Kota Kinabalu: A Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) backbencher on Wednesday rallied behind in support of Tan Sri Bernard Dompok and the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) over the "Allah" issue, saying the religious freedom enjoyed in this country should be respected by all in line with the 1Malaysia concept.
Ranau MP, Datuk Siringan Gubat, said in Sabah the 1Malaysia concept developed a long time ago, even in matters related to religion, including the use of the word "Allah".
He said the word was widely used by followers of Sidang Injil Borneo (SIB), a large Christian denomination, since before independence and there was no problem.
Many SIB followers use the Bahasa Melayu translated word of God that is "Allah Bapa" in their prayers, he said.
"Most of us in Sabah have family members who are of different religions.
I have so many Muslims in my own family, especially in Ranau and other places as far as in Kuala Lumpur.
"One of them is even married to an Ustaz in the peninsulaÉand we do not have any problem," he said.
"So we have to respect what we have already enjoyed since long time ago.
It is just unfortunate that this suddenly became an issue in the country last year," said Siringan who is also Upko Vice President.
Dompok, who is Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister and Upko President, on Tuesday said everyone should respect and give full freedom to the court to carry out its responsibility over the use of "Allah" in the Catholic church's weekly publication, the Herald.
He said some of the comments and reactions with regard to the decision by the High Court on Dec 31 in Kuala Lumpur is not helping the effort to strengthen unity and relations between races in the country.
MCA said the High Court ruling in allowing Herald to use the word "Allah" in its publication is a matter of law and should be maintained.
Its spokesman and political education bureau chairman Gan Ping Sieu claimed it was a historical fact that the term "Allah" predates Islam, with Arab Christians in the countries like Egypt, Iran, Iraq and Yemen referring to God as "Allah".
The High Court ruling is a matter of law in upholding the rights of Malaysians as provided by the Federal Constitution, and hence should be maintained as that and should not be stirred into a religious debate nor politicised as a racial or religious issue.
DE
07/01/2010
Ranau MP, Datuk Siringan Gubat, said in Sabah the 1Malaysia concept developed a long time ago, even in matters related to religion, including the use of the word "Allah".
He said the word was widely used by followers of Sidang Injil Borneo (SIB), a large Christian denomination, since before independence and there was no problem.
Many SIB followers use the Bahasa Melayu translated word of God that is "Allah Bapa" in their prayers, he said.
"Most of us in Sabah have family members who are of different religions.
I have so many Muslims in my own family, especially in Ranau and other places as far as in Kuala Lumpur.
"One of them is even married to an Ustaz in the peninsulaÉand we do not have any problem," he said.
"So we have to respect what we have already enjoyed since long time ago.
It is just unfortunate that this suddenly became an issue in the country last year," said Siringan who is also Upko Vice President.
Dompok, who is Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister and Upko President, on Tuesday said everyone should respect and give full freedom to the court to carry out its responsibility over the use of "Allah" in the Catholic church's weekly publication, the Herald.
He said some of the comments and reactions with regard to the decision by the High Court on Dec 31 in Kuala Lumpur is not helping the effort to strengthen unity and relations between races in the country.
MCA said the High Court ruling in allowing Herald to use the word "Allah" in its publication is a matter of law and should be maintained.
Its spokesman and political education bureau chairman Gan Ping Sieu claimed it was a historical fact that the term "Allah" predates Islam, with Arab Christians in the countries like Egypt, Iran, Iraq and Yemen referring to God as "Allah".
The High Court ruling is a matter of law in upholding the rights of Malaysians as provided by the Federal Constitution, and hence should be maintained as that and should not be stirred into a religious debate nor politicised as a racial or religious issue.
DE
07/01/2010
1 comment:
You must forgive UMNO for its over reacting. It's not that they refused to respect what Sabahans & Sarawakians had enjoyed since long ago but it's just that UMNO mudah lupa; without Sabah & Sarawak, UMNO would have 'balik kampung' after the last general election.
But on the other hand Sabah & Sarawak have only themselves to be blame for supporting UMNO!!!
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