Appalled by Umno leaders’ stand, Christians ask Cabinet to enforce 10-point solution to Allah issue

Malaysia's largest Christian group wants Putrajaya to enforce an agreed 10-point solution on the usage of the Arabic word "Allah" by the community, saying today it was appalled by statements made by two Umno leaders on the matter.

Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) chairman Rev Dr Eu Hong Seng said statements by Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir and Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan "were untenable and in flagrant disregard of the 10-point
solution decided by the Cabinet in April 2011".

"The use of the word “Allah” in the Al-Kitab is NOT and has NEVER been an error of printing as claimed by the Honourable Minister. Such a suggestion is insensitive, insulting and inflammatory.

"We reiterate that it is the express right of the Christian community to use the word 'Allah'," Eu said in a statement today.

"It is offensive and unacceptable for the Honourable Minister to attempt to justify the call by Ibrahim Ali to burn our Holy Scripture by saying that our Holy Scripture contains errors in printing," he added.

Eu pointed out that the 10 points were specifically communicated to the CFM in a letter dated 11 April 2011 from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. The letter was enclosed in the statement.

"It is offensive and unacceptable for the Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan to attempt to justify Ibrahim Ali's call to burn our Holy Scripture by saying that our Holy Scripture contains errors in
printing," Eu said.

He said Mukhriz was reported to have forbidden non-Muslims from using the word “Allah” in his state as it is unconstitutional.

"The Federal Constitution gives the right to every individual to profess and practise his religion and also gives every religious group the right to manage its own religious affairs," he added.

Eu said the cabinet must honour and enforce all aspects of the 10-point solution and ensure it is followed all levels of government and authorities.

"The rights guaranteed to all religious communities under the Federal Constitution must be respected in all states in our beloved country, including Kedah," he said.

In the 10-point resolution, the cabinet, through its minister Datuk Seri Idris Jala, assured the sizeable Bumiputera Christian population in Sabah and Sarawak that they were free to bring in and use their
bibles in Malay as well as in indigenous languages.

The Court of Appeal will hear on August 22 the government's appeal to a High Court decision in 2009 that allowed the Catholic Church to use the word in its Bahasa Malaysia publications.

The controversy was reignited this past week when Vatican City's first Apostolic Nuncio or ambassador to Malaysia, Archbishop Joseph Marino, voiced his support for the CFM’s stand. He has since offered his apologies if his support to use the word had offended Malaysians.

Several right-wing Malay Muslim groups have asked Putrajaya to expel the envoy for his remarks despite the apology.