I was told the real meaning of Christmas when I was four years old at a Catholic kindergarten owned by Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. As for recent Christmas in Malaysia, please refer to my previous postings (http://d.hatena.ne.jp/itunalily2/20071225)(http://d.hatena.ne.jp/itunalily2/20081224)(http://d.hatena.ne.jp/itunalily2/20091225)(http://d.hatena.ne.jp/itunalily2/20101223)(http://d.hatena.ne.jp/itunalily2/20111225)(http://d.hatena.ne.jp/itunalily2/20121226). (Lily)
1. Liberty Sentinel（http://libertysentinel.wordpress.com）
JAIS says it will Track Down Christians Who Used the Allah Word, 25 December 2013
by Dr. Ng Kam Weng
JAIS certainly knows how to rub it in as it chose Christmas as the occasion to issue threats to the Christian community by declaring its intention to track down some Christians, who allegedly violated the law when they sang songs containing the Allah word in a recent meeting. I suppose JAIS has no need to show respect and sensitivity to the Christian community. Souring Christmas suits JAIS as it wants to impress and intimidate Christians with their bureaucratic power.
It is questionable whether JAIS has any jurisdiction over non-Muslims, especially over an issue that awaits final settlement in the Apex Civil Court. But legality aside, there is no need for such drama from JAIS. There is no need for public announcement about the lengths it will go through to identify Christians and threaten them with punishment.
It is a given that Bahasa speaking Christians will continue to use the Allah word, as no faith community can jettison its centuries-old way of life simply because of a questionable court ruling. Identifying these Christians can’t be any simpler. For a start, there are scores of Bahasa speaking churches in West Malaysia. All that JAIS officials need to do is visit these churches on Sunday morning. They won’t be disappointed as it can be guaranteed that these Christians will be using the Allah word in their liturgy, songs, prayers and sermons. The only surprise for them is that they find Christians will still welcome them into the house of God despite their malicious intentions.
Ambitious JAIS officials may take note that it is even easier to identify and catch bigger fishes than ordinary folks found in churches. There are presently quite a few ministers in the Federal Cabinet and many more deputy ministers from East Malaysia who are Christians. Visit them in Putra Jaya. Surely there is no better place for JAIS officials to begin in their determined effort to track down Christians who use the Allah word.
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The Malaysian Insider
Selangor religious authorities Hunt for Christians Who used ‘Allah’ Illegally, 25 December 2013
by Muzliza Mustafa
It might be Christmas Day cheer across the world but Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) officials are not feeling the festive occasion as they look for a Christian group that used the word “Allah” in their worship illegally last weekend.
Malay newspapers had reported that the Christian group had allegedly used “Allah” at their Sunday function at a hotel in Klang, reigniting the battle for the word which is now before the country’s apex court.
A Court of Appeal ruling decided that the home minister has the power to restrict use of the world. The Government and religious authorities have not only gone to restrict Christians from using the word but have now started a campaign to outlaw Shia Islam in the country. There are only some 1,500 Shias but the number cannot be independently verified.
In the latest case, deputy director of Jais Ahmad Zaki Arshad said they had yet to get proof that the Christian group had used the word “Allah” in their meeting.
“We are seeking the assistance of the hotel management to view footage of the closed-circuit television camera to check on the validity of the claim. We cannot act, based on a photograph in a newspaper,” Ahmad Zaki told The Malaysian Insider. He said the department was seeking the cooperation of the event organisers to come forward to facilitate investigation.
“A photograph is insufficient evidence to act.”
Ahmad Zaki was referring to Utusan Malaysia’s report on Monday which carried a photograph of the event, with the words, “International Full Gospel Fellowship: Keluarga Allah satelit Nilai dan satelit Puchong, ‘Dari dalam gelap akan terbit terang’,” on a backdrop. The department is investigating the case under a 1988 enactment which bars non-Muslims from using the word “Allah”.
The daily had reported that some 200 people had attended the gathering, organised by International Full Gospel Fellowship. The report said those present sang songs containing the word “Allah”. Following this, two Muslim groups have called for action against a Christian group for allegedly using the word “Allah” at their function.
In their reaction, Pertubuhan Ikatan Kebajikan dan Dakwah Selangor (Ikddas) and Perkasa Selangor chapter urged Jais to investigate and act on the matter. “From a legal perspective, it is clear the use of the word ‘Allah’ is prohibited to non-Muslims. If the organiser uses the sacred word in a non-Islamic function, then Jais should not hesitate to take action against them,” Ikddas president Rosdi Long told Utusan. Selangor Perkasa chief Abu Bakar Yahya said it was inappropriate for non-Muslims to use the word, saying the Selangor sultan had issued a decree on the matter.
Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, who is also the Islamic religious head, recently called on non-Muslims in his state not to refer God as “Allah” and ordered that the word not be used in the Bible and in the Bahasa Malaysia section of Catholic weekly, Herald. This, he said, was to avoid causing confusion among Muslims in Selangor.
On October 14, the Court of Appeal ruled to uphold the Home Ministry’s ban on Herald’s use of the word “Allah”. – December 25, 2013.
2. The Malaysian Insider（http://www.themalaymailonline.com）
At Christmas celebration, PM urges end to fight over ‘Allah’, 25 December 2013
by Opalyn Mok
GEORGE TOWN, Dec 25 ― Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today urged Muslims and Christians to stop the increasingly acrimonious fight over “Allah”, warning that continued conflict over the Arabic word for God may irreparably harm ties between the faiths. In his address at the National Christmas Open House celebration here, he said both Christianity and Islam have common roots and are Abrahamic religions. “However, there are differences in the faiths of the two biggest religions in the world so the concept of God in Islam and in Christianity are quite different,” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); “But, if we continue to fight over this, it will only serve to damage the relationship between Muslims and Christians,” he said. He noted that the Muslims may not be able to accept the Christian interpretation on the concept of God and vice versa for the Christians. “So, rather than choosing this path of fighting over these differences, it is better that we find a common ground to preserve the peace, harmony and stability of the country,” he said in his speech at the Esplanade here. He told both groups to understand the sensitivities of each others’ religions so as not to offend one another. “Muslims should not hurt the feelings of Christians and likewise, Christians should not hurt the feelings of Muslims,” he said. He also referred to a point by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in the latter’s speech earlier that there should be love and compassion between the two faiths. “Even in Islam, we emphasised on love, compassion and mutual respect so if only we can find common values amongst different religions, then we can promote and upkeep the peace, harmony and stability,” he said. He added that he is not interested in winning an argument or in winning a legal argument but his main concern is on pursuing harmony, peace and stability for the country. Earlier, Najib had said the importance of harmony, peace and stability that he likened to oxygen and said he was committed to maintaining these as prime minister. “Like oxygen, we have taken it for granted but when we don’t have oxygen, we realised we can’t breathe, we need it and that it is very important to us,” he said. The tussle over “Allah” arose in 2008 when Catholic newspaper The Herald was barred by the Home Ministry from using the Arabic word. The Catholic Church had contested this in court and won a High Court decision in 2009 upholding its constitutional right to do so. Putrajaya later appealed the decision and successfully overturned the earlier decision when the Court of Appeal ruled this October that “Allah” was not integral to the Christian faith. The ruling has since sparked confusion over the use of the word by Christians in their worship, especially with conflicting opinions within the government itself on how far the ruling would affect practising Christians. Since the ruling, churches in Sabah and Sarawak have become more vocal in pressing for their right to use the term that they say is entrenched in the 20- and 18-point agreements with the two states, insisting they will continue their age-old practice of referring to God as “Allah” in their worship and in their holy scriptures. Islamic groups and authorities have of late also stepped up their “vigilance” against non-Muslims over their use of the word “Allah”, with a closed-door Christian event in Selangor now reportedly the subject of an investigation by the state Islamic religious department. The Catholic Church has since appealed to the country’s top court this week for clarity on the religious row that has drawn deep lines between Malaysia’s non-Muslim minorities and its 60 per cent Muslim population.
3. Malaysiakini（http://www.malaysiakini.com）
Archbishop roasts Najib over 'Allah' row, 25 December 2013
by Nigel Aw
Outgoing Archbishop Murphy Pakiam today broke from his normally non-confrontational stance to publicly criticise Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak for his insistence that the word "Allah" was exclusive to Muslims.
Najib had said this in his Maal Hijrah speech in November, which Pakiam described as disappointing and shocking.
"What did he say? Even if the world talks and laughs about this 'Allah' issue that Malaysia will not allow (its use by non-Muslims), we (government) will defend the exclusivity of its use.
"This is not a man who is educated in our Catholic school. By talking like that, you are just a bickering politician, I am praying that Allah will enlighten him to become a statesman," he said.
Najib was educated at St John's Institute, just adjacent to the Archbishop's house where the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) annual Christmas high tea was held today.
Pakiam said this to reporters when asked to respond to Najib's call to Muslims and Christian to cease the "Allah" debate at the national level Christmas open house in Penang today.
Pakiam: I still pray for Najib
Instead, Pakiam said Najib was the one who should stop preventing Christians from using the word "Allah".
Pakiam used Najib's experience in school as example as how the Christians community had helped Najib as a boy in a Catholic school and respected his Muslim faith.
"From a small boy, from primary school until form 3, he (Najib) has been there (St John's Institute).
"When it came to catechism (classes), his mother was disturbed because he was just a small boy going to a (Christian) religious class.
"But his mother had confidence in our brothers and phoned Brother Matthew who said: 'Please, don't worry, we will see that he doesn't go in'," he said.
As such, Pakiam said he hoped that Najib would do his duty and serve all Malaysians.
"You think I am not angry? But still? He is the prime minister, so I have to pray to god to please help him to do his duty for the whole country and not just Umno," he said.
Incitement of hatred
The Court of Appeal had in October overturned a High Court decision which ruled that the Home Ministry's ban against Christian publication The Herald from using the word 'Allah' was unconstitutional.
The Church is now appealing the decision at the Federal Court in the hope of reinstating the High Court's ruling.
Pakiam added that Najib's insistence of exclusivity for the word Allah was inciting right wing groups against the Christian community.
"He knows the law, he knows what is the judgment the judges gave and he (Najib) is saying: 'Oh it's allowed there (Sabah and Sarawak) but be careful in peninsula. So, don't stir this up, you are playing with fire.'
"That is inciting Perkasa fellows to come and throw bombs here," said Pakiam with a touch of frustration in his voice.
Legal experts have questioned the governments move to permit the use of the word "Allah" in East Malaysia yet continuing defending the Court of Appeal decision.
The Court of Appeal had ruled that the word Allah was "not an integral part of the Christian faith", a decision that affects Christians in both East and West Malaysia.
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