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Archbishop Joseph Marino, Vatican Envoy to Malaysia, applauded the arguments made by the Christian Federation of Malaysia to use “Allah” in its texts to refer to God as very well done.
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Published on Jul 19, 2013
Some 30 people, led by Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali, have submitted a protest note to the embassy of the Holy See in Kuala Lumpur, demanding that the Vatican appoint a new envoy to Malaysia. Ibrahim says Joseph Marino’s reported support of the use of ‘Allah’ to refer to God among Christians go against diplomatic etiquette and suggests he supports the Opposition.
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Malaysiakini
Some 30 people, led by Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali, submitted a protest note to the embassy of the Holy See in Kuala Lumpur, demanding that the Vatican appoint a new envoy to Malaysia.
However, none of the embassy officials came out to meet the group, forcing Ibrahim to hand over a copy of the note to the police guard.
He also pasted another copy on the guard house wall.
Ibrahim, who was accompanied by Jati president Hasan Ali, said current ambassador Archbishop Joseph Marino’s apology was not sufficient.
Perkasa and other Muslim groups are upset with Marino’s reported move to laud a local church’s campaign to include the Arabic word ‘Allah’ to refer to God amongst Christians.
Sorry no cure, Perkasa demands new Vatican envoy
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Malaysian Insider
Malay NGOs march to Vatican diplomatic mission, demand that envoy leave country
Several Malay non-governmental organisations, led by Perkasa and Jati, gathered in front of the Apostolic Nunciature off Jalan U Thant demanding that Vatican envoy Archbishop Joseph Marino leave the country.
They also demanded that the nuncio apologise for the statements he made in support of the arguments by the Christian Federation of Malaysia on the use of the word “Allah” by Christians here. – July 19, 2013.
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Malaysian Insider
Side Views
The crime of a Christian agreeing with another – The Malaysian Insider
Speaking as Barisan Nasional Youth leader, Khairy said that Wisma Putra should issue a protest note to the Vatican representative to Malaysia for purportedly supporting the use of the term “Allah” by Christians.
“It’s a national problem which is still being debated….
“This is a matter of interference. Whether or not it (ban of word) has been agreed to or not is within court proceedings,” Khairy had said.
Now, this is strange. For one, as Umno Youth chief, he had also “interfered” in the affairs of other countries by issuing countless statements and memos – particularly in the Middle East.
The only one in the Najib administration with a different view is Senator Datuk Paul Low, who happens to be a Christian.
“The Vatican is a sovereign state. We have relations with many other sovereign nations, we speak about trade, we speak about investment, even politics. So as far as the Vatican is concerned, it is a sovereign state that deals with religion and with God.
“These are issues that they can speak about and we should be more accommodating to accept the viewpoints from the outside and after all as they look after the practice of religion especially of the Roman Catholics in any country,” he was quoted as saying by the Malaysia-Chronicle website.
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Should we shut people up because they disagree with what we say? But they must listen to what we say? Isn’t that doublespeak?
Paul Low is right, and his Cabinet colleagues should consider his point too, that we have to be more accommodating in this matter and resolve it rather than dismissing the argument with a protest note. – July 16, 2013.
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Now Khairy Jamaluddin puts in his two sen’s worth…
Malaysiakini
BN Youth has urged Wisma Putra to issue a protest note to the Vatican representative to Malaysia for purportedly supporting the use of the term “Allah” by Christians.
“This is a very delicate and sensitive issue in the country,” said its chairperson Khairy Jamaluddin told a press conference today.
He hoped the note to the Vatican government would stem the flow of comments on such issues as it could further complicate matters.
“It’s a national problem which is still being debated. The archbishop (Joseph Marino) is not helping the situation at all. His statement could complicate the situation.”
“This is a matter of interference. Whether or not it (ban of word) has been agreed to or not is within court proceedings,” Khairy said.
“The majority of Muslims in the country have disagreed with (the judgment) and have requested for the court to review its decision. But it is still our affair, and the archbishop shouldn’t intervene.”
KJ urges Wisma Putra to censure Vatican envoy
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Malaysia Chronicle
Saturday, 13 July 2013 20:47
Najib – chide Perkasa, Jati? Forget it, he won’t do a thing – Jui Meng
Written by Mariam Begum, Malaysia Chronicle
“Is this new? Is it the worst attack ever? I think we have gone through even worst in recent years when even churches were burned down. We have to accept the fact that unless Malaysians react more strongly, Najib is just going to sit still and do nothing. He and UMNO-BN have just won another 5-year mandate, do you think they are worried,” PKR vice president Chua Jui Meng told Malaysia Chronicle.
“Of course, the behavior of Perkasa and Jati needs to be condemned but do you think they are bothered. In fact, the more publicity they squeeze, the more happy they are. If there were no issues, they would face irrelevance. So this ‘deja-vu’ is what we have been trying to warn Malaysians about. We are looking at the next 5 years the same as the previous 5 years – stagnant, filled with racism, religious bigotry and hot air.”
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…Ibrahim Ali and Hasan Ali have home-ground advantage and excellent rabble-rousing skills. They also know they will not be arrested or held liable by Najib’s government even if they stir up trouble as that would dent Najib’s credentials as a Muslim leader with the hardline Islamists in this country.
“The eyes of the world are on Malaysia. If Najib allows Perkasa and Jati to get too extreme, Malaysia will become a laughing stock to the international community. We might even be downgraded to the level of an extremist country. Let’s see how far Najib will let Perkasa and Jati go this time. It will be a sign of what Malaysians and international investors can expect from the Umno-BN government in the coming years – will it be more regression and deterioration?” said Jui Meng.
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Meanwhile, Council of Churches Malaysia president Bishop Philip Lok has demanded that Najib makes a stand on the matter, calling on the PM to do the “right thing and reject extremism”.
“We appreciate that two years ago the Prime Minister had established ties with the Vatican. He has worked hard for that. Does he want to jeopardise the good relationship that he has fostered with them over the years?” Philip was quoted as saying by the Malaysian Insider.
“He should put an end to this and not succumb to their demands. The people of Malaysia have had enough of this. They have been saying all sorts of things against the Christians, in particular. This is no different. But the Government is not seen to be taking any action against these people who have been causing religious tension in the country.”
Malaysia Chronicle
Najib – chide Perkasa, Jati? Forget it, he won’t do a thing – Jui Meng
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Malaysian Insider
Bishop calls for Najib to take stand against Perkasa, Jati
Najib, seen here at a Christmas party last year, must stand up to the extreme comments from groups like Perkasa and Jati, say local Christian leaders. The Malaysian Insider pic, July 13, 2013.Christians have had enough of the bashing from the likes of Perkasa and other Malay rights groups. They expect Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to intervene and “do the right thing” by rejecting such extremism.
This was the stand of the president of the Council of Churches Malaysia, Bishop Philip Lok. He was speaking to The Malaysian Insider in the wake of the demands by Perkasa and Jati that the Vatican’s envoy Archbishop Joseph Marino withdraw his support for the local church’s campaign to use the word Allah and that he must apologise within seven days.
Bishop calls for Najib to take stand against Perkasa, Jati
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Malaysian Insider
Jamil Khir says Vatican envoy’s remarks can cause disunity
July 13, 2013
Vatican City Ambassador to Malaysia Archbishop Joseph Marino should not have issued the statement on the use of the word ‘Allah’ as it has created anxiety among the public and can threaten unity among Malaysians, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said.
He said such a statement should not be made by any quarters to respect the sensitivity of Muslims in the country.
“The religious tolerance in this country should be taken into account by all quarters when issuing statements that could be interpreted as disrupting racial harmony in Malaysia,” he said in a statement today.
He said the National Fatwa Council had issued a ruling that the word “Allah” was specially for use by Muslims in the country and should not be abused by any quarters.
“I advise all quarters to not make a polemic of the issue on the word Allah until a decision is made by the court,” he added.
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Malaysiakini
Catholic Bishop Dr Paul Tan Chee Ing said he was astonished at the umbrage felt by some Muslim NGOs over Vatican envoy to Malaysia Archbishop Joseph Marino’s support for the local church’s campaign to use the term ‘Allah’ in faith education and in their rituals of prayer and worship.
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“The nuncio’s remarks should not seen as an interference in Malaysia’s internal affairs any more than the demand of some demonstrators at some embassies in Kuala Lumpur recently that our government reject the goings-on in Egypt and Syria constitutes interference in those nations’ affairs,” said Bishop Paul Tan, who is the head of the Catholic Church in the Malacca-Johor diocese.
“Certain issues are of such spiraling resonance that they transcend the boundaries within which they are properly dealt with such that comment on them by parties seemingly attenuated from the fray cannot be regarded as exceeding the bounds of propriety,” argued the Jesuit-trained prelate.
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“You will notice the nuncio uttered a disclaimer of intent to interfere in our internal affairs before giving an opinion on the logic behind arguments for the use of the ‘Allah’ term.”
Bishop Paul Tan described as “gimmicky sabre-rattling” the demand of some agitated NGOs that the government close down the Vatican’s embassy if the envoy does not apologise and retract his remarks on the Allah issue.
“Rash talk is cheap especially on the part of those who do not have the responsibility,” said the bishop.
Bishop astonished by Muslim NGOs’ reaction
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Malaysiakini
Two Malay rights groups today urged Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to close down the office of the Vatican representative to Malaysia if the latter does not retract his statement about usage of the word ‘Allah’ by Christians in a week’s time.
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“If he does not retract his statement in seven days, we will have a delegation meet with the government to ask the prime minister via Wisma Putra to close the Vatican office and ask that the ambassador be sent back to the Vatican.”
Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali, meanwhile, concurred and said that his organisation shares the same opinion as Jati and Hasan.
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Meanwhile, Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (Yadim), a government-funded foundation, also urged Archbishop Marino to retract his statement.
Its president Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said that the statement made was not consistent with the diplomatic spirit between Malaysia and the Vatican, while also calling it sub judice since the matter is still in the courts.
Perkasa, Jati want M’sian Vatican office to be closed
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Malaysiakini
A coalition of Malay Muslim NGOs today urged the government to “chase away” the Vatican ambassador to Malaysia for meddling in “Islamic affairs in the country”.
The coalition, whose members include the Muslim Consumers Association Malaysia (PPIM), claimed that Archbishop Joseph Marino’s endorsement of Christians using the world ‘Allah’ proved that the ambassador has “bad intentions”.
Chase Vatican rep from M’sia, urges Muslim NGO group
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Ultra-racist Perkasa president, Datuk Ibrahim Ali: Say Sorry or GET OUT!
Malaysian Insider
Malay groups give ultimatum to Vatican envoy – apologise or get out
Jati and Perkasa have given seven days to the Vatican’s first envoy to Malaysia to retract his support of the local Catholic Church using “Allah” to describe God or the Malay-Muslim groups will push for his ouster.
Both groups said they would urge Putrajaya to close Vatican Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Joseph Marino’s office and remove the papal representative from his post in the country if his statement is not retracted.
“We strongly criticise the statement made by Archbishop Marino,” Jati president Datuk Hasan Ali told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.
Perkasa’s president Datuk Ibrahim Ali wants the public and Archbishop Marino to be clear on three things.
“First, we criticise his statement. Second, he has seven days to retract his statement,” said Ibrahim.
“Third, if he fails to do so, we will urge the government to shut the embassy and chase him out.
Malay groups give ultimatum to Vatican envoy – apologise or get out
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Malaysian Insider
Vatican’s first resident envoy to Malaysia on use of the word, Allah, the beauty of Islam, and on a lighter note, durians…
UPDATED @ 07:14:57 PM 11-07-2013
In his first interview with the Malaysian media, the first resident diplomat sent by the Vatican to live and work in this country responded to the controversial issue of the use of the Arabic word, Allah, to describe god in any religion, as well as the very current hot button topic of religious conversions.
Archbishop Joseph Marino (pic) said he supports the stand of the Catholic Church in Malaysia.
He applauded the arguments made by the Christian Federation of Malaysia to use “Allah” in its texts to refer to God as very well done.
Archbishop Marino qualified that although the ongoing court case was an internal matter for Malaysia, he was in support of the Christian federation’s arguments for the term, saying they were “quite logical and acceptable”.
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weehingthong 