Headless, interfaith panel unable to move on Alkitab

While the furore over the Alkitab row has died down in the aftermath of the just-ended Sarawak polls, the issue remains very much alive and will have to be resolved sooner rather than later, before the 13th general election that is likely to be called before its 2013 expiry.

But the Cabinet’s special interfaith panel, set up last year for just such a purpose, is unable to address the ongoing Alkitab row until it gets a new head — which appears unlikely to be delivered any time soon.

The Malaysian Insiderunderstands that the Special Committee to Promote Interreligious Understanding and Harmony has ground to a halt following the death of its Cabinet-appointed co-ordinator, Datuk Ilani Ishak (picture), from cancer on February 24.

“We are asking for a replacement for Datuk Ilani... but there has been no indication from the Cabinet to date,” Rev Thomas Phillips told The Malaysian Insider.

He signalled that without the Cabinet’s endorsement, the committee will not be able to proceed on any interfaith issue, let alone make progress.

Sources disclosed that neither Ilani’s successor nor the Malay Bible row has been brought to the Cabinet’s attention despite entreaties from the Malay-Muslim camp.

Pembela, a Muslim coalition of 19 non-governmental organisations, had slammed minister Datuk Seri Idris Jala for neglecting the interfaith panel’s view when drawing up a 10-point solution to the Bible row pitting Muslims against non-Muslims ahead of the state polls in Sarawak that have just ended.

“He seems to have taken priority over ministers Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom and Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon who will be responsible for explaining why the committee was overlooked in this matter,” Pembela spokesman Yusri Mohamed said, referring to the ministers in charge of Islamic affairs and the interfaith committee respectively.

Pembela had called for the use of the Malay Bible to be reviewed and realigned according to legal provisions and the existing understanding between the different races and religions by taking the views of Muslim representatives as it concerned the position of Islam and its followers.

The interfaith committee has been mired in controversy since the get-go and might have been snuffed out earlier if not for Ilani’s skilful navigation of the narrow channels of communication between the Muslim and non-Muslim camps.

Its committee members last met on January 11, to plan out the calendar of activities for the rest of the year with an eye on bolstering the waning muhibah among believers of the Malaysia’s many different creeds, which include both.

Only one out of the four sub-committees formed has met after Ilani’s death.

A sub-committee on thorny religious issues, jointly helmed by Datuk Mustapha Ma and Reverend Hermen Shastri, had met on March 17.

Sources say little happened at that meeting.