PETALING JAYA: The Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM) today described leaders who urge the Catholic church to drop the term "Allah" and seek a "quiet compromise with the Home Ministry" as being arrogant.
"Who are the JPs representing to make such statement urging Christian to compromise. What exactly is a compromise?” asked CCM president Rev Dr Thomas Philips in reference to the Council of Justices of Peace Malaysia in Sabah and the Minister in the Prime Minister’s department call for the Catholic church not to use the term.
The CJPM had on Sunday urged the Catholic church to forge a quiet compromise with the Home Ministry on the use of the highly contentious term "Allah" which has been in historical use in Sabah and Sarawak.
Yesterday Jamil Khir Baharom had reportedly urged church leaders to adopt the CJPM approach and drop the claim to use the name "Allah".
"I urge them to be wary and responsible toward peace and security in Malaysia. Other church leaders must have deep understanding of the situation and history (on the use of ‘Allah’) in the country," he had reportedly said.
Thomas Philips while reiterating the importance of being sensitive and respective of others point of views, said dialogue was the best route to moving forward.
“This is not something to be compromised. It is important for everyone to respect different views. We should learn to talk the differences, respect the differences, and learn to move forward, he told FMT yesterday.
CFM is the umbrella body representing three major church groups – the Catholic church, Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM), and the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF) – in the country, which represent at least 90 percent of Malaysian Christians.
Since Friday, eight churches have been torched, petitions and protests held in retaliation to the Dec 31 ruling by the Kuala Lumpur High Court which allowed the use of the term "Allah" by catholic weekly, Herald in the Bahasa Malaysia publication. Based on an enactment in the Federal Constitution, Justice Datuk Lau Bee Lan ruled that the Home Ministry was wrong in banning the publication and use of the term.
In 2007, then Home Minister Datuk Syed Albar Syed Hamid had banned the publication. The Customs department which comes under the Home Ministry has as a result been with-holding several thousands copies of the Bahasa Indonesia Bible meant for Christians in Sabah and Sarawak.
FMT
12/01/2010
"Who are the JPs representing to make such statement urging Christian to compromise. What exactly is a compromise?” asked CCM president Rev Dr Thomas Philips in reference to the Council of Justices of Peace Malaysia in Sabah and the Minister in the Prime Minister’s department call for the Catholic church not to use the term.
The CJPM had on Sunday urged the Catholic church to forge a quiet compromise with the Home Ministry on the use of the highly contentious term "Allah" which has been in historical use in Sabah and Sarawak.
Yesterday Jamil Khir Baharom had reportedly urged church leaders to adopt the CJPM approach and drop the claim to use the name "Allah".
"I urge them to be wary and responsible toward peace and security in Malaysia. Other church leaders must have deep understanding of the situation and history (on the use of ‘Allah’) in the country," he had reportedly said.
Thomas Philips while reiterating the importance of being sensitive and respective of others point of views, said dialogue was the best route to moving forward.
“This is not something to be compromised. It is important for everyone to respect different views. We should learn to talk the differences, respect the differences, and learn to move forward, he told FMT yesterday.
CFM is the umbrella body representing three major church groups – the Catholic church, Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM), and the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF) – in the country, which represent at least 90 percent of Malaysian Christians.
Since Friday, eight churches have been torched, petitions and protests held in retaliation to the Dec 31 ruling by the Kuala Lumpur High Court which allowed the use of the term "Allah" by catholic weekly, Herald in the Bahasa Malaysia publication. Based on an enactment in the Federal Constitution, Justice Datuk Lau Bee Lan ruled that the Home Ministry was wrong in banning the publication and use of the term.
In 2007, then Home Minister Datuk Syed Albar Syed Hamid had banned the publication. The Customs department which comes under the Home Ministry has as a result been with-holding several thousands copies of the Bahasa Indonesia Bible meant for Christians in Sabah and Sarawak.
FMT
12/01/2010
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