Inappropriate’ for minister to propose dialogue on ‘Allah’ decision - CCM

 

The Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM) believes it is “highly inappropriate” for Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin to propose a dialogue to resolve issues arising from a recent court decision allowing Christians to use the word “Allah”.

This is because the home minister and Putrajaya are appealing the Kuala Lumpur High Court decision.

CCM president Archbishop Melter Jiki Tais expressed his views in a statement this evening.

“With an abundance of caution, since the matter in view is now in the Court of Appeal, we are of the view that it is highly inappropriate for the issue to be resolved through dialogue initiated by the Home Ministry, who is one of the appellants,” he said.

“We reiterate that the Christian community in Malaysia, in particular those in Sabah and Sarawak, has always been willing to live in peace, harmony and mutual respect with communities of other religions,” he added.

Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin

Earlier today, The Star reported Hamzah as saying that his ministry will initiate a dialogue between Muslim and Christian scholars at the end of March to “resolve” the issue.

“I will invite Islamic scholars and religious experts as well as those from the Christian faith to sit together so that we all can resolve the issue.

“I believe it needs to be settled now so that it will not be prolonged and be a burden in the future,” he reportedly said.

Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Nor Bee Ariffin ruled on March 10 that the government had erred in its 1986 ban on non-Muslims from using the word "Allah” - the Arabic term for God.

Thus, plaintiff Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill had the right to use the word for religious and educational purposes.

The case dates back to 2008 when Ireland, a Melanau Christian, filed a lawsuit after customs officers seized her Malay-language Christian CDs and religious books at the Kuala Lumpur Low-Cost Terminal following a flight from Jakarta.

After the items were returned to her in 2015, she sought a court declaration over the right to use the word “Allah”.

Ireland sought a declaration that her constitutional right to practise her religion was violated by the imposition of a restriction or ban on the import of educational materials.

She also wanted a declaration that the use of the Publication and Printing Presses Act (PPPA) 1984 and the Customs Act 1967 to seize the CDs was an infringement on equality under the law.

Following last week’s decision, Umno and PAS called for it to be referred to the Court of Appeal.

Umno leaders also said they were prepared to protest if the government did not appeal the decision, a move the police warned against.

The government filed its appeal on March 15, five days after the decision.

Government politicians from Sabah and Sarawak are among those who have urged Putrajaya to reconsider and withdraw its appeal. - Mkini