The Prime Minister's Department, with the cooperation of the Home Ministry, will appeal against the Kuala Lumpur High Court's decision in allowing the Catholic weekly magazine, Herald, to use the word "Allah" in its publication.
Its minister, Major-General (Rtd) Jamil Khir Baharom, in advising Muslims and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to be calm and respect the court's decision, said they should be patient and allow the matter to be resolved through the legal process.
"I'll meet the NGOs soon to hear their views and to discuss further the matter with them," he said in a statement today.
The High Court ruled on Thursday that the Catholic weekly can use the word "Allah".
Judge Datuk Lau Bee Lian had ruled that usage of the word was constitutional as long as the periodical was confined to educate the followers of the Christian faith
On Feb 16 last year, Archbishop Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam filed for a judicial review on the usage of the word "Allah" in the church's publications, naming the Home Ministry and the government as respondents.
He claimed that the word 'Allah' was not exclusive to the religion of Islam. - Bernama
WANITA UMNO TO THE FORE
(source: Bernama)
Wanita Umno wants to meet the Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and Jamil Khir to alleviate concerns on implications of the high court ruling.
Its chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said the movement will champion this to ensure that the place and position of Islam was not tarnished.
"If need be, we will apply to meet the King," she said in a statement today.
My friend from Saudi once highlighted to me upon our shopping mall visit in KL, "I sometimes think I'm in Hong Kong".
ReplyDeletePuan,
ReplyDeletePakiam and his gang have succeeded in:-
1. increasing suspicious feelings among Muslims & Christians
2. earning less or not even a single respect from Muslims any longer
3. creating chaos throughout the country
Congrats pakiam! Did you get the blessing from the Pope? Or this is just about Malaysia? Why dont you seek the 1st tenet of Rukun Negara be ammended to read "Kepercayaan kepada Allah'? What say you, Buddhists, Hindu, etc?
Lau Bee Lan:-
1. Should involve expert opinions from both (majlis agama) Islam & Christians. Majlis Agama was barred from direct involvement in this case before? At least, people would not see the judgment was lopsided from a christian judge.
2. Should seek advise from YDP Agong before making any judgment pertaining to Islam (especially when it involves the core of Islam, that is Allah). Institusi DiRaja is another branch of separation powers and clearly the branch to oversee and protect he offcial religion of this country as per the Constitution.
3. Why the Judiciary "encroached" the Institusi Di Raja in this case? Corrupt practice? Lopsided justice?
"Negara Ini Negara Berdaulat"
Dear Nuraini
ReplyDelete"On Feb 16 last year, Archbishop Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam filed for a judicial review on the usage of the word "Allah" in the church's publications" only because the Herald" had "all along for years" printed it ALSO in BM to meet especially the readership needS in mainly East Malaysia, who had all along gone by the said term in their understanding of God.
They had used it for generations.
ONly when the approval for the yearly permit in respect of the BM version was "withheld" , did the "responsible Archbishop" take steps to ensure the sheep under his care and especially in East Malaysia were taken care of in the matter of their "innate basic understanding" all along for generations of "reference to God".
FAHAMPLEASE.
Really it is nothing new. Both sides of the divide will always try to champion an issue and be a hero!
ReplyDeleteTHE NAME THAT DOESN'T SEEK FAME
ReplyDeleteThere's no need to 'fight' over your name
For through the ages it remains the same
We only have the petty people to blame
Unable to see through darkness to your flame
(C) Samuel Goh Kim Eng - 030110
http://MotivationInMotion.blogspot.com
Sun. 3rd Jan. 2010.
NOW, justice is being served , Hallelujah ...praise the 'true & mighty' living GOD !
ReplyDeleteBUT, as a christian, i CHOOSE not to use the word 'Allah' in my prayers & worship to the mighty GOD, for this is my own CHOICE & NOT because i'm being forbidden to use it , OK ?
Fellow christians, pls be wise & sensitive for the sake of 'love & harmony ' for GOD's greatest creation
: human beings !!
Hi Ena - happy 2010 to you and yours.
ReplyDeleteI seek your indulgence in pointing you and your readers to a poll I'm doing on this very subject. Either via my blog, or directly via the poll website.
I really want to get as wide a sampling as possible, and since my regular readership does tend to sway a certain way, mine alone may make the poll very skewed.
Thanks very much, in advance :-)
Shudder to think our country will be like Indonesia (not that everything from Indonesia is bad).. Father Islam, Mother Christian, Son Hindu, Daughter Sciencetologist.. dunno..tanda-tanda akhir zaman dah banyak. Yang cerdik, pandai putar fakta, maka simple people become confuse, yang putih jadi hitam, yang kelabu jadi warna-warni, what is right? Cucu-cicit kita tak akan tahu apa itu Al-fatihah, Allah yang mana? ISlam or Hindu. Like most confused Europeans, it's better to like the present, coz to believe in Allah/God is like believing in Ancient stories, could be a myth.. did Mohamed exist? where's the proof? I dunno... this is what i get from an atheist from europe.. Religion is just make-believe.. maybe with all this confusion this is what our country will be heading to..some will be happy about this, of course.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Dewan Bahasa and Pustaka can clarigy the translation for God or Lord in Malay.
I'm getting confuse already.. Allah=God=Jesus=Tuhan=Shiva=Confusious??? Duh!!
Minta Maaf.. saya pun ingin mendalami agama juga...tapi tengah cari guru bertauliah...
more confused everyday...
Catholics and other Christian denominations in Sabah and Sarawak have been using been using Allah in their native languages and in the Malay languages (in fact Bahasa Indonesia because non English bibles are imported from Indonesia) well before the existence of Malaysia in 1963.
ReplyDeleteSo why now almost 50 years after the formation of Malaysia? Why not at the negotiation stage of the formation of Malaysia before 1963? Because had the natives known this, we probably would not have joined the other States to form Malaysia.
So assuming that the government appeal against the judgement of the High Court and the outcome is in favour of the government, the effect is that it would be illegal for the natives of Sarawak to use the word ‘allah’ So what do we do? Does it mean that when we pray to god to celebrate child birth, marriage, death and etc we have to tell people not to say allah ta’ala because the BN government doesn’t allow it? Do you think people in the longhouses care? Who is the government to tell us to change of culture?
Allah ta’ala is so much part of our culture and if the government forces us to change our culture so that some Mulsim in West Malaysia will behave, people will resist this and hate the government. Underground activities will begin. What will the government do? Arrest, jail and prosecute the whole village, church or town? Then the government will look exactly like the Zionist regime which we all condemn. Further, what is the point of having a law which no one respects especially in East Malaysia?
There is nothing in Article 11.4 that say about the use of the word Allah by Christians except that people of other religion cannot convert Muslim into other religions. So all the arguments I read in the web are just fear and circumstantials. I think people should trust and respect each others, the police and the Federal Constitutions on this. Otherwise, there is no longer a point for us all to be united living in Malaysia. The basis of forming Malaysia, that is the Federal Constitution does not work anymore. Let each state go separate ways. No point. We cannot leave with each others anymore.
Leslie Wan
Ulu Baram
Oh yawn.... yawn.
ReplyDeleteIt is becoming mundane, lethargic and time wasting issue.
But, it's funny how the Champions of Islam at PAS are keeping mum and the less Islamic UMNO goes barking.
Rightfully, this is a religious issue, for religious followers, so let them go to war over it.
I'd rather go to a god damn GRO joint than to waste time over such trivial nonsense.
To hell with it.
A GOOD MAN DOES NOTHING.
Wow... Shahrizat is now involved. Us Muslims are saved!!!!
ReplyDeleteIts amazing the biggest hypocrites and most corrupt people suddenly claim they speak for Islam?
I don't know about you I don't get so easily confused about terminology...
And you are happy about it?
ReplyDeleteSome how I don't think so!
Allah, God, Tuhan, Lord, Shiva, Christ - What is in a word? Well Allah, the term used is very specific... ie. It is God but a God that has no form, a God that has no lineage and bears no son and does not takes the human form. Whereby Jesus is a mear mortal being which is being created by Allah. The word tuhan or God can be define as the creator of being and may exist in the human form. Lord or Father defines as God with lineage to human form. Therefore Allah is a word for God but is a God that command his creation the angels and genies, the Satan and humans as well as animals unlike the Lord, Father or God who may interact with his creation.
ReplyDeletethere is no qualms about it. the sudden want to use the word Allah, is to confuse and break the muslims.
ReplyDeletethis article is very clear & straight forward. :
http://rausyanfikir .com/2010/ 01/prof-al- attas-view- on-polemical- usage.html
- they are playing war games-
Did you read Marina Mahathir piece on the "Allah" issue?... well, that's the Marina Mahathir you get after whe married a French and now an Indon.
ReplyDeleteBawa mengucaplah Marina.
anon@11:18AM,
ReplyDeletemarina misses the whole point.
this is not the arab land where there is very little difference between a christian and a muslim. they have the same names and they call their god "Allah". for centuries. not in peninsular malaysia.
in sabah and sarawak? yes. bahasa melayu was the languaage a missionary would need to use to communicate with the natives. the word "allah" is used there, for a evry long time. not by law, but by convention,. tradition, custom.
christian missionay groups had to learn to speak bahasa melayu to convert the natives. no one is arguing about that.
it is not about not being confident. that is not the issue. altho the unhappiness of some muslim groups has led us to believe that this is their worry.
but can you blame them?
can you blame muslims for being unhappy, for worrying?
did they think that there will not be a backlash?
come on!
Aiyaaa, it's only a word la, where's your faith la people? Why can't we all co-exist in peace? Is that really so hard to achieve?
ReplyDeleteLeslie Wan, i am from semenanjung, and i truly understand why you wanna break away from the federation of malaysia.
ReplyDeleteMany commentators in blogs are not aware the FACT that the natives of Sabah and Sarawak have been using the word Allah for generations, without any opposition from the local muslims there. The catholics in sabah and sarawak are fighting to preserve their rights, and they do not want semenanjung people to lord over them of what they can and cannot do. They asked Pakiam to fight for their rights because he is their leader at the moment.
So Semerah Padi, go and check your facts first before you accuse others of "creating chaos across the country".
Padi Grade A
ok lah, only in east malaysia, the word 'Allah' can be used, ok ? happy !?
ReplyDeleteIf you are a confident muslim WHY are u afraid of dat !?
ReplyDeleteYou takut your 'Allah' hilang kah ?
Pls be a muslim yang matang, ok ??
The whole world now is laughing dat your 'Allah' perlu di-protected by u ppl on top of dat gomen pulak..SIGH !
Many years ago, we used to have Chinese neighbours in the next kampung. They were not Christians. They were very kind neighbours. My other used to pour out problems to one of the old ladies sometimes. And this would be her response, Apa susah. Minta tolong sama Tuhan ALLAH. Dia baik, mesti tolong punya.'I remember that until today, more than 50 years later. NAMAN
ReplyDeleteiam truly curious, in pakiam's bahasa malaysia prayers, what does he call his Holy Ghost? Hantu Suci?
ReplyDeleteDengan Nama Bapak, Anak Bapak Yang Laki Laki, dan Hantu Suci...
peehhhh! dahsyat!! menangis airmata bila pakiam berdoa bahasa malaysia!!
Nasib baik dia sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan!! Habis di putar nya!!
barulah patriotik pakiam!!
Let's start name changing shall we?
ReplyDeleteHow bout:
KL change to Mini Hong Kong
PJ change to Little China
Brickfields to Little India
Klang to New New Delhi
Kajang to Indon Baharu
Penang to New Pearl World
Genting as New Macau
Let's see, what else?
Hmmmm (Part 1)
ReplyDeleteAllah in Islam means more than just GOD...
The word Allah in Islam means the One and Only God, the Maker and Creator of the bigger things; like entire Universe, and to the smallest of all things, that can be seen by naked eyes.
The word Allah in Islam means the One and Only God, who do not need anything or dependent on others. He shall say, Be and it will Be.
The word Allah in Islam, means, the One and Only God that DOES NOT beget, nor is He begotten. tidak beranak, dan tidak diberanak kan. Kalau ada anak, atau di lahirkan oleh manusia, binatang, atau apa apa makhluk sekali pun, he or she or it, is NOT Allah.
Allah in Islam is Eternal, is Absolute, and NONE is like Him.
Is GOD is Christian means the same? Does Allah means the same as in the Quran?
-i dont think so-
Hmmmm part 2...
ReplyDeleteAs the australian aborigines 10,000 years old culture say, in their concept of God: A God is the One that does not eat, does not poop. If anyone, or anything, that eats, and poop, he or she or it, is not God.
Thats why some of them were totally eliminated and banished from this earth, by the british colonials and invaders.
The aborigines, in their simple minds, wont accept what the Brits want them to accept and believe!they just wont buy it!
How does the definition of Allah by Islam, affect the use of word of Allah in MALAYSIA?
Like it, or hate it, the FACT IS, Islam is the Official National Religion of Malaysia, protected by the National Constitution, Headed by the YDP King. Anything about Islam, is protected and defined.
Unless if you are already trying to deny and not in favour of the YDP King, and The national Constitution, of this country called Malaysia, the arguments stopped there.
The word Allah, is core to this National Religion, Islam. It is part of the National Shapes, Flavours, Disciplines, and Aspirations. We do not use the word Allah is defined in Middle East, Tanzania, Denmark, Korea, Indonesia, or France.
If you are in Swiss, Britain Phillipine, Russia, China, or Zimbabwe, where Islam is NOT a National Religion, and NOT part of the Country's Constitution. Then,go ahead. argue and quarrel till cow comes home.
Fact is, we are not, are we?
In this country, MALAYSIA, Allah is God as defined in Islam.
-you dont think so-
Hmmmm part 3..
ReplyDeleteIf anyone calls Allah, and propagate the word Allah, as God, and Allah also means Jesus, Allah also means Holy GHost,and Allah also means Father, and attributing human qualities to Allah;
or, propagating that Allah actually became Human in Jesus, came down to earth, leaving all his Godly environment, having a break from taking care of the universe, to save mankind; in Islam, its Blasphemy.
In Malaysia, its Blasphemy, same level as Ajaran Ayah Pin.
And its waging war on the National religion, and National Peace and Harmony as basis of aspirations of National Constitution.
It is this sensitivity. that makes Malaysia, not having daily bloodshed like in middle east, or other parts of the world in turmoil.
Pakiam's actions can be construed as breaking this long time peace and sensitivity, with intention to break the country. He is, inspite of supposedly being "learned", is targeting something outside the National Constitution.
i urge the government to take action on Pakiam, on akta hasutan, menghasut, dan memecah belah kan masyarakat dan komuniti.Elements of Malafide against National Peace and Harmony. Cubaan menjatuhkan Malaysia.
-kerana mulut badan binasa-
i agree with you.
ReplyDeleteAny "Muslims" smart alecks, who believe that Allah is just a word, and can be applied as Jesus, As Holy Ghost, as in Trinity, or as Lord Siva in Hinduism, etc.,YOU are spitting directly at the Quran.
You are not arguing with Muslims, you are arguing, spitting, and laughing at the Quran, and how Allah defines Himself, What He is and What He is Not, and His Attributes in the Quran.
If Hadi of PAS says can, then we muslims , know now who he is. Lega rasanya, bila dapat kepastian seperti ini. Blessings in disguise. Rahmat dari Allah, Owner and Creator of the Entire Universe, Whom, from Him we come, and Unto Him do we return.
In the chase of politics and power, he lost it all. a lesson for ordinary muslims.
If you "Muslims" deny, reject, questions the definitions of Allah in Quran; you deny the very basic Surah Al Ikhlas in Quran. Are you a muslim then?
In this regard, Pakiam has won. But he wins it for muslims too. Muslims can now see, who's who. no more hiding and living behind a mask.
No one can fathom how Allah works.
Just for the sake of popularity, power, intellectual debate; it is very eye opening, what people are willing to do.
-cheap sale, soul garage sale-
Here we go again...
ReplyDeleteThis debate over the word 'Allah'.
What non-Muslims fail to grasp is the fact that this not about who gets the exclusive rights to use the name 'Allah'.
This is about Akidah, Islam's theological dogma. Please understand that to us Muslims, akidah IS A VERY SERIOUS MATTER.
Any pious Muslim would be offended if he or she were to read or hear anything that runs contrary to Allah's 20 Divine Attributes as described in the Sunni theology.
How do you think pious Christians in this country would react if Muslim NGOs filed an application to the Court so that the word 'Jesus' be substituted with 'Rasul', and the word 'Holy Ghost' be substituted with 'Malaikat Jibrail' IN ALL CHRISTIAN PUBLICATIONS?
Muslims also fear that the word 'Allah' would be abused by irresponsible parties for the purpose of proselytism (converting Muslims to other faiths).
And for those of you who think the Malay people or the Government are persecuting Christians in this country, please go to this blog.
http://christianpersecutionindia.blogspot.com/
And please bear in mind that India is a secular state.
Hey, life must go on man, @#$%^& with religion !
ReplyDeletethere is NO Allah mentioned in the principles of Rukunegara since 1970,
ReplyDeleteso...so muslims NO need to follow la !?
wa,Allah and Islam only belong to malay? no wonder they malay never concern to tell Islam to other chinese or indian. Islam only for Malay? Allah only for Malay? Then how come many malay also want to convert to christian? They dont like the name Allah?
ReplyDeleteAnon@11:15PM wrote;
ReplyDelete"wa,Allah and Islam only belong to malay? no wonder they malay never concern to tell Islam to other chinese or indian. Islam only for Malay? Allah only for Malay? Then how come many malay also want to convert to christian? They dont like the name Allah?"
Hey dickhead!
Allah and Islam only belong to Malay eh?
Why don't you go to Xinjiang China and tell those Uighurs that Jesus is the 'only begotten son of Allah'.
In Mandarin also can lah.
See what they will do to you.
If you are true to your faith then you have no reasons what so ever to worry about your akidah. In US, there are a lot of muslim scholars that studies the bible and the torah for comparative studies. That's how you can communicate effectively with the christians and the jews, you try to gain more knowledge about the other religions. In malaysia, people are so closed minded to even touch the bible.
ReplyDeleteNow come this issue about the word Allah. Some people argue that Christians have a different concept of God, therefore they can't use the word Allah. The Jews and the Christians all believe in the same God as we Muslims, be it in a different concept but the same God nonetheless. If the Christians are allowed to use the word Allah, why are we muslims worried about it if we are true to Islam? We know there's only one God and he has no son nor does he has a father. There should also be no reason for confusion if you know the fundamentals of Islam.
Anonymous 10.28,
Do you think that malaysian muslims are more superior than other muslims ( e.g indonesian)? Do you think there are no good muslims in western countries? In US, we have a channel dedicated to Islam alone. Do you have that in Malaysia? Would it be a surprise to you that there are a lot of Islamic schools in US? If you don't want you children to be confused about Islam then teach them about it. Otherwise, you only have yourself to blame.