'AG's position on Allah ban holds no water'

Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail’s “narrow reading” of the Home Ministry ban on the use of ‘Allah’ by The Herald as a one-off rule that should be allowed is “completely untenable and illogical”, a DAP parliamentarian said.

Petaling Utara MP Tony Pua ticked off Abdul Gani for not recognising that the Court of Appeal ruling cannot be imposed on The Herald alone, as it has far-reaching implications for all Christians in the country. 

The federal constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion, is being overturned, Pua argued in a statement today.

He also questioned how the AG can expect to enforce a ban on the use of ‘Allah’ in online publications, given that the Internet is borderless.
  
"If online versions of any non-Muslim publication contain the use of ‘Allah’, will they be deemed a ‘national security threat’ in Malaysia even if this was (posted) in Indonesia or the Middle East ... ?" he asked.
  
"If the attorney-general persists with his stated position which cannot hold any water, then I would strongly suggest that he returns to law school for a refresher course and rereads the federal constitution."

Abdul Gani had said over the weekend that the home minister has the discretion to ban words which are prejudicial, or likely to be prejudicial, where national security and public order are concerned. 

This backed the Court of Appeal ruling on Oct 14 which has since divided the nation and drawn brickbats from commentators around the world. 

Pua said the AG's remarks, instead of throwing new light on the issue, have only dug a deeper hole for himself and the BN-led federal administration.

Even former AG Abu Talib Othman has recognised the wider implications of the ruling, Pua noted, especially the judge's finding that "the name Allah is not an integral part of the faith and practice of Christianity and, by that extension, the word is exclusive to Islam and Muslims".