ALLAH: Najib has spoken, the world can now judge how LOW are his standards!

It is being reported that the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak in his interview with Reuters in London, speaking along the sidelines of the World Islamic Economic Forum, has confirmed that the “Allah” ban only applies to the Catholic Weekly, The Herald.

So the prime minister has in doing so revealed several serious concerns f or national and global debate.

Firstly, why do we need a prime minster to interpret a Court of Appeal ruling? Is it not the work and obligation of the legal fraternity? And in doing so, is he not mooting the further rooting of that perception amongst the citizens and the global community that the judiciary is not all that independent after all?

Secondly, already very senior persons within the judiciary have indicated that the court ruling is a ban across the religious-board of all Christians as it affects the very use of the word “Allah”.

However the PM begs to differ and further causes undue suffering amongst concerned, just Muslims and all Christians, resulting from that confusion.

Thirdly, the PM is said to have stated that “Allah can be used in predominantly Christian areas” and qualified further that it is restricted to Christian worship.

In other words, does it not now mean that where there are no “predominant” Christians in a given “area”, the word “Allah” cannot be used?

As reported he states “So what we are trying to do objectively and above all is to ensure stability and national harmony”.

Making sense of Najib's nonsense

Now let us connect Najib’s rescue attempts.

Where there are no “predominant” Christians, the use of the “Allah” word is a threat to stability and national harmony. But where there are predominantly Christian areas, they can use the “Allah” word and it does not pose threats to stability and national harmony.

Further, using the “Allah” word in a Weekly meant strictly for Catholics and that only has a 14,000 circulation in a nation of 28 million can jeopardize national interest in defending and upholding Islam for Muslims; but if the same Christians convene to worship using the “Allah” word, the threats disappear.

And yet another thought is, it now seems that praying aloud in assembly with the word “Allah” is not a problem to the country’s well being; but publishing that same prayer with the word “Allah” in the Weekly is forbidden.

Or how about if the Herald goes electronic and the “Allah” word published on-line goes viral? Would the net be shut down out of concern for “stability and national harmony”?

How can Malays choose such a low IQ leader?

Is it not the responsibility of leaders of nations to educate, enlighten and promote acceptance and tolerance for each other’s religion and the religious needs of specific communities without allowing one group to restrict, insult or deny another group of followers of faith?

Is it also not the role and categorical imperative of leaders of nations to ensure that the nation is stable and harmonious through religious freedom and the non-denial of the inherent rights and honor rather than taking the jaggered route of curtailing one faith’s honor and rights to appease another group’s outcry?

Wow! In retrospect to what is being reported about the Prime Minister of Malaysia’s interview with Reuters, it certainly beats the daylight out of common sense and logic. Maybe that is what Malaysian politics is all about.

What is seriously wrong with what the PM is speaking to a global audience, can readers please pray tell? Or shall we say, the PM has spoken and all should respect and shut up for good.

MAILBAG