THE WORD ALLAH PART 4 - CONFUSION, PUBLIC ORDER AND RELIGIOUS SENSITIVITIES

In the use of the name Allah by the Catholic Church, I had suspected that the Government’s counsel did not put forth a serious challenge perhaps on the similar basis for the country’s “lost” of Pulau Batu Putih.

Early May this year, it was reported that “Malaysian Catholics had won the right to mount a legal battle against the Government’s ban on the use of the word “Allah” as a translation for “God” in their main publication. The Government last year declared that the word could only be used by Muslims and threatened to close down The Herald newspaper if it defied the prohibition.

The High Court judge Lau Bee Lan had then overruled objections by the state’s counsel to the case going ahead, saying they were “without merit and therefore dismissed” which then paved the way for a judicial review of the government ban.”

I had earlier raised my concern in my bog (The Name Allah – Part 1 to 3 & Sudahkah Tiba Untuk Umat Islam Pukul Canang?) as well as in response to other blogs that the High Court’s decision should be challenged by Muslim authorities and NGO as the matter would cause anxiety and injustice to the majority Muslims in this country which belong to the staunch and fundamental Sunnis of the Shafie School. Indeed the issue is a potentially explosive one if no positive action is taken against the decision.

Fortunately, all is not loss yet as the Muslims’ cause is now being intervened by The Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) and the Perak Islamic Religious and Malay Custom Council (MAIAMP). “The councils seek to become interveners on the grounds that they have interest to averting confusion among the people which can undermine public disorder and provoke religious sensitivities. In an accompanying affidavit, the FT council secretary Datuk Che Mat Che Ali said it had “interest to giving views and/or to know the court’s decision in the judicial review application because it is a body which directly gives advice to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.” As reported in Bernama.

More Islamic/ Muslim intellectuals, authorities and NGO should come forward, directly and indirectly, in support of MAIWP and MAIAMP. The case should be followed through closely by the Muslim mainstream media and also the duty of Muslims to post their solidarity with the two religious councils.

Perhaps in another show of solidarity with MAIWP and MAIAMP, on one particular Friday prayers, a nation wide sermon should be held and devoted for the entire Ummah to pray for the success of this intervention in avoiding a grave mistake from happening. In this particular instance, the majority Muslim community in the country wishes to uphold the status quo. If the Catholic Church is successful, this could also have adverse repercussions to the country’s Islamic image as well as to the international Muslim community.

PM IS SEEN AS “DAYUS” IN THIS CASE IN HIS QUEST FOR MORE LIBERAL AND POPULIST REFORMS - A BIG APPRECIATION TO THE RELIGIOUS COUNCILS AND THE AGONG FROM THE COUNTRY’S MUSLIMS.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council yesterday filed an application to intervene in the judicial review sought by the Kuala Lumpur Archbishop of the Home Minister’s decision to prohibit the use of the word “Allah” in the Herald Catholic Weekly publication.

Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar filed the application at the High Court Registry on Jalan Duta at 2.15pm.

He also acted for the Perak Islamic Religious and Malay Custom Council when it made a similar application on May 26.

If the High Court allows the applications, both councils will become two other respondents alongside the minister and the Malaysian Government who were named by the archbishop as the first and second respondents in the review proceedings.

The councils seek to become interveners on the grounds that they have interest to averting confusion among the people which can undermine public order and provoke religious sensitivities.

In an accompanying affidavit, the FT council secretary Datuk Che Mat Che Ali said it had “interest to giving views and/or to know the court’s decision in the judicial review application because it is a body which directly gives advice to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.”

He said if the application to intervene was rejected or denied, the interest of the Muslim community would be prejudiced or jeopardised to the extent of disparaging the council's credibility.

He said the application was made without prejudicing the council to make any other applications with regard to the issue of jurisdiction which touches on questions on the use of “Allah” in the Herald Catholic Weekly publication. – Bernama