Herald row: Anwar holds Utusan responsible

PKR de facto leader accused Umno-owned newspaper Utusan Malaysia for inciting the Muslims over the court decision to allow Catholic weekly The Herald to use the term 'Allah' in its Bahasa Malaysia section.

He said that the newspaper had for “weeks and months” whipped the Malay community into a frenzy over the controversy, which erupted into several protests after Friday prayers yesterday.

“(They were) supported by the ruling establishment. Now you can organise demonstrations, without permits for the first time, but only for that particular occasion by the keris minister (Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein).

“What happened? They actually encouraged people to resort to extremism and even become perpetrators of violence,” he said during a public forum in Petaling Jaya today.

Early yesterday morning, three churches in Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur were hit with petrol bombs hours before the protests were scheduled to start.

Prominent scholar disagrees

One of the church was set ablaze in the brazen attack, believed to be the first of its kind in Malaysia.

Anwar called for calm and said that the reactions to the 'Allah' controversy was an “insult not only Malaysians but Muslims and Islam”.

Earlier, Anwar recounted his meeting with renowned Egyptian Muslim scholar Yusof Al-Qardawi, who expressed surprise that some Malaysian Muslims objected to non-Muslims using the term 'Allah'.

“I said no, not me (who objected), but some 'born-again' Muslims in Umno,” said Anwar, to the laughter of some 100 people in attendance.

Anwar said Yusof responded by saying that such a position was unjustifiable.

“There is nothing in the Quran and our historical legacy that can justify the banning (of non-Muslims from using) the word 'Allah',” he said.

'Selangor anthem quandary'

Anwar explained that it would make life extremely difficult in Arab countries if there was such a ban as the word is commonly used by both Muslims and non-Muslims there.

“In Arab countries, it is very usual for people to respond to questions (in this manner): Can you come to my house tomorrow for supper? Well, I'll have to think about it, insha'allah (God willing).

“Charge him in court!” cried Anwar mockingly, prompting another round of giggles from the audience.

Anwar also quipped that in Selangor, Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim is worried because non-Muslims may now be banned from singing the state anthem - 'Allah pelihara Sultan (God save the Sultan)'.

Anwar was speaking at the Global Issues Forum III on corruption at the Petaling Jaya Civic Centre, organised by the PKR International Bureau.

MCA Lauds ' Allah ' Ruling by the High Court

MCA lauds ‘Allah’ ruling, says no confusion

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 4 — The MCA has come out to support the controversial High Court ruling on the usage of the word ‘Allah’ despite the Barisan Nasional federal government appealing the decision that has caused an uproar among the majority Muslim population.

The party said it was taken aback by demonstrations against the ruling as it was “grave cause for alarm as to whether worshippers of other faiths may profess their religion freely in accordance with Article 11, peacefully and harmoniously (Article 3), and to educate their children in their own religion (Article 12(2)) of the Federal Constitution”.

“The police reports lodged also suggest questioning and asserting pressure on the independence of the judiciary should one disagree with any judgement made,” MCA spokesman Gan Ping Sieu said in a statement released here.

MCA is the first Barisan Nasional component party to laud the ruling, adding it also welcomed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s call for all quarters to remain calm and not resort to demonstrations, petitions and memoranda on the matter.

Gan also hit out at those who said the Dec 31 ruling that allowed Catholic weekly Herald to use ‘Allah’ to describe the Christian God in its national language edition would confuse Muslims.

“Deploying “confusion” as grounds for insistence on the ban by detractors is a poor attempt to throw a red herring i.e. deliberate attempt to divert attention from the real issue of law and constitutional rights of Malaysians to freedom of religion and to profess their faith peacefully and harmoniously.

“Any individual imbued with an iron will on his faith yet is open-minded to respecting, reading and learning clinically the creeds and practices of other religions in the world will remain true to his original religious conviction without any consideration of renunciation,” he added.

The party spokesman also said no group should claim exclusive ownership of “Allah” as it is not a patented copyright by any ethnic group.

“‘Allah’ is used by different believers throughout the world. For time immemorial, Sikhs refer to their God as “Allah.” Renowned 19th century Malay Muslim scholar and linguist, Munshi Abdullah who translated “God” as “Allah” into the Malay language remained a pious Muslim and was never confused,” he noted.

Gan said an individual’s definition of ‘God’ should not be used as justification to declare others’ usage of ‘Allah’ as inappropriate and thus deprive and deny the rights of followers of a separate religion to continue using ‘Allah’ to practise his/her faith be it in publications, scriptures, in church/gurdwara services and oral references during personal prayers.

“To do so contravenes the Federal Constitution and serves to create confusion, and this is where the confusion really lays — the confusion as to the application of law and rights as enshrined therein, and not a confusion of faiths.

“If “Allah” is to remain exclusive to one section of society, are other segments of society to be deprived of the right to pledge allegiance to the royalty and sing state anthems which contain the word “Allah”?” he asked.

Gan also pointed out that it was an historical fact that ‘Allah’ predates Islam and is commonly used by Arabic speakers of the Abrahamic faiths including Muslims, Christians and Jews, pointedly refuting and viewing “flawed any interpretation that Arab Christians refer to God as ‘Tuhan’ and not 1Allah1 as claimed by a prominent Malaysian who has retired from public office”.

“Since all Arab, Middle Eastern and Indonesian Christians are able to refer to God as ‘Allah’ freely, harmoniously without threat of punitive action, should not we in Malaysia follow suit in accordance with Article 3 of the Federal Constitution which allows “other religions may be practised in peace and harmony in the Federation?”

Such exemplary practices would live up to the 1Malaysia concept of mutual respect and understanding besides forging closer ties amongst all Malaysians.

“Does it make sense to take punitive action against the hundreds and thousands of Bahasa Malaysia speaking Christians and Sikhs and who for centuries have referred to God as “Allah” in their personal prayers?” he also asked.

On the court judgment, he said it was a matter of law in upholding the rights of Malaysians under the Federal Constitution and should be seen as just that.

“Conditions for the renewal of The Herald’s permit clearly state that the word “Terhad” must be affixed at the top of the masthead and the publication must only be sold within church grounds. These conditions are already being met.

“The court’s decision should not be stirred into a religious debate nor politicised as a racial/religious issue. MCA lauds the High Court for its bold and rational judgement. Our party calls upon all groups to respect the way of life of Bumiputera Christians and Sikh Malaysians, and not remove their constitutional rights,” Gan said.

Well said MCA , the points are very well written , You have our fullest support on this issue .

Can also read it here at SinChew

I hope this would put to rest those who have been asking me " what is MCA stand on this " I would now like to ask these people " what is DAP and PKR stand on this " since LKS and LGE has been very silent on this .

'Allah use only in Herald's BM section'

'It is for the use of 'Allah' in worship and publication in Bahasa, not in English. So to say 'the Catholics had all along use God, why now want to use 'Allah'' is wrong.'

Court declares 'Allah' ban invalid

Lucia: Everybody must not forget the issue at hand. The Herald had all along use 'Allah' in its Bahasa section. Then the Home Ministry suddenly ban the weekly paper from using the term, so the Herald - which is organ of the Catholic Church - fought for the use of 'Allah'.

It is for the use of 'Allah' in worship and publication in Bahasa, not in English. So to say "the Catholics had all along use God, why now want to use 'Allah'" is wrong. Yes, they had use God and will continue use God in English worship/publication but in Bahasa, they want to use 'Allah' back.

Habib RAK: The arrogance and the audacity of the deputy public prosecutor Kamaruddin Mohd Said to infer that the decision handed down by the High Court may only apply to Herald's 2009 permit - should the permit issued for 2010 contain the same prohibition, it may require a new round of legal case. This clearly tells us to what extend they would go to stop this.

Cala: I think many readers in this forum will not be totally surprised at the next course of government's action and its expected outcome.

To be fair with the judiciary, we do have quite a few respectable judges up there besides justice Lau. Remember those honourable names in the high courts? Remember also justice James Fong who presided over the Bakun Dam case for the interest of the natives in Sarawak?

But as you rightly say, they would not go far in this Bolehland - because we are uniquely Malaysians.

Ezilan: Only narrow-minded fanatics will see God as having one name called Allah only. These limited thinking individuals with bloated egos cannot see God in everything.

If one can understand the interconnectedness of energy (as explained by the Grand Unified Theory in nuclear physics) and thus proving that there is only one universe and, then God is this interconnected energy everywhere and is in everyone and everything. Hence, truly speaking, all names are his names, in whatever language you may call him.

There is only one universe and the creator is within his creation and creation is within the creator. Fanatics cannot comprehend this because of their bloated egos that only their god is the true god and only one name can be used.

Fanatics are the cause of so much violence over God as seen in the history of mankind. As Gandhi once told a violent fanatic, "Do you wish to kill your brother just because he calls God by a different name?"

Kee Thuan Chye: The use of the word 'Allah' by The Herald might constitute a threat to national security? Oh, my God! Would it causes the heavens to rain fire and brimstone on Malaysia? Would the earth open up and swallow Malaysians?

Enough is enough! Don't keep throwing that "threat to national security" hogwash around any more! Even hogs have better sense!

Show Proof Of Murder, JPs Tell Guan Eng

Thursday, 31 December 2009 05:23 |

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng should step forward and provide proof that political aide Teoh Beng Hock was murdered, the Selangor Council of Justices of the Peace (JPs) said.

Its president Datuk Seri William Lim said he wanted Guan Eng, who is also the DAP secretary-general, to provide proof to back up his statement that Teoh was cruelly murdered.

“Guan Eng is a respectable person.

“Everything that he says will be taken seriously by the public.

“So, why is he being reluctant? He should just step up and give proof.

“He should co-operate with the police, so that they can solve this case as soon as possible,” William said at a press conference at the MCA Public Services and Complaints Depart­ment yesterday.

Members of the public, he added, were very eager to know the real story as there had been a lot of versions as to how Teoh died.

Guan Eng is being investigated by the Selangor police for allegedly making seditious remarks during the Pakatan Rakyat convention in Shah Alam recently. - The Star

Last Updated (Friday, 01 January 2010 11:19)

No one religion to monopolies the use of the word " Allah " after all , all religions teach us to do good .

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.