Allah issue: ‘PAS entitled to own opinion’

Barisan Nasional's decision to appeal the High Court ruling allowing the use of the 'Allah' term among Christians is proof that only Umno runs the government.

KUCHING: Legitimate and misbegotten arguments aside, the Allah issue has proved a key distinction between the Barisan Nasional coalition and its nemesis Pakatan Rakyat.

In BN, only Umno speaks and there is only one view. But in Pakatan’s case it is a coalition of three independent parties with their own respective views, said Sarawak DAP secretary-general Chong Chieng Jen.

“If you compare BN and Pakatan Rakyat, you will see that [with the latter] the three partners [DAP, PKR and PAS] have their own say.

“But at the end of the day a collective decision carries the day.

“What is most important is the collective decision of Pakatan which has agreed that the word ‘Allah’ can be used by Muslims and non-Muslims. PAS can forward its decision to Pakatan and it will be discussed by the collective leadership,” Chong said.

Chong, who is also national DAP vice-president, was commenting on the decision of PAS’ Syura Council to ban non-Muslims from using the word “Allah”.

“PAS is entitled to its own opinion. It is entitled to make its own decision, but eventually a consensus will be reached at the coalition level.

“But BN’s policy in banning the use of the word ‘Allah’ shows that in BN only Umno’s view counts. All the talks by others in BN do not count,” he said, adding that Pakatan had agreed to adopt a “liberal and open stand” on religious matters.

BN has banned the use of the word despite a High Court ruling in December 2009 to the contrary.

The ban, however, is limited to Peninsular Malaysia, a rule that has left the opposition confounded.

“BN has banned the use of the word ‘Allah’ in Peninsular Malaysia but in east Malaysia, BN allows Christians to use the word ‘Allah’ to mean God.

“Why the difference, as if we in East Malaysia have a different ‘Allah’. Aren’t we, after all, 1Malaysia?” he asked.