KUALA LUMPUR: Two members of the Cabinet appear on a collision course over the right of freedom of worship in the country and the use of the word “Allah’’ by a Catholic publication.
Their disagreement is a microcosm of the percolating tension in the country among the Muslim authorities and non-Muslims over issues related to race and religion, and could pose one of the most formidable challenges which Datuk Seri Najib Razak will face when he takes over as president of Umno and prime minister next month.
But more immediately, the “Allah’’ issue could have an impact on a by-election in Pensiangan, Sabah, which is likely to be called when a court rules on election irregularities soon.
At the centre of the controversy is the use of the world “Allah’’ by the Catholic Herald, a weekly publication with a circulation of 14,000.
The Catholic Church said that it has used the word “Allah’’ in the Bahasa Malaysia section of the publication for years but the Home Ministry disagreed, saying that the word was the preserve of followers of Islam in Malaysia.
The issue is now before the High Court with the Catholic Church seeking a ruling on the right to continue to use the word “Allah’’.
In the interim, the ministry has ruled that the Herald cannot use the word and also directed the weekly to only publish an English section. Due to the intervention of the Cabinet, the Home Ministry withdrew the order preventing the church from publishing a Bahasa Malaysia section.
Since then, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, leader of the Upko political party in Sabah and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, has urged the authorities to wait until the court decision before laying down the law.
He also noted that the usage of the word "Allah" should be viewed from the historical perspective since the terminology had come about when Bahasa Malaysia was used by the people even before Malaysia was formed.
He said it was the language used by the people of the Borneo territories even though English was used in most schools.
Dompok said the usage of "Allah" became more pronounced, especially after the importation of Bibles written in the Indonesian language, which refers to God as "Allah". He said the terminology is widely used in Indonesia and also in Arab countries by Christians.
"So it is a universal terminology used in the Christian world when they are praying in their vernacular language. There is no reason for the Home Ministry to continue harassing the Catholic Herald," he said.
His Cabinet colleague Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi hit back at Dompok yesterday. He told Mingguan Malaysia: “There are some non-Muslim leaders who are asking that permission be granted so that the word Allah can be used, using Indonesia as an example.
“This is Malaysia. Do not equate us with another country. We are an Islamic country as stated in the constitution,” he said, adding that there was a hidden agenda to use the word “Allah’’ in the Herald.
In raising this issue, he said that a small group of non-Muslim leaders were trying to question the position of Islam in Malaysia. Islam is the official religion under the Federal Constitution while the right of non-Muslims to worship is also protected.
“Don’t play with fire and challenge the Muslims. We are willing to do anything to protect our religion,” he warned.
Muslims have long feared that Christian groups are bent on preaching and converting followers of Islam. They see the use of the word “Allah’’ as a subtle way of spreading Christianity to Muslims — a charge church leaders have dismissed.
It is unlikely that both sides will back down. The Catholic Church has said that it will continue using the word “Allah” until the court decides on the case and Dompok is no shrinking violet.
One senses that when he speaks on this issue, he is representing the Kadazandusun community in Sabah, many of whom are Christian and many who believe their less religious landscape in East Malaysia is being polluted by the narrow-mindedness and chauvinism from federal authorities.
Their sentiment will be tested soon in Pensiangan. In March 2008, Tan Sri Joseph Kurup won the seat uncontested but in September, the Election Court ruled that the result was null and void. Kurup filed an appeal and the case is before the Federal Court. The apex court is expected to rule this month.
In the meantime, Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been meeting church leaders in Sabah to seek the support of the Christian community.
It is unlikely that Ahmad Zahid or other Umno leaders will back down and douse their fiery rhetoric.
This is the election season in the ruling party and candidates are expected to flag their commitment to the race and religion. Ahmad Zahid is seeking one of the three vice-president’s positions in Umno.
The Malaysian Insider
01/02/09
Their disagreement is a microcosm of the percolating tension in the country among the Muslim authorities and non-Muslims over issues related to race and religion, and could pose one of the most formidable challenges which Datuk Seri Najib Razak will face when he takes over as president of Umno and prime minister next month.
But more immediately, the “Allah’’ issue could have an impact on a by-election in Pensiangan, Sabah, which is likely to be called when a court rules on election irregularities soon.
At the centre of the controversy is the use of the world “Allah’’ by the Catholic Herald, a weekly publication with a circulation of 14,000.
The Catholic Church said that it has used the word “Allah’’ in the Bahasa Malaysia section of the publication for years but the Home Ministry disagreed, saying that the word was the preserve of followers of Islam in Malaysia.
The issue is now before the High Court with the Catholic Church seeking a ruling on the right to continue to use the word “Allah’’.
In the interim, the ministry has ruled that the Herald cannot use the word and also directed the weekly to only publish an English section. Due to the intervention of the Cabinet, the Home Ministry withdrew the order preventing the church from publishing a Bahasa Malaysia section.
Since then, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, leader of the Upko political party in Sabah and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, has urged the authorities to wait until the court decision before laying down the law.
He also noted that the usage of the word "Allah" should be viewed from the historical perspective since the terminology had come about when Bahasa Malaysia was used by the people even before Malaysia was formed.
He said it was the language used by the people of the Borneo territories even though English was used in most schools.
Dompok said the usage of "Allah" became more pronounced, especially after the importation of Bibles written in the Indonesian language, which refers to God as "Allah". He said the terminology is widely used in Indonesia and also in Arab countries by Christians.
"So it is a universal terminology used in the Christian world when they are praying in their vernacular language. There is no reason for the Home Ministry to continue harassing the Catholic Herald," he said.
His Cabinet colleague Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi hit back at Dompok yesterday. He told Mingguan Malaysia: “There are some non-Muslim leaders who are asking that permission be granted so that the word Allah can be used, using Indonesia as an example.
“This is Malaysia. Do not equate us with another country. We are an Islamic country as stated in the constitution,” he said, adding that there was a hidden agenda to use the word “Allah’’ in the Herald.
In raising this issue, he said that a small group of non-Muslim leaders were trying to question the position of Islam in Malaysia. Islam is the official religion under the Federal Constitution while the right of non-Muslims to worship is also protected.
“Don’t play with fire and challenge the Muslims. We are willing to do anything to protect our religion,” he warned.
Muslims have long feared that Christian groups are bent on preaching and converting followers of Islam. They see the use of the word “Allah’’ as a subtle way of spreading Christianity to Muslims — a charge church leaders have dismissed.
It is unlikely that both sides will back down. The Catholic Church has said that it will continue using the word “Allah” until the court decides on the case and Dompok is no shrinking violet.
One senses that when he speaks on this issue, he is representing the Kadazandusun community in Sabah, many of whom are Christian and many who believe their less religious landscape in East Malaysia is being polluted by the narrow-mindedness and chauvinism from federal authorities.
Their sentiment will be tested soon in Pensiangan. In March 2008, Tan Sri Joseph Kurup won the seat uncontested but in September, the Election Court ruled that the result was null and void. Kurup filed an appeal and the case is before the Federal Court. The apex court is expected to rule this month.
In the meantime, Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been meeting church leaders in Sabah to seek the support of the Christian community.
It is unlikely that Ahmad Zahid or other Umno leaders will back down and douse their fiery rhetoric.
This is the election season in the ruling party and candidates are expected to flag their commitment to the race and religion. Ahmad Zahid is seeking one of the three vice-president’s positions in Umno.
The Malaysian Insider
01/02/09
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