KUALA LUMPUR: Pakatan Rakyat leaders are discouraging their supporters from joining the nationwide Friday demonstrations on the “Allah” issue while top Umno leaders appear to be giving tacit approval to the demonstrators.
Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim (picture) advised Pakatan supporters to stay away from the protest against a court ruling allowing the Catholic weekly Herald to use "Allah" as God’s name.
“I certainly discourage them as my view is that you must discuss this matter as it is a very serious and contentious issue," he said.
"It is important to forge better understanding between Christians and Muslims and not to cause rancour and enmity between the two groups."
He criticised the government for practising double standards in approving the demonstration.
Both Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein have stated that the government would not stop the demonstrations, saying protestors were free to express their views as long as there was no threat to national security.
Anwar said their “hypocritical stance, inconsistency and contradictory actions” were "very clear" when it came to allowing demonstrations.
"They disallow demonstrations with legitimate grounds but when it comes to this, they think it is politically beneficial," he said.
"It is unwise to have rallies when emotions run high. They should instead hold more serious meetings between Muslims and Christians."
Criticising the Home Ministry for failing to address the issue and allowing the problem to fester, Anwar said: "They should not have allowed this situation to prolong; the situation has became more tense.
"What they should have done was to allow an avenue for frank exchanges between civil societies, Muslim organisations, religious authorities and non-Muslim bodies.”
Reiterating PKR’s stand that it was acceptable for Christians to call God "Allah," he said: "Islamic tenets do not forbid the use of the name ‘Allah’ by adherents of other religions.
"Also, there is clear understanding among religious scholars and ulamas such as Wahbah Zuhaili, Sheikh Taha Jabir and Yusof Qardawi on this."
In sending a similar message to party supporters, PAS vice president Salahuddin Ayub said the statements by Najib and Hishammuddin reflected Umno’s “hypocrisy and double standards.”
"After two years in power, only now does Najib talk about freedom of speech and freedom to organise protests and demonstrations," Salahuddin told FMT.
He said PAS was not interested at all in supporting such protests as the party’s stand on the matter was clear.
Sallehuddin announced that immediately after Friday prayers, PAS would hold its own gathering in front of the Egyptian Embassy to support the Palestinian cause and protest against the closing of the Gaza border to relief convoys.
Socialist Party of Malaysia secretary general S. Arutchelvam said that none of the party members will join in the protest as the party believes that the matter of religion is a private affair and is not to be publicly debated.
Also criticising the government’s double standards, PKR Wanita head Zuraida Kamaruddin said Barisan Nasional leaders would usually issue warnings as soon as the first whispers of a protest or demonstration were heard.
"Warnings will be given and the police will be sent to disperse any demonstration," she said. "How come the Prime Minister is saying ‘go ahead’ for this demonstration?"
To her knowledge, she said, no PKR member would be taking part in the protest as the party had made its view clear on the issue.
Although Pakatan Rakyat has made its stand clear, some people do not rule out the possibility of Umno supporters using opposition party banners at Friday’s demonstrations.
FMT
07/01/2010
Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim (picture) advised Pakatan supporters to stay away from the protest against a court ruling allowing the Catholic weekly Herald to use "Allah" as God’s name.
“I certainly discourage them as my view is that you must discuss this matter as it is a very serious and contentious issue," he said.
"It is important to forge better understanding between Christians and Muslims and not to cause rancour and enmity between the two groups."
He criticised the government for practising double standards in approving the demonstration.
Both Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein have stated that the government would not stop the demonstrations, saying protestors were free to express their views as long as there was no threat to national security.
Anwar said their “hypocritical stance, inconsistency and contradictory actions” were "very clear" when it came to allowing demonstrations.
"They disallow demonstrations with legitimate grounds but when it comes to this, they think it is politically beneficial," he said.
"It is unwise to have rallies when emotions run high. They should instead hold more serious meetings between Muslims and Christians."
Criticising the Home Ministry for failing to address the issue and allowing the problem to fester, Anwar said: "They should not have allowed this situation to prolong; the situation has became more tense.
"What they should have done was to allow an avenue for frank exchanges between civil societies, Muslim organisations, religious authorities and non-Muslim bodies.”
Reiterating PKR’s stand that it was acceptable for Christians to call God "Allah," he said: "Islamic tenets do not forbid the use of the name ‘Allah’ by adherents of other religions.
"Also, there is clear understanding among religious scholars and ulamas such as Wahbah Zuhaili, Sheikh Taha Jabir and Yusof Qardawi on this."
In sending a similar message to party supporters, PAS vice president Salahuddin Ayub said the statements by Najib and Hishammuddin reflected Umno’s “hypocrisy and double standards.”
"After two years in power, only now does Najib talk about freedom of speech and freedom to organise protests and demonstrations," Salahuddin told FMT.
He said PAS was not interested at all in supporting such protests as the party’s stand on the matter was clear.
Sallehuddin announced that immediately after Friday prayers, PAS would hold its own gathering in front of the Egyptian Embassy to support the Palestinian cause and protest against the closing of the Gaza border to relief convoys.
Socialist Party of Malaysia secretary general S. Arutchelvam said that none of the party members will join in the protest as the party believes that the matter of religion is a private affair and is not to be publicly debated.
Also criticising the government’s double standards, PKR Wanita head Zuraida Kamaruddin said Barisan Nasional leaders would usually issue warnings as soon as the first whispers of a protest or demonstration were heard.
"Warnings will be given and the police will be sent to disperse any demonstration," she said. "How come the Prime Minister is saying ‘go ahead’ for this demonstration?"
To her knowledge, she said, no PKR member would be taking part in the protest as the party had made its view clear on the issue.
Although Pakatan Rakyat has made its stand clear, some people do not rule out the possibility of Umno supporters using opposition party banners at Friday’s demonstrations.
FMT
07/01/2010
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