 said, “Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (Jakim) is of the opinion that Murphy Pakiam, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, should exercise his wisdom in not using the lafaz Allah in any of his church's publications or other printed material.”
Wan Mohamad noted that Allah does not beget and nor is He begotten.
'A holy religion'
The imam besar of Masjid Negara Syaikh Ismail Muhammad was quoted as saying, “The name of 'Allah' must not be taken in vain. This is because Islam is a holy religion; therefore stern action should be commenced against the Catholic Herald which has made a mockery of Islam”.
Ikim director-general Syed Ali Tawfik Al-Attas asserted “the argument on the right to translate a common noun God using the proper noun 'Allah' crumbles (is unacceptable); it is only correct to translate God using 'Tuhan'.
"As far as the proper name Allah is concerned, it has absolutely no plural, reflecting the notion of the one and only God whose essence absolutely excludes the purport of consisting of three distinct co-eternal persons, whether in the imagination, in actuality, or in supposition.”
Or to put it plainly, Allah cannot be Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
It is not only the above Muslim luminaries who object to Christians using 'Allah'. The Persatuan Ulama Malaysia and other Muslim bodies and Muslim NGOs are in opposition too. Likewise the sentiments of the Muslim grassroots.
The Facebook group 'Menentang penggunaan nama Allah oleh golongan bukan Islam' (Opposing the use of Allah's name by non-Muslims) has over 300,000 members. Perkasa, which got its impetus from the Allah flare-up, claims a membership of quarter of a million who are up in arms at what they consider disrespect shown to the name of Allah.
Sermon on non-tolerance
On Jan 22, the millions of Muslims attending Friday congregational prayer heard a sermon titled 'Kafir Dzimmi dan Kafir Harbi' - note, a standard text is usually read out during the Friday prayers in all the mosques throughout the country.
Excerpts from the sermon (my translation from Bahasa Malaysia):
“According to Islamic religious law, there are basically two 'status' belonging to non-Muslims, that is Kafir Harbi and Kafir Dzimmi. Briefly Kafir Harbi refers to non-Muslims involved in war who kill Muslims in the conflict zones. … Whereas Kafir Dzimmi refers to non-Muslims who reside in a Muslim country, hold citizenship, pay regular taxes and in return are given guarantees of peace by their Islamic ruler in accordance to an agreed treaty.
“The big question is whether the status of non-Muslims in our country should be classed as Kafir Harbi or Kafir Dzimmi. From the observation made by the pulpit, we find that the status of non-Muslims in this country is Dzimmi based on the principle that they adhere to and agree to 'bow' to (abide by) the social contract created under the federal constitution....
“According to the al-Quran, Muslims are required to have cordial and good relations with the Dzimmis as well as act justly towards them as long as they do not oppose or oppress Muslims or against the spread of Islam. ...
“Nonetheless, the pulpit reminds the congregation and the ummah that having good relations with the non-Muslims does not mean that we forget our responsibility to Islam. Islam has specified that in the matter of faith (iman) and piety (ibadat) there can be no compromise (tidak ada toleransi). ...
“The pulpit would like to remind the congregation that when we are pressured by certain parties to accede to their demands, we should hold fast to Islamic teachings so that we do not lose our bearings. Allah SWT commanded in Surah al-An'aam verse 153: 'Verily, this is my way leading straight: follow it; Follow not (other) paths: they will scatter you about from His path; Thus doth He command you, that ye may be righteous.'
“To end the sermon, the pulpit calls on the congregation and the ummah to be cautious with regard to agents of the Kafir Harbi and to never ever mortage our faith, our self-worth/dignity (jati diri) as Muslims, and our integrity. We must have all these in order to be able to preserve the standing of Islam in this country.
'Say: Hai orang kafir! (O ye that reject faith), I worship not that which ye worship, Not will ye worship that which I worship, And I will not worship that which ye have been wont to worship, Nor will ye worship that which I worship. To you be your way, and to me mine.' (Surah Al-Kaafirun: 1-6)
(Note: For the complete text of the sermon in Bahasa visit http://www.islam.gov.my/khutbahjakim for the entry dated Jan 22)
Defender of the faith
On Saturday, Lim had a little spat with Chua Soi Lek where the Penang chief minister urged the MCA president to learn more about the glorious history of Islamic civilisation and Islam's immeasurable contribution to mankind.
Lim further challenged Chua to pose serious questions on the 'Allah' controversy to Umno, MCA's partner in the ruling coalition. Lim said, “These (Allah) issues appear to be not a problem with Muslim countries, but it is a problem with Umno.”
Lim is patently mistaken in his summation that it is only Umno alone which has a “problem” with Christians using Allah. As can be assessed by the many strong statements collated above, a host of Muslim religious authorities are uneasy with, and opposed to Christians using the term 'Allah', especially when some Christians insist 'your Allah is my Allah too'.
In Christianity, there is the 'Hail Mary'; Mary is Mother of God. Jesus is the Son of God. Translated into Malay, it would be quite blasphemous – Maryam ialah ibu kepada Allah; Nabi Isa adalah anak Allah.
If Jesus was the son of Mary as well as the Son of God, one would naturally be led to think there is a conjugal relationship between Jesus' two parents: hence Mary is married to God. In the context of Allah, this is absolutely sacrilegious!
Lim derided Chua for failing to understand Islam adequately. Since Lim is clearly the one more intimate with Islam, there's no need to put Chua on the spot by daring the latter to confront Umno with questions.
After all, isn't the answer staring Lim in the face? So many revered religious personages have unequivocally made their stand clear. Lim must accord the same respect to their learned opinion as he does Islam.
Hence Muslims anticipate him doing the right thing, especially since Penang under Lim's able stewardship has adopted the state slogan 'Amar maaruf nahi mungkar' (enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong).
To the Muslims, it is wrong that Christians use 'Allah'. Therefore, if Lim wishes to persist with his claim of striding in the shoes of Caliph Umar, he must prove his credentials. He can do no less.
・HELEN ANG used to be a journalist. In future, she would like to be a practising cartoonist. But for the present, she is in the NGO circles and settling down to more serious writing and reading of social issues.
(2) Allah row: Syed Hamid may land in court, 7 August 2010
by Regina Lee
The 'Allah' court cases are set to rise a notch with a Christian bumiputera's attempt to get former home minister Syed Hamid Syed Jaafar Albar into the witness box.
Melanau Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill's lawyers had recently filed an application to cross-examine Syed Hamid over her suit against the government, challenging their seizure of eight religious audio CDs.
The CDs were confiscated at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in 2008 when Jill had tried to bring them in from Jakarta, because it had the word 'Allah' printed on their sleeves.
Later, she received a Home Ministry letter stating that the CDs were unlawful and that she had failed to pay customs duty.
According to the ministry, the CDs threatened security as the usage of the prohibited word had breached Islamic Development Department (Jakim) guidelines.
For that, her counsel are applying to get Syed Hamid (right) into the hot seat to "explain" the reason for the action, since he was the minister at the time.
'Why is it a threat?'
"It was the former minister who said that these words are banned, which was signed in a circular during the times of (former prime ministers Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi), saying that they were a threat," said Annou Xavier, one of Jill's lawyers.
"So we want to know what threat this is, how it came about and who it threatens.
"The word 'Allah' has been used by the Christian community in Sabah and Sarawak for hundreds of years and then suddenly we are issued with a ministerial statement banning the word. Why?" asked Annou (left) when contacted by Malaysiakini.
He added that the High Lumpur High Court is expecting to set a date to hear their application soon.
"I hope the court will allow us a fair chance to hear his thoughts and what he has to say in banning the word," said Annou.
Apart from an unspecified sum in damages, Jill is seeking an order of certiorari to quash the ministry's directive to confiscate the CDs, and their return.
She is seeking further declarations:
That she can use the word 'Allah', as well as to own, use and import materials with the word in exercising her religious freedom, as Christians in Sabah and Sarawak have been using 'Allah' for centuries;
That, under Article 11 of the federal constitution, she is allowed to use and import publications to practise her religion; and,
That there should be no discrimination on issues pertaining to religion under Article 8.
The word 'Allah' has been the source of contention among Malaysians, especially after a controversial High Court verdict on Dec 31, where it declared the ban on the usage of 'Allah' in the Herald magazine owned by the Catholic Church was illegal.
The lifting of the ban, which is still pending appeal, had triggered a spate of arson attacks on churches and other places including mosques, suraus, a convent school and a Gurdwara.
A sore subject in the country, the police had also previously declared that the issue is 'off-limits' during the Sibu parliamentary by-election campaign, where Christian voters make up a sizeable amount of the electorate.
(3) MCA: Gag order yes, 'backing down' no, 5 August 2010
by Siah Chong Yan
A top MCA leader who urged the Home Ministry to rescind the ban on the use of the term "Allah" by non-Muslims, has acceded to the cabinet's gag-order on the topic.
However, MCA national deputy publicity chief Loh Seng Kok said this did not mean that the party was "backing down" on the issue.
Met at a function in SMK Bandar Sunway today, Loh said the MCA still felt that a resolution to the issue must be found as soon as possible.
"We can agree not to play up the issue any more, but a solution must be expedited.
"That is what the MCA president meant (on Tuesday).
"It doesn't mean we are abandoning our stand," he said.
Asked if he meant that MCA still wanted the "Allah" ban rescinded, Loh skirted the question, saying the matter was still in the courts and the party therefore did not wish to interfere.
"The cabinet has left this to the courts and we must respect its decision. However, we are still hoping for a speedy decision," he said.
'Don't claim MCA-DPM rift'
On Monday, Loh had issued a statement urging Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein to rescind the ban, after the latter blamed his predecessor for the controversy.
The following day, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin ticked off the MCA for playing up the issue and accused the party of ganging up with the DAP.
Hours later, MCA was in damage control mode with its president Dr Chua Soi Lek denying that it was in cahoots with the DAP while stressing that it was merely conveying the concerns of the Christian community.
Chua also promised that his ministers would raise the issue during yesterday's the cabinet meeting. But the only announcement that followed was the gag order.
Commenting on this, Loh urged the press not to speculate on any rift between MCA and the deputy premier because this was not true.
"Today, we don't have to analyse the issue any further. Please. Muhyiddin has commented and we don't have to openly disagree with him.
Adding salt to wound
In a related development, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang threw a challenge to MCA's four cabinet ministers and their other non-Muslim colleagues to state whether they agreed with the gag order.
"Malaysians had been told that the cabinet operates on the principle of consensus - which means that if there is one minister objecting, a decision on a new policy or measure would not be taken by the cabinet," said Lim.
If consensus was really practised, he said, had any of the four MCA cabinet ministers spoken out against the gag order and had demanded a "speedy resolution", Muhyiddin would not have announced the order.
"The Umno stand on the 'Allah' row is untenable and exposes the mockery of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's 1Malaysia slogan and policy.
"Even Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah had criticised the Umno leadership for failing to provide leadership in the controversy," said Lim.
The former finance minister had previously said Umno was adopting a more "intolerant hardline position" on the issue as compared with PAS whose position was more "plural and moderate".
(4) Cabinet issues gag order on 'Allah' issue, 4 August 2010
Cabinet wants both the BN and the opposition to stop discussing the Home Ministry ban on the use of the term 'Allah' by non-Muslims, just one day after MCA vowed that its party's ministers would pursue the matter.
Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said open discussion on the matter could re-ignite religious tensions seen earlier this year.
"The Cabinet decided that it would be unwise to debate publicly on this issue, as it is still before the courts. Everyone knows, if a matter is still before the courts, we should not be debating it.
"Debating it will not lead us to deriving any benefits because it can again lead to an unhealthy situation," he said in a Bernama report.
Muhyiddin was commenting in the report, on MCA president Chua Soi Lek's statement yesterday that said the party's cabinet ministers would push the cabinet to expedite a resolution to the matter today.
Chua was clarifying that MCA was not sharing the same stand as DAP, who wants the ban rescinded, but was merely conveying the views of Christian groups.
His statement is an about-turn to an MCA central committee member Loh Seng Kok's statement earlier echoing DAP's call for Hishammuddin Hussein to drop the ban, since he had said in public he regretted the issue.
Avoiding 'chaos'
Chua's statement appears to be aimed at mitigating Loh's call which had drawn Muhyiddin's ire.
According to the minister, certain parties were trying to again bring up the ban for their own vested interests.
"However, as a responsible government, the government's stand is final in that whether BN components or the opposition, they should refrain from discussing the issue publicly because it will be sub-judice.
"If I say this, the other side will say something else. What will be the result? ... there will be chaos. The BN government as a responsible goverment does not want this to happen," he said.
(5) Gov't has no reason to drop 'Allah' appeal, 3 August 2010
by Joseph Sipalan
Home Minister Hishamuddin Hussein today said there is no reason for the government to retract its appeal in the on-going 'Allah' case, despite having admitted regret that the decision to ban the use of the name by non-Muslims will "haunt" his ministry.
He said his personal feelings over the issue are inconsequential, as the case is being heard in court and should be allowed to go through the proper process.
"Why would the government retract the appeal, or why would the church retract the court case? It applies both ways, you know," he said at a press conference at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur.
"There could be also a request for the church to drop the case, as much as there is a request for the government to drop the appeal... let the courts decide because that is the process."
It was reported on Sunday that Hishamuddin (right) admitted that his predecessor, Syed Hamid Albar, should not have banned the use of the name 'Allah' by the Catholic Church two years earlier, adding that it would haunt his ministry "for a very long time".
His remark sparked calls by both MCA and DAP for the government to drop its appeal.
MCA drew flak from Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who ticked the coalition's second largest party for reviving the issue.
'Many regrets'
When it was pointed out that it was he who had expressed 'regret' over the decision, Hishamuddin clarified that it was interpreted based on his answer to a question at the Fourth Annual Malaysian Student Leaders Summit last Sunday
"What I described to participants in the conference is basically my experience with the church leaders, and my experience in Sabah and Sarawak, and this is peculiar to my discussions with them.
"If we say regret (and) it's an issue, you can look at it in many ways if you want to indulge in polemics.
"I regret that there are terrorists in Malaysia, I regret there are peragut (snatch-thieves) in Malaysia, I regret that this (word 'Allah') is becoming an issue... but why pick on that to make it a firestorm or bigger than what it is?
"There are many regrets (over what) we do, but whether or not I regret is out of my control because it is in the courts," he said
Police Act amendments soon
On the request by Gerakan for the Home Ministry to speed up its proposed review of Section 27 of the Police Act, Hishamuddin said they are making progress though he declined to elaborate.
"It's in the works. We are amending it, provided the cabinet approves it. But until such time, the law is the law... you don't have a permit, you're against the law (and) the police (will) take action. Simple," he said.
Hishamuddin brushed aside public outcry over the police's alleged rough handling of activists taking part in the anti-ISA vigil on Sunday night (right), defending the men in blue whom he said had acted "without fear or favour in many cases".
"In a lot of cases where we saw firestorms, (such as) the cow-head issue, the church issue, the burning of churches, the pig-head in a surau, all can be firestorms if you want it to be.
"But if you look at the bigger picture, and not look at it simplistically or with another agenda, then life goes on. If you want to make it political, want to make it a firestorm or sensationalise it, I will not dance to that tune," he said.
Hishamuddin noted that his ministry will also "study" Suhakam's complaint regarding questioning of lawyers by police when negotiating the release of activists detained over Sunday night's assembly.
(6) DAP, MCA call on Hisham to rescind 'Allah' ban, 2 August 2010
Both DAP and MCA called today for the ban on the use of 'Allah' in Christian publications to be rescinded given Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein had himself expressed “regrets”over the decision.
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 has turned the matter into a divisive national issue, one that may become an Achilles' Heel for the BN.
By rescinding the ban, the home minister would earn the respect as a leader “who looks after rights and interests of all Malaysians, including protecting the constitutional rights of minorities.”
The home minister would also be able to abate the tensions that have arisen over the issue, “which has already been politicized unnecessarily”, said Loh.
The Malaysian Insider yesterday reported Hishammuddin as having said his predecessor - Syed Abdul Hamid Albar - 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 believed that the word `Allah' should not be used in Sabah and Sarawak,” Hishammuddin was reported to have said during the Fourth Annual Malaysian Student Leaders Summit.
Loh noted that it was not only Christians in Sabah and Sarawak who have used the term Allah, but the Hindus and Sikhs in their Veda and Guru Granth Sahib scriptures, respectively.
To only allow 'Allah' to be used by Christians only in East Malaysia “reeks of 1 country, 2 systems and negates the fact that about 100,000 native Sarawak and Sabah Christians are based on Peninsular Malaysia, he added.
“Moreover, Christian Orang Aslis on the peninsula also refer to God as “Allah”, said Loh.
“Malaysia would also make it to the world news for all the wrong reasons if Indonesian Christians and Middle Eastern tourists like Palestinian, Arab or Lebanese Christians who also refer to God as “Allah” and are citizens of countries with a huge Muslim majority were to have any of their religious publications confiscated upon arrival at our airports or seaports.”
MCA also urged the home minister to allow the importations of the Al-Kitab and other religious materials so long as the printed materials contain the words “Christian publication” and carry an image of the “cross.”
'Take full responsibility'
Meanwhile, DAP veteran leader Lim Kit Siang called for the cabinet to decide afresh the appeal against the Kuala Lumpur High Court judgment on the Allah controversy given Hishammuddin's remarks.
“With Hishamuddin's admission, the cabinet should do what it had failed to do these past six months after the (justice) Lau Bee Lan judgement in January, that is, take a policy decision that the home ministry should withdraw its appeal against the high court judgement allowing the Catholic Church to use the word "Allah" in the Bahasa Malaysia sections of its newspaper, The Herald, to demonstrate the government's seriousness and commitment to resolve the issue through inter-religious dialogue.”
Lim said this is the time for the cabinet to “take full responsibility” for the resolution of this controversy, especially as the original decision to file the appeal against the Lau judgment was made without reference to the cabinet.
“All cabinet ministers must be conscious of the principle of collective ministerial responsibility, as the appeal is not just the appeal of the Home Ministry but represents the appeal by the Barisan Nasional government and cabinet.
“With Hishammuddin's admission of the mistake by the former home minister in creating the "Allah" controversy, undermining Malaysia's multi-religious harmony, this is the time for the cabinet to revisit this issue to make a policy decision to drop the appeal or cabinet ministers would be failing in their individual and collective responsibility in continuing to drag out the controversy in allowing the appeal to remain in court, still unheard.”
(End)
