Please leave Religion out of Politics .
Court says ‘yes’ to Allah for Christians
UPDATE 2
By Debra Chong
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 31 — It will be a glorious new year for some 850,000 Catholics in Malaysia.
In a landmark ruling today, the High Court here lifted the home minister’s ban against the Catholic church publishing the word “Allah” to refer to the Christian God in its weekly paper, Herald.
Counsel for the Herald, Porres Royan, told reporters, “The court has granted the declaration that the applicant has the Constitutional right to use the word Allah. I believe the ministry is bound by the court’s decision.”
Royan’s fellow lawyer for the church, Benjamin Dawson, explained the impact of today’s judgment in greater detail to The Malaysian Insider.
“There are two points to today’s order. Firstly, the court set aside the decision of the minister in imposing the prohibition on using the word ‘Allah’ in Herald.
“The second part of the order made by the court declares the width and breadth of the constitutional provisions, namely Articles 3, 11 and 12 and ruled that in light of these constitutional guarantees, the minister had acted unconstitutionally in imposing such conditions,” Dawson said.
Article 3 of the Federal Constitution states that Islam is the official religion of the country but taken together with Articles 11 and 12, protects the rights of the minorities to be free to practice and be educated in their respective religions.
In short, the Herald does not need to go to court every year to fight for the right to publish the word “Allah”. The publishing permit for the Herald expires today.
Senior Federal counsel Datuk Kamaludin Md Said said, “I was made to understand the ministry has already issued the permit for 2010.”
But here is what one UMNO HAWK has to say ...Umno man says ‘Allah’ judgment will stir racial tension
By Syed Jaymal Zahiid
One of UMNO's known hawks Pasir Salak MP Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman lambasted the High Court judgment on the ‘Allah’ case today, saying that it would not solve anything but only ignite racial and religious tension.
The High Court today lifted the home minister’s ban against the Catholic church from publishing the word “Allah” to refer to the Christian God in its weekly paper, Herald.
The landmark decision may be of joy for some 850,000 Catholics in the country but for Tajuddin, the suit itself, filed by Herald’s lawyers, is an act of provocation.
“What is their motive (for the suit) ? Why all of a sudden they want to use the word Allah when all this while they have been using the term God?
“This is definitely provocation, they are just using all this human rights, religious rights as excuses. This is sensitive to the Muslims and this will create racial and religious tension,” he told The Malaysian Insider.
The controversy over the word “Allah” has stirred huge debate among Christians and Muslims alike in Malaysia and attracted international attention as well.
The Home Minister, who controls giving the annual mandatory publishing permits in the country, had banned the church from using the word “Allah” outside the Muslim context.
But some have questioned if there can be a copyright over the word “Allah”, which Muslim representatives here say is a special word reserved to refer to the Muslim God, meaning “the one and only Almighty”.
The act of questioning the exclusivity of the word “Allah” for Muslims said Tajuddin is a clear indicator that “certain quarters” have become “bolder”.
“They have dared to do these things because the Muslims have been soft..but if you put some one in a corner, they will bounce back,” lamented the Pasir Salak MP.
What is MCA's position on this issue. It had been deafeningly quiet.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that BN and especially UMNO had mixed politics and religion and to the point of absurdity.
Where is MCA on this? Does MCA dare to say anything? Or is it too afraid to say anything.
Posting other people's articles do not mean courage.
The real name of almighty who created the world is not called Allah in the bible. Life begins with God who created the world in six days and rested on the 7th day. It was on the 6th day that God created man & woman to hand down the posterity of humans. The God that christians believe as Creator of this world/universe and all there was on earth is known as Jehovah in the time of the Jews. In those days there was not any muslims but remember the half brother of Isaac, Ishmail is the son of Abraham born with Hagar -the maid, later gave birth to the Arab nation. During that time the arabs didn't believe in God at they believe in the sun, moon and other graven images as their gods. Due to the influence of the Jews in the surrounding neighbours/nation the arans called by many names before caught up with the belief in an Almighty God. Thus from there on they called their God Allah through prophet Mohammad but that were many years later. So Allah is not a general name for God, it is a specific name to indicate that is their God. You can call it ATOO or AKau as your god and that is Okay. It is not signicant at all. Like buddjists call their illustrius one as Buddha and turned him to someone buddhist can worship/respect or hinduism the various tectacles as divine strength/power. It doesn't matter what you call your God Allah or something else. But the real God who created the whole world is certainly not Allah but Jehovah ....but due to Jewish influence into believing in a God and through many defeats of the arab nationsin ancient times that give rise to a belief in God and hence the word Allad the name of Muslim God comes onto the scene. Catholics should not use Allah because it is not the real name of the true God. But for sake of argument and the laws of Malaysia, freedom of expression is to be respected. So what the heck use the word Allah if you will without controversy if you think it is a general name for a God. but of course to Muslims they think it is their God's name that is being tempered with. In Christianity there are three persons in one God ( God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy spirit)but in Islam God is only one person. Anyway the catholic church in the bible is depicted as the whore in the last book of bible - Revelation. The catholic churh like to prostitute many things even the specific name of Muslim God Allah. Besides they are in league with politicians, bankers and people in high places. In spirituation that is called fornification. Whatever it is church and state must be separated. In this country Isalam and affairs of States are interwined same like catholic churches everywher - look at Vatican, a city government and religious body as one. To hell with all these false churches called babylons - truhs and erroneous teachings mixed together.
ReplyDeleteAnon 01:17:00 PM. Is this MCA's position. If so tell your fellow Maalaysian. Come out and say it. See how they will react in the next election.
ReplyDeleteWe do Not respond to UMNO junkies as this is not the official position of UMNO . As you can see from here there are Hawks and doves in every political parties . Even for me , I support one national type Malaysian school , but tell that the Chinese activist and you'll know what to expect . That includes the use of English to teach maths and science .
ReplyDeleteNot surprising coming from this anon . That's his style of writing " what's MCA position on this ? in every issue .
MY stand on this is simple ...as Buddha says go the middle path not the extremes ...
ReplyDeleteFrom my point of view, there's no need to harp on the issue and get so heated up on New Year's Day today or ever. Nobody should try to create any more problems but should practise more tolerance. I don't like to argue about who the Creator is called or who should fit to be sent to heaven or hell when we die. We have no control over this.
ReplyDeleteBeing a more down to earth person, I practise religious tolerance and treat all my friends from different religious background the same. We have to be more open-minded and not enjoy stirring up any sensitive issues to provoke any anger just to attract attention. The leaders should learn a lot not to create such issues or problems repeatedly.
Can we Malaysians with vast diversities really work towards creating understanding, goodwill, love and peace among ourselves? Sometimes we waste our time trying to boast to others how good one's religion is over the others. We talk to much but we seldom do the right things we should have done.
Hopefully, people do realise before it's too late that we have to break this barrier and mind set and start treating fellow citizens like brothers and sisters.
Don't become too fanatical and start forgetting that we are all taught to do good unto others, care for our neighbours and the poor, not to steal, to speak the truth and posses other noble virtues. We are reminded to do more meritorious deeds. It is more noble if we do good deeds without thinking of the rewards we are getting or it is tainted with greed.
Everyone must play a part in creating peace, practise religious tolerance and understanding, sharing and caring. Then only will we achieve a progressive Malaysia where all Malaysians live in peace and harmony. All sorts of unity programmes will go down the drain if Malaysians still refuse to do cooperate and practise well.
HAPPY NEW YEAR and May All Be Blessed With Happiness and Peace.
Sorry for the minor typing errors here and there.
ReplyDeleteThank You Aileen Oon for your post .
ReplyDeleteHAPPY NEW YEAR and May You Be Blessed With Happiness and Peace.
I see this as the problem. Pacifism and accepting status quo. Buddhism was adpoted during the Han Dynasty as a means of societal control. Ruling polticians want a meek passive population who would accept whatever trash thrown to them.
ReplyDeleteThis is the 21st century. We cannot progress with this passive attitude.
Don't be so naive about pratising tolerance which is everybody will be saying in a multi cultural and religious nation. Just look around you the kind of mindset cetain religious groups are having in particular Islam which wants to lord over and forbid the the no say and no choice .... True tolerance and understanding is a good thing but we must seek who is the real God who reallly created this world and truly believe in the Supernatural and taking the middle course just to have loving peace is not enough but one must be certain and convinced of what he/she believes is right but of course not forcing down on others. It is a personal choice. The problem often times is that people are not bigoted that what they believe is true is then forced on others. We have to be frank and give people the freedom of choice in one's religion. To talk about peace is okay and acceptable but one can see that when leaders speak about peace suddenly there is destruction here and there. The politics of peace and unity and love is honourable and these can be used to destroy, for example many hide under cover of religion, are relying on the government to carry out their religious agendas and for pollitical objectives and by peace many are destroyed. Suddenly the so called gods cannot relieve them of their sufferings and the prayers after prayers are at their wits' end can only show the falsity of religion. Why can't their God hear them? No one can argue when peace love unity are used as propaganda. Look around you is that peace and love, don't think so. Need to be mature enough to see the reality in this disillustioned society. Bigger problems are ahead of all - call upon your God/s and see whether they hear you. So choose your religion wisely, there is a real real God that really hears and really protects - needs investigation of the real God that can succour you in the hour of need. Sorry to say this's fact.
ReplyDelete