Some 100 people from a Friday prayer congregation at Selangor's state mosque today stayed behind for what organisers said was a protest against the government's move to withdraw its appeal on the Jill Ireland case.
Under the searing sun and close watch from the police, a PAS Youth leader and Malay-Muslim NGO leaders took turns in a series of speeches that largely called on Muslims to unite and defend their exclusive rights to use the word ‘Allah’.
As more were walking to leave the mosque, the first speaker started at 2pm and barely five minutes later, a police personnel approached him and asked to stop the gathering.
Gerakan Pembela Ummah adviser Kamaruzaman Mohamad was heard negotiating with the police for an extension, stating they had gathered in peace and to defend the rights of Muslims.
“This is an issue about Muslims," Kamaruzaman told a police personnel who approached him.
"Alhamdulillah the police have agreed to give their cooperation," he claimed to the crowd before immediately being stopped again by another police personnel.
An agreement was reached for the gathering to disperse promptly at 2.20pm but the last speaker ended his speech and continued with a prayer as police issued a call to disperse.
Among the groups represented include Perkasa, Gerakan Mahasiswa Islam Malaysia (Gamis), and Muslim Defenders Front (Pembela).
‘Bring issue to Parliament’
PAS Youth information chief Khairul Nadzir Helmi Azhar said the government had dismissed the gravity of the issue, regarding non-Muslims’ use of the word ‘Allah’, and only responded after a supposed public outcry.
"It is only after public pressure that the matter was brought to cabinet, to present proposals to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
"If this issue did not go viral and the public was not aware, then the government might just have ignored it," he claimed.
Khairul Nadzir stressed that the issue should be brought to Parliament so the public will know who among their MPs are "defenders" of the word ‘Allah’.
Another speaker, Perkasa vice-president Borhan Ahmad Zakaria, repeated claims that a Muslim's faith could be swayed if non-Muslims were allowed to use the word ‘Allah’.
"To all the politicians, please debate this (in Parliament), do it soon as the Muslims are under pressure," he said.
On May 15, it was reported that Putrajaya had withdrawn an appeal against a landmark ruling which allowed Ireland - a non-Muslim Sarawakian - to use the word "Allah", via a notice of discontinuance filed at the Court of Appeal on April 18.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday said the cabinet had discussed the matter and understood that the decision to withdraw the appeal was merely administrative and does not override the Federal Court's position in 2014.
This is believed to be in reference to the Federal Court decision that year to reject leave for the Catholic Church to appeal a Court of Appeal decision prohibiting its weekly Herald newsletter from using the word ‘Allah’.
Anwar said the cabinet also received consent from the Agong to present proposals on enforcement regarding the word ‘Allah’ to the Conference of Rulers while also strengthening unity, peace and harmony between races and religions in the country.
After the police put an end to the gathering within the mosque's compound, several of the NGO leaders continued to address the media right by the main entrance.
However, police once again intervened, citing the Selangor sultan's decree against such gatherings being held at or nearby a mosque.
Ummah Malaysia president Mohd Zai Mustafaa warned that a bigger protest - much like the Malay-Muslim NGOs’ pressure in 2018 against the proposed ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Icerd) - will be mounted unless the government proceeds with the appeal.
"We give the government a certain period of time (to take action) and if not we will make a bigger roadshow like the previous anti-Icerd rallies," he said. - Mkini
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