1. Malaysian Insider （http://www.themalaysianinsider.com）
(1) Convert to Islam, Umno veterans club tells Catholic priest in centre of Allah row, 2 January 2014
A veteran Umno leader has called on a senior Catholic priest to convert to Islam if he insisted on using the word “Allah”, saying that this will cool the rage of Muslims and comply with the Sultan of Selangor’s decree, reported Umno mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia.
Umno Veterans Club secretary Datuk Mustapha Yaakub said they are ready to hold the conversion ceremony anytime for Catholic weekly Herald editor Father Lawrence Andrew.
“We are ready to hold the ceremony for his conversion to Islam anytime after he gets hidayah (guidance) from Allah.
“We will ensure that he becomes an imam (Muslim leader) and a preacher that is successful and respected,” he was quoted as saying by the Malay daily.
Ahmad Zaharin Mohd Saad, Jais's newly appointed director, in an interview last week had said that the state religious authorities would draw up a list of Selangor churches before writing to ask them to comply with the Selangor Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation among Muslims) Enactment 1988.
“We will write to all the churches in Selangor to respect the law that is in force in relation to this,” he was quoted as saying.
The enactment, which was passed by the then Barisan Nasional state government, prohibits non-Muslims in Selangor from using 35 Arabic words and phrases, including “Allah”, “nabi” (prophet), “injil” (gospel) and “Insha’Allah” (God willing).
However, lawyers had challenged the move saying that it was unconstitutional.
The latest to do so is the Catholic Lawyers' Society.
Its president, Viola De Cruz Silva, said today that there were no provisions in the Federal Constitution banning non-Muslims from propagating their religion in their community or to other non-Muslim communities or groups.
"Therefore, any intended letter from Jais to the churches in Selangor would be invalid," she said in a statement.
Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikkhism and Taoism president Jagir Singh said the 2009 decision by High Court judge Datuk Lau Bee Lan ruled that non-Muslims could use words like “Allah”, provided it was confined to their own religious groups.
“It is only an offence by non-Muslims to use such words to propagate their religion to Muslims,” he told The Malaysian Insider.
(2) Marina Mahathir kecam Putrajaya kerana biarkan isu sensitif tanpa pembetulan, 2 Januari 2014
Anak perempuan kepada perdana menteri paling lama Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad hari ini mengecam Putrajaya yang terus diam dengan isu-isu panas yang dimainkan kerana ia boleh menimbulkan perbalahan dan memberi kesan kepada negara.
Dalam ruangannya di akhbar The Star, Musings, Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir mengeluh tentang kepimpinan negara yang boleh melaungkan perpaduan tetapi diam terhadap kenyataan sensitif yang dibuat oleh pihak-pihak tertentu.
"Apakah jenis kepimpinan yang kita ada yang mulutnya bercakap tentang kesederhanaan dan perpaduan, namun sama sekali tidak berbuat apa-apa terhadap penyataan melampau yang dibuat bukan sahaja oleh apa yang dipanggil badan bukan kerajaan, tetapi juga oleh beberapa pemimpin kerajaan?
“Adakah mereka sedar atau takut? Dan jika mereka takut, mengapa?" tanya beliau dalam tulisannya.
Tulisannya ini telah menyentuh sanubari rakyat Malaysia apabila mereka menyebarkannya melalui laman sosial Facebook dan juga Twitter.
Tanpa namakan mana-mana pihak, Marina menulis, pemimpin negara lebih senang menghabiskan masa untuk mempertahankan kesilapan yang dibuat oleh keluarga sendiri daripada bercakap untuk pihak yang lemah dan tidak terbela dalam masyarakat.
"Ia sangat memalukan," katanya kerana rakyat Malaysia dipimpin oleh orang-orang yang jahil, tidak berpengetahuan tetapi bangga menjadi demikian.
"Kita berharap rakyat Malaysia yang terbaik semasa semua perayaan, tapi bagaimana ia tiba-tiba menjadi ancaman kepada iman kita?
“Atau adakah iman kita begitu rapuh dan tidak dapat menghadapinya? "tanya beliau hari ini.
Marina juga menulis, hampir setiap hari rakyat dilarang dari menyentuh sesuatu menyebabkan slogan "Malaysia Boleh" sudah menjadi "Malaysia Tidak Boleh".
"Kami diberitahu kita tidak boleh baik antara satu sama lain kerana ia mungkin mengancam iman sebahagian daripada kita. Kita diberitahu bahawa kita tidak boleh bercakap terus-terang kerana sesetengah orang mungkin akan tersinggung.
"Jadi, pada asasnya, rakyat Malaysia berbangga sebenarnya mempunyai iman yang lemah yang memerlukan bantuan kerajaan yang berterusan dan mempunyai rasa rendah diri.
"Inilah cara berfikir mereka dan mereka kira ini cara yang paling cepat ke syurga iaitu dengan menindas orang lain. Cantik!" katanya.
Dia juga menulis, negara sekarang mempunyai kerajaan yang berkuasa tetapi tidak disukai rakyatnya, tetapi mereka (kerajaan) tidak faham mengapa.
"Dan dalam jawapannya, mereka kira semua yang rakyat mahu ialah menjadi lebih beragama dan untuk dibeli," katanya.
Marina mengakhiri ruangannya dengan berharap tahun 2014 ini lebih ramai rakyat yang bangkit dan faham bahawa negara berada dalam bahaya.
"Untuk berjaya dalam dunia hari ini adalah dengan menjadi kuat. Kekuatan datangnya dari ilmu dan memahami realiti hidup hari ini dan bukan hidup dalam pulau fantasi bersama orang jahat," tulisnya. – 2 Januari, 2014.
(3) Pengunaan kalimah ‘Allah’ tidak akan menggugat anak muda Islam, 4 Januari 2014
oleh Siti Nor Zaimah Zaini
Saya sebagai rakyat Malaysia berasa prihatin akan isu sensitif yang boleh menganggu keamanan negara. Di sini, saya ingin berkongsi pendapat sebagai seorang yang beragama islam mengenai isu penggunaan kalimah "Allah" oleh orang bukan Islam.
Ingin saya menyelak kembali muka surat dalam buku pengajian am bahawa Malaysia merupakan sebuah negara yang terdiri daripada kemajmukan pelbagai bilangan bangsa dan kaum. Termaktub di dalam perlembagaan negara ialah, kebebasan beragama yang sedia terjamin.
Manakala, kepercayaan kepada Tuhan merupakan salah satu daripada rukun Negara. Jika disentuh isu kepercayaan kepada Tuhan, sudah tentu agama yang dianuti oleh berbilang kaum juga mempunyai konsep ketuhanan yang berlainan.
Sungguhpun mengikut definisi di dalam agama Islam itu dimana Allah tidak tiga, Allah bukan Bapa, Allah tidak beranak dan tidak diberanakkan. Ini bercanggah sama sekali dengan pemahaman Kristian dan juga agama-agama lain.
Namun begitu, tidaklah adil jika ayat-ayat untuk beribadah oleh agama itu sendiri tidak dibenarkan oleh agama lain kerana maksud yang berlainan.
Sungguhpun isu ini berlaku di Semenanjung, tidakkah mereka, pihak yang bertanggungjawab mengetahui, ramai antara anak-anak kelahiran Sarawak dan Sabah melanjutkan pelajaran di Semenanjung, akan berasa kepincangan masalah tersebut sedang mereka beribadah di gereja-gereja Semenanjung. Bukankah menunaikan ibadah itu di mana-mana sahaja dan negara Malaysia bebas beragama.
Ramai antara kawan-kawan saya menganut agama Kristian dan mereka mengunakan Bible terjemahan bahasa Indonesia di mana tertulisnya penggunaan kalimah "Allah". Bayangkan, jika kita berada dalam situasi mereka, tidak dibenarkan menggunakan kalimah-kalimah berkaitan agama kita, tidakkah kita berasa terancam dan tidak selesa dalam menunaikan ibadah? Dan sekarang, bayangkan bagaimana perasaan mereka ketika ini.
Mungkin ramai beranggapan pengunaan kalimah "Allah" akan mengoyahkan keimanan anak-anak muda Islam itu sendiri. Saya ingin berkongsi sedikit di mana sudah menjadi kebiasaan, saya sebagai anak kelahiran Sarawak, menyentuh isu agama sering menjadi bahan perdebatan, sama ada secara dasar mahupun dengan lebih dalam, semenjak di bangku sekolah lagi.
Saya ingin tampil sebagai anak muda yang beragama Islam, sekiranya seseorang itu lengkap dengan pendidikan Islam itu, maka akan terpeliharalah akidahnya daripada terpesong. Sekiranya, pembacaan Bible dikhuathiri menyesatkan, di sini saya katakan tidak kerana ia bukan sahaja membantu menambah ilmu pengetahuan malah mampu menerapkan dasar hormat kepada agama lain.
Debat secara sihat boleh diadakan dan memahami konsep agama masing-masing bukan saja menguatkan ukhuwah Islamiah bahkan ukhuwah filliah. Bukan sahaja itu, ini melahirkan generasi yang ingin tahu serta lebih mendalami ilmu agama itu sendiri.
Saya berpendapat tiada apa-apa masalah jika pengunaan kalimah ‘Allah’ tidak disalahgunakan oleh mana-mana pihak. Adalah lebih baik lagi jika penyelesaian akan isu pengunaan kalimah "Allah" ini dapat
diselesaikan secara aman dan rasional. Di sini, disarankan agar pihak berkuasa mengetatkan pencetakkan dan pemeliharaan isi pati terjemahan Al-Quran.
Selain itu, penekanan mengenai penyebaran Islam perlu dibuat dengan lebih dalam di kalangan umat itu, di samping mengelakkan pengunaan kalimah "Allah" secara songsang di dalam negara. – 4 Januari, 2014.
・Ini adalah pendapat peribadi penulis dan tidak semestinya mewakili pandangan The Malaysian Insider.
(4) Bracing for protests over Allah, Christians meet Muslims bearing flowers, 5 January 2014
by Yiswaree Palansamy
Bearing flowers, Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir was among some Muslims who turned up at the Our Lady of Lourdes Church. – The Malaysian Insider pic, January 5, 2014.Nearly 1,000 Catholics turned up for Sunday mass at the Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Klang, Selangor, this morning expecting an angry mob of Muslims protesting the possible use of the word Allah in prayers but instead, met a group bearing flowers.
Among the few Muslims who turned up was social activist Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, who brought a bouquet of flowers, and was part of a group expressing solidarity with the Christians.
The daughter of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad lambasted Putrajaya over its inaction and told it to forget about the ambitious Visit Malaysia Year launched with much fanfare last night.
"Who wants to visit a Malaysia like this where there is no moderation?
"Hardly an example of moderation, we are now known as a country which grabs Bibles," she said outside the church.
Marina arrived at the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes in Klang, bearing a bouquet of flowers, with members from non-governmental organisation (NGO), Sisters in Islam (SIS), and several others who turned up in a show of solidarity with Christians.
"We are here to show solidarity with the congregation. A lot of us here are Muslims and we believe Islam is a religion of peace.
"It is not something that we only say (in words), but there must also be action," she told journalists outside the church.
After the service ended, she passed flowers to parish priest, Reverend Father Michael Chua, with worshippers cheering and applauding the act.
On Thursday, a coalition of Malay-Muslim groups had said that they would gather at the church to deliver a memorandum protesting against the Christians' insistence on using the word Allah.
The Klang Muslims Solidarity Secretariat was the first to name the church where the planned protest would take place.
Its president, Mohd Khairi Hussin, had said ties between Muslims and Christians had been cordial before the church insisted on using the Arabic word Allah in its worship.
During the sermon today, Chua also told the congregation to keep Herald editor, Reverend Father Lawrence Andrew, in their prayers.
"Father Lawrence is now bearing the brunt of everything. We have to pray for him," Chua said.
Several worshippers expressed their appreciation to Marina and the rest of the solidarity group.
"We are really glad for the group which came to support us. They know this is gross injustice by some politicians," a worshipper KJK Koshy said.
"What wrong did we do? Why grab the Bibles? Thank God for some sensible people who are around," he said, pointing to Marina’s group.
R. Gomathi said that while she was initially appalled with the way the issue was blown out of proportion, she felt glad to see the solidarity group at the church today.
"For me, it is a wonderful day to see people of all races coming together in the name of solidarity," Gomathi said.
For Fiona Biggs, the solidarity shown by Marina and the other Muslims was heartwarming.
"Nothing much from the government but the support from common people like Marina and her Muslim friends is nice,” she said.
Meanwhile, a gathering was held today by the Muslim Solidarity Klang at Padang Sultan Sulaiman Klang to protest against the use of Allah by non-Muslims.
Last Thursday’s seizure of some 300 copies of the Bible by the Selangor Religious Affairs Department (Jais) in the Malay and Iban language further strained worsening ties between Muslims and Christians over the usage of the Arabic word Allah which translates as God.
Although global Islamic scholars have clarified that the term can be used by anyone, state Islamic authorities in Malaysia have reacted negatively to reports of churches using the word Allah in its Malay language sermons.
The tussle over the word Allah arose in 2008 when 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 last October that "Allah was not integral to the Christian faith".
Christians make up about 9% of the Malaysian population, or 2.6 million. Almost two-thirds of them are Bumiputera and are largely based in Sabah and Sarawak, where they routinely use Bahasa Malaysia and indigenous languages in their religious practices, including describing God as Allah in their prayers and holy book.
Besides the Bumiputera Christians from East Malaysia, some of whom have moved to the peninsula to live and work, Orang Asli Christians in the peninsula also typically use Bahasa Malaysia in their worship. – January 5, 2014.
2. Malaysiakini (http://beta.malaysiakini.com)
Progressive Muslims defend Klang church, 5 January 2014
Amid threats of protest by Muslim pressure groups at a church in Klang this morning, progressive Muslims made a stand outside the church to defend their fellow Christian Malaysians.
Among the group was Marina Mahathir, daughter of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad who like some 40 others, came bearing flowers and stood outside the Our Lady of Lourdes church as mass was in session.
"We are here to show solidarity with the congregation. A lot of us here are Muslims and we believe Islam is a religion of peace.
"It is not something that we only say (in words), but there must also be action," she told journalists outside the church.
A conservative Muslim group dubbed Sekretariat Solidariti Muslim Klang had planned to protest outside the Church after Lawrence Andrew, the editor of Christian publication The Herald, insisted that Christians will continue to use the word Allah.
However, in the face of mounting tension and criticism, they later decided to relocate their protest to a nearby field.
Selangor Umno which initially said that it too will protest in front of Churches, yesterday banned its members from attending such demonstrations, citing the need to maintain harmony.
Business as usual
Some 900 people turned up at the Church this morning for 8am mass proceeded as usual with parish priest Michael Chua leading the mass.
Lady of Lourdes Church administrator EA Louis said the congregation today, which spilled outside the Church and had to sit on plastic chairs, were no more than the usual.
"It's like any other Sunday. We all know it is our obligation to come pray and worship. We don't feel threatened. Nothing at all," he said.
He added that it was the right of any group to protest and the Church is leaving the matter to the authorities.
However, he expressed concern that interfaith relations may be affected until government leaders are willing to speak up.
The mass was like any other, with hymns and prayers until the very end, where Chua specifically addressed the recent controversy.
"A word of appreciation to the parishioners for not being cowered by what is happening and coming to mass to worship God," he said.
Chua also thanked supporters from other Churches as well as the Bar Council and MPs such as Seputeh's Teresa Kok and Klang's Charles Santiago who were present.
"The police have contained the protesters at a stadium on the other side so we pray they will be able to demonstrate and express their grievances peacefully and hopefully not march to the Church.
"Father Lawrence has also taken the brunt of blame for everything, and we pray for him. May good sense prevail," he said.
'Gesture of peace'
Later, Chua, met with Marina and the group she was with outside the Church and personally thanked them for support and they reciprocated by handing him flowers.
"I think it is a wonderful gesture to have so many Muslims come in solidarity. We hope this will grow - the ability to see beyond barriers and boundaries and to open hands in friendship to each other," he said.
At this, Marina replied: "It is a reciprocal gesture of peace. In Myanmar, the Archbishop of Rangoon also spoke up for the Rohingyas (Muslims). That is how it should be."
The "Muslim defenders" today were part of a Facebook initiative dubbed "In the Name of Allah" which invited to Muslims to defend the Church from the planned protest.
At least seven police personnel were spotted guarding the Church perimeter while another two community police members were assisting with traffic.
The congregation dispersed peacefully after mass ended at around 9am.
（End）
