PETALING JAYA: Muafakat Nasional (MN) wants the government to appeal the decision by the High Court to allow a judicial review by a Sarawakian Christian to use “Allah” in her religious education.
MN, which was established by Umno and PAS in 2019, said they were concerned by the court’s decision to allow the term “Allah” to be used by non-Muslims in their respective publications.
“We want the government to appeal the matter at the Court of Appeal,” it said in a statement, issued after its monthly meeting tonight.
Earlier today, Judge Noor Bee Ariffin said a Dec 5, 1986, home ministry directive to prohibit the use of the words “Allah”, “Baituallah”, “Solat” and “Kaabah” by non-Muslims was illegal and unconstitutional.
The judge said the directive was wrongly issued as it went beyond the aim of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.
She also said that Jill Ireland, from Sarawak, had the constitutional right to use and import any publications for the purpose of religious education.
In 2008, Customs’ officers at KLIA seized from Ireland eight CDs entitled “Cara Hidup Dalam Kerajaan Allah”, “Hidup Benar Dalam Kerajaan Allah” and “Ibadah Yang Benar Dalam Kerajaan Allah”.
Ireland, a Melanau Christian, filed her judicial review in 2008 but her constitutional challenge was heard in 2017. - FMT
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