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The ‘Allah’ case at the Court of Appeal
ALLAH ISSUE: Summary of Judgment, Court of Appeal
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The 10th General Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Busan,
Malaysian Insider
World Christian leaders voice concern over Allah ruling
BY JENNIFER GOMEZ
November 16, 2013
Christian leaders from around the world, who congregated in South Korea last week, expressed concern over the controversial Allah ruling, saying the decision had increased religious tension in Malaysia.
The church leaders, who were attending a world assembly, voiced their concern and discontent over the situation in Malaysia where Christians were being denied their right to use the word Allah, said Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM) general secretary Reverend Dr Herman Shastri.
Herman, who attended the 10th General Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Busan, said that a public statement issued by WCC following the assembly had noted that church leaders found that restrictions on the use of the word had worsened religious hatred and tension.
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He added that church leaders from the Middle East and many other countries in the world had voiced their discontent over the situation in Malaysia at the assembly.
The church leaders also expressed deep concern on inteference by the state in the decision-making process of religious groups and the imposition of religious laws through state sanctions.
World Christian leaders voice concern over Allah ruling
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Malaysian Insider
Sabah church group says can’t stop them using Allah to instruct Christians
Christians form the majority of Sabah and Sarawak. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, October 30, 2013.
Law enforcement agencies must prosecute Christians who attempt to proselytize Muslims but the Sidang Injil Borneo (SIB) is totally against Putrajaya banning the word Allah from being used for religious instructions to Christians.
SIB Sabah president Reverend Datuk Jeffrey W. A. Dusing said there were many laws in the country which can be used to act against the minority who attempt to convert Muslims, but “the majority of Christians should not be punished”.
“Putrajaya cannot tell us we cannot use the word as it violates religious freedom and constitutional rights,” he told reporters after attending a case management on the Sabah church group’s challenge against the Home Minister’s seizure of religious books that contained the word Allah.
He said there was never a threat of public disorder or to national security nationwide when Christians used the word during prayers and worship in the past.
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The Court of Appeal says that the Catholic weekly The Herald cannot use the word ‘Allah’ in the publication to refer to ‘God’.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, “The ban on the use of the word Allah only applies to the Catholic weekly, Herald, and not other Christian publications or the Al-Kitab, the Bahasa Malaysia bible which is widely used in Sabah and Sarawak.”
However, Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua tells the Deputy Home Minister not to talk ‘rubbish’.
He said the chairing judge Datuk Seri Mohamed Apandi Ali’s argument enforces exclusivity of the word Allah to Muslims only, and reminded that East and West Malaysia fell under the same set of laws.
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Sarawak Land Development Minister Tan Sri Dr James Masing, “OK in Sabah and Sarawak, but not OK in the peninsula. How am I going to pray if I am in the peninsula?”
Malaysian Insider
One country, two interpretations of Allah – it’s awkward, say critics
BY V. ANBALAGAN AND DESMOND DAVIDSON
October 17, 2013
“Why do we have one country with two interpretations of the use of the word Allah?” Sarawak Land Development Minister Tan Sri Dr James Masing asked this when commenting on the Cabinet decision yesterday that the Court of Appeal ruling, which banned the word Allah in the Catholic weekly, Herald, does not apply to Sabah and Sarawak.
“I’m not comfortable with this interpretation. The assurance by the Cabinet that Sabah and Sarawak can use the word Allah in the Bahasa Malaysia or native language bibles, and other religious publications and in worship, but not in West Malaysia, is not satisfactory,” Masing told The Malaysian Insider, adding that he still thinks that the court ruling is faulty. “It means one nation with two religious definitions of what is acceptable. I feel awkward.”
Masing, who is the president of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), also said the assurance given by the Cabinet “looks like political expediency” and would create more problems than it would solve.
One country, two interpretations of Allah – it’s awkward, say critics
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Malaysian Insider
Pakatan supports non-Muslims over the use of Allah
BY ELIZABETH ZACHARIAH
October 17, 2013
Pakatan Rakyat (PR) maintained its stand today that non-Muslims can refer to God as Allah, despite the Court of Appeal’s Monday ruling that banned the Catholic weekly, Herald, from using the word.
“We remain consistent with what we said earlier,” said opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pic) at a press conference at the PKR headquarters in Tropicana today. Also present were DAP’s Lim Kit Siang and Datuk Mustafa Ali from PAS.
The opposition pact had in January this year said they supported the non-Muslims’ use of the word Allah in their publications and worship.
“We ask everyone to remain calm while waiting for the judiciary process to continue and the appeal to happen,” Anwar said.
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The Sikh scriptures are recited during weddings and home purification ceremonies. There are some 180 gurdwara (temples) in the country, with about 10 in Sabah and Sarawak.
Malaysian Insider
Sikhs will use Allah as it is in their holy scriptures, says Gurdwara council chief
Jagir Singh stresses the word Allah has been used by Sikhs for more than 6 centuries. The Malaysian Insider pic by Nazir Sufari, October 16, 2013.
Sikhs will continue to use the word Allah in their religious practices as the word appeared numerous times in their holy scriptures, said the Malaysian Gurdwara Council president Jagir Singh.
“There is no way the word can be excluded since it is found in the Guru Granth Sahib, just like in the holy Quran for Muslims,” he said, adding that Sikhs throughout the world has used the word in the past six centuries.
He said the 350,000 faithful in Malaysia can continue to use the word found in the holy scriptures despite the Court of Appeal decision on Monday when it banned the word Allah from being used in the Bahasa Malaysia section of the Catholic weekly, Herald.
Sikhs will use Allah as it is in their holy scriptures, says Gurdwara council chief
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Malaysian Insider
Wan Junaidi’s remark on Allah issue is “complete trash”, says Tony Pua
BY RITA JONG
October 16, 2013
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar has been taken to task by a DAP leader over his statement that the decision by the Court of Appeal on Monday prohibiting the use of the word Allah was only applicable to Catholic weekly Herald.
Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua said Wan Junaidi’s statement was merely an attempt to salvage votes for Barisan Nasional in Sarawak, and dismissed it as “complete trash”
“The Deputy Home Minister is talking complete and utter rubbish, putting up the most illogical of defences for the government,” said Pua, the DAP national publicity secretary.
He said the judgment by the Court of Appeal did not specify that the use of Allah was prohibited only in Herald but also banned the use of the word by all other religions.
“In fact, the chairing judge Datuk Seri Mohamed Apandi Ali clearly stated in his written judgment that ‘the most possible and probable threat to Islam, in the context of this country, is the propagation of the other religions to the followers of Islam’,” said Pua.
Wan Junaidi’s remark on Allah issue is “complete trash”, says Tony Pua
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Free Malaysia Today
S’wak Christian BN leaders rebel
Administration remains cautious, refusing to comment on the banning of Christians from using ‘Allah’ in their prayers until it sees the written judgment.
KUCHING: Christian BN leaders here have rebelled and declared that they will continue to mouth the term “Allah” in their worship irrespective of the latest ruling by the Court of Appeal barring its use.
Whilst BN leaders in Sabah have kept mum, in Sarawak the affront has been widely reported.
The majority of Sarawak’s population are Christians while in Sabah although on record Christians are a minority, in reality many of the outwardly Muslims are closet practitioners.
Many here are in shock over the court ruling, especially since Umno-BN’s hold in Putrajaya is hugely dependent on Borneo MPs.
Senior Minister James Masing called the decision the “second” misjustice by the judicial system which he alleged was ignorant of the socio-cultural and economic situation in Borneo.
Masing was referring to an earlier court decision on native customary rights (NCR) land sale.
“As a Christian I’m sad to know of the court ruling. The court must understand that Christians in Sarawak have used Allah for over 100 years in Sarawak.
“The court must realise that the the word Allah predates Islam. We must not politice religion,” said Masing reminding those in power that history remembers that the most vicious wars were fought in the name of religion.
“We must never allow it to happen here in Malaysia,” said Masing who heads Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS).
http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/10/16/swak-christian-bn-leaders-rebel/
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Malaysian Insider
Allah not exclusive to Muslims, government declares ban only applies to Herald
By DESMOND DAVIDSON
October 15, 2013
The ban on the use of the word Allah only applies to the Catholic weekly, Herald, and not other Christian publications or the Al-Kitab, the Bahasa Malaysia bible which is widely used in Sabah and Sarawak, said Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
He said the Cabinet decision to allow the use of Allah in Bahasa Malaysia or native language bibles in Sabah and Sarawak and the assurance given by Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud in 2011 still stand, thereby suggesting that the government does not believe that the word is exclusive to Muslims.
But the issue (the ban on the word Allah in the Herald) is not over yet, he added, and believed there would be an appeal to the Federal Court.
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Speaking to reporters after the Court of Appeal decision this morning, Zulkifli said that churches in Sabah and Sarawak should be “educated” on the court ruling.
Zulkifli added that while it was alright for the Al-Kitab, the Bahasa Malaysia version of the Bible, to be distributed in Malaysia, it must not contain 32 words, including Allah.
Malaysian Insider
Zulkifli Noordin warned by Barisan Nasional MP for saying Allah ban should be extended to Borneo
BY JENNIFER GOMEZ
October 14, 2013
A Barisan Nasional (BN) lawmaker from Sabah warned Perkasa not to drag the Borneo states into the Allah ruling today by the Court of Appeal which banned the use of the word Allah in the Catholic weekly, Herald.
BN Tuaran MP Datuk Madius Tangau took offence to Perkasa deputy president Zulkifli Noordin’s statement that the ban should be extended to churches in Sabah and Sarawak.
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“Back off Zulkifli Noordin. We, the people of all religions, live in peace and harmony here in East Malaysia, where we have different faiths within the same family,” said Madius who is also United Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Murut (UPKO) party secretary-general.
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Malaysiakini
An United Arab Emirates (UAE) newspaper has expressed its astonishment with the Court of Appeal’s decision yesterday to ban the Catholic weekly Herald from using the word ‘Allah’ to refer to God, emphasising that the word was “not exclusive to Islam”.
The National, an government-owned UAE newspaper which is based in Abu Dhabi, said that yesterday’s court decision appears to be “wrong”.
“In a fellow Muslim country with substantial Christian and Hindu populations, this feels like the wrong decision,” said the editorial.
“The word ‘Allah’ is never exclusive to Islam – indeed, both Christians and Jews used the word ‘Allah’ to refer to God even before the coming of Islam,” it said.
“When Christians across the Middle East pray to God, they use the term ‘Allah’. Walk into a church in Cairo, Baghdad or Beirut this coming Sunday and you will hear the name of ‘Allah’ invoked.
“The Quran itself is explicit on this subject, declaring, in Surah Al Ankabut, that Muslims should tell People of the Book (Christians and Jews) that ‘our God and your God is one’.”
Allah is not exclusive to Islam, says Emirati editorial
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Malaysian Insider
Three things we learned from the Allah case
BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER
October 14, 2013
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Lesson Number 1:
Political stability counts for little if all it does is provide cover for the wicked to trample on the Constitution time and time again like a dry leaf.
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And here is the irony: a large segment of East Malaysians, including Christians, voted for BN on May 5 on the basis of securing another five years of “political stability”. Political stability in BN speak means total subjugation of all institutions in the country. So think about this next time you enter the polling booth.
Lesson Number 2:
Never, never, never trust a politician bearing gifts before an election. Remember the last Sarawak state election where there was palpable fear that BN could lose a bunch of seats, even possibly two-thirds control of the state assembly. There was panic and desperation in the ranks of BN leaders and Najib Razak approved a 10-point plan aimed at resolving a knot of issues with Christians, including allowing the use of the word Allah in Malay-language bibles.
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Lesson Number 3:
When all hell breaks loose in Malaysia, you can always count on the conscience of Umno to speak up. I am referring to Ibrahim Ali.
Three things we learned from the Allah case
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PERKASA WILL BE THE SELF-APPOINTED RELIGIOUS POLICE, MONITORING THE USE OF ‘ALLAH’.
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HERE IT COMES AGAIN: GET OUT IF YOU CHRISTIANS DON’T LIKE IT!
BELLIGERENCE
Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) says that if Malaysian Christians don’t like it, they can emigrate.
Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) has urged the Malaysia Christians community to accept the Court of Appeal outlawing the use of the word ‘Allah’ by Catholic weekly The Herald, stating they could always consider emigrating if unhappy.
Isma president Abdullah Zaik Abd Rahman said as Malaysian citizens, Christians must accept the supremacy of Islam in the country.
“(Any) action challenging that fact erodes their loyalty to the royalty and country.
“They can choose to move to any other country if they cannot accept the supremacy of Islam and the royalty that protects the supremacy of the religion,” he said in a statement today.
‘Not happy with Allah ruling? You can always move out’
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Free Malaysia Today
CFM: We will continue using the word ‘Allah’
Christian Federation of Malaysia chairman Rev Eu Hong Seng hopes that the Prime Minister will continue to honour the 10-point solution with respect to the Alkitab.
PETALING JAYA: The Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) would continue to use the word “Allah” in its worship and prayers, its chairman Rev Eu Hong Seng said in a statement today.
Although expressing disappointment on the decision of the Court of Appeal to allow the government to continue barring the Christian publication, The Herald, from referring to God as “Allah,” in its Bahasa Malaysia edition.
Eu welcomed the fact that the decision did not appear to cover the use of the word “Allah” in the Bahasa Malaysia Bible, the Alkitab.
“We expect our Honourable Prime Minister [Najib Tun Razak] and the Cabinet to continue to honour the 10-point solution in respect to the Bahasa Malaysia Bible, the Alkitab.
“We shall, therefore, continue to use the word ‘Allah’ in our worship, liturgy, prayers and educational materials of the church,” Eu said.
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Malaysia Chronicle
Monday, 14 October 2013 18:45
Allah ban has SEVERE implications, will cover all Malay-language Christian publications – CFM
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Malaysiakini
Lawyers for seven state Islamic affairs councils which won an appeal in the Court of Appeal today over the use of the word “Allah” have asked all quarters to respect the decision of the court and the respondent’s decision to appeal to the Federal Court.
Lawyer Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar, who represented the Terengganu Islamic Affairs and Malay Customs Council, said the respondent had 30 days from today to file the appeal.
Critics told to respect the court’s decision
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Malaysiakini
The Court of Appeal’s ruling on the “Allah” case this morning has been described as a “sad day for natives in Sabah and Sarawak” by former cabinet minister Bernard Dompok.
According to Star Online, Dompok, who is the United Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Murut organisation (Upko) president, said he was disappointed with the decision.
“Personally, I am disappointed with the Court of Appeal’s decision,” Dompok was quoted as saying.
He also reportedly pointed that the use of the word “Allah” in the two Borneo states predated the formation of Malaysia.
“The word Allah is being used by Christian communities in Indonesia and in the Arab world. Why should Malaysia be any different?” he was reported as saying.
Dompok: Why should M’sia be any different?
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weehingthong 