'Gov't should seek Allah retrial after East Malaysia nod'

The government should file for a revision of the Court of Appeal decision banning Christian publication The Herald from using the word 'Allah', since the ruling that extends to the entire Christian community.

This is the call from Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua in response to the government saying it will allow Christians in East Malaysia to continue using Allah, which Pua said is an acknowledgement that the word is indeed integral to the Christian faith.

"What is most significant in the government's announcement of continued freedom to use Allah in East Malaysia is an endorsement that the judgment of the Court of Appeal is flawed and misguided," he said.

The Court of Appeal declared the ban after it concluded that the term Allah is not integral to the Christian faith and its use by non-Muslims may cause confusion.

"By conceding that Christians in Sabah and Sarawak can continue the use of Allah in their worship also makes a mockery of the Court of Appeal judgment that says 'the welfare of an individual or group must yield to that of the community'.

"In this case, if the government is saying that in actual fact, 'the community' wants to retain Allah worship against these few (Malay right wing groups) who are urging for the total ban of the term for non-Muslims," Pua said.

‘Untenable solution'
In light of this, the government should not contest the appeal of the decision in the Federal Court when it is filed by the Catholic Church as the government's one country two laws system is untenable.

"The Najib administration has just created the most untenable situation in the country where we are supposed to be '1 Malaysia', but now have two sets of laws governing the same religion, in East and West Malaysia.

"What then happens when East Malaysians come over to West Malaysia for work or travel - can they pray to 'Allah?' asked the DAP national publicity chief.

Calling it as a mockery of freedom of religion, Pua pointed out that the government seemed confused after the court ruling, claiming that the ban only applied to The Herald alone.

"Does it mean that the Church can produce new newsletters for their Bahasa Melayu congregation under a different publication name?

"The Allah ban by the Court of Appeal, as well as the ludicrous proposal to split the Christian community in Malaysia into two, have made the country a laughing stock internationally.

"It is time for the prime minister to rescue his own reputation as a moderate Muslim and share his position via a nationwide address to sooth both sides of the divide," Pua added.

Echoing this was Seputeh MP Teresa Kok (left), who describied the "one country, two laws" solution as a political one.

"The government is no doubt trying to salvage the damage done by the court ruling.

"But the cabinet solution is no solution, for it is clearly a political strategy to retain its political support in its two "safe deposit" states," Kok said.

"Is the cabinet not aware that many churches in West Malaysia also conduct their service in Bahasa Malaysia, where the word Allah is used in the hymns and in the Bible?" she asked.

Kok similarly called on the government not to contest any appeal on the Court of Appeal's decision against The Herald.