(Archbishop’s ring image source: archway.org.my) KUALA LUMPUR, 24 April 2009: The Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur was given leave by the High Court here today to quash the Home Ministry’s decision prohibiting the use of the word “Allah” in the Herald Catholic Weekly. Archbishop Datuk Murphy Nicholas Xavier Pakiam was also granted leave to apply for […]
Allah
Bar will continue to educate on “Allah”
By Ragunath KesavanDATUK Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s statement regarding the Bar Council’s on-line poll on the use of the word “Allah”, as reported in the media on 23 March 2009, makes for disappointing reading in our country’s continuing democratic discourse. We are confident that Malaysians will rise above mere polemics and will not see the poll as […]
The problem with the “Allah” ban
By Deborah Loh and Shanon ShahIT is bewildering that a gazette on such a significant matter of public interest as the use of the word “Allah” by non-Muslims was issued and then rescinded just 24 hours after it was announced. Did not Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar spot the mistake in the ruling, which he signed? The gazette, […]
Arguing over “Allah”
By Shanon Shah“Before this they demanded to use the Malay language for their Bibles. Then they demanded to use the word ‘Allah’ for Christian publications. Today they demand to use the word ‘Allah’ without restrictions. After this, they will demand the right to convert Malays to Christianity without restrictions. What else will they end up demanding?!” PARTI […]
Home minister rescinds new gazette on “Allah”
KOTA KINABALU, 1 March 2009: The home ministry has rescinded a government gazette that allowed conditional use of the word “Allah” in Christian publications with immediate effect. Bernama reported on 28 Feb that Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar admitted there was a mistake in enacting the gazette that resulted in confusion over the […]
Restriction on use of “Allah” doesn’t make sense: MCA
PETALING JAYA, 27 Feb 2009: The latest gazetted order on the conditional use of the word “Allah” by Christian publications is unacceptable and does not make sense, the MCA said. In a statement released today, the MCA said it acknowledged that the home ministry had heeded the calls by Christian groups to allow Christian publications […]
Herald to discuss new order with AG’s Chambers
By BernamaKUALA LUMPUR, 27 Feb 2009: The High Court here was told today that the use of the word “Allah” in publications relating to Christianity is no longer prohibited due a new order gazetted by the home minister early this year. Senior federal counsel Nizam Zakaria, for the Attorney-General’s (AG’s) Chambers, informed the court that the […]
Christian publications can use“Allah”
By Zedeck SiewPETALING JAYA, 26 Feb 2009: The government has gazetted a ruling that prohibits Christian publications from using the word “Allah”, unless they carry the disclaimer “For Christianity” on their front covers. While the ruling, published in the Government Gazette on 16 Feb, allows publications like the Catholic weekly Herald to continue using the word in […]
Scholar: Don’t restrict “Allah”
By Shanon ShahPETALING JAYA, 17 Feb 2009: Use of the word “Allah” among Catholic churches should not be restricted unreasonably, said leading Islamic scholar Prof Dr Mohammad Hashim Kamali today. Hashim Kamali“In Islam, there is one God for all humanity. Therefore, one should not monopolise or personalise ‘Allah’ as belonging to only one sector of humanity,” he […]
Treason, Malay-ness and Allah
Translation by Zedeck SiewTHE collapse of the Perak Pakatan Rakyat government was the most visible issue in the Malay language papers from 2 to 8 Feb 2009. In examining the event, the press focused on questions of treason and Malay-ness, and attempted to pinpoint causes and effects. Treason Karpal Singh (Source: karpalsingh.net) After the palace-approved Barisan Nasional (BN) […]