By Dr Chen Man Hin, DAP life adviser
THE CLAIM BY THE HOME MINISTRY SECRETARY GENERAL MAHMOOD ADAM TO FOREIGN DIGNITARIES THAT THE USE OF ALLAH BY CHRISTIANS COULD CAUSE CONFUSION AMONG MUSLIMS IN MALAYSIA AND ENCOURAGE RELIGIOUS CONVERSIONS, WHICH IS ILLEGAL IN MALAYSIA, HAS DAMAGED THE REPUTATION, INTEGRITY AND SINCERITY OF MALAYSIAN MUSLIMS.
Most Malaysian muslims, including Anwar Ibrahim and Hadi Awang will not share the sentiments of the Home Ministry official. Malaysian muslims and christians have been living together for several centuries, in relative peace and harmony, and have progressed and prospered.
In a plural religious society, minor frictions may exist, but these were kept to a minimum by inter-faith dialogues. However,there exist underlying fears that the muslims might want to islamise the country and suspicion that christians might want to convert muslims to their faith.
Muslims and christians have been living side by side in this country for centuries, and they all pray to Allah who is the God to christians, muslims and jews.
In Sabah and Sarawak there are christian natives who have been praying to Allah for centuries, in the same manner that jews, christians and muslims have been praying to Allah for centuries in the Middle East. Incidentally, the word Allah is arabic for God.
FOREIGN DIGNITARIES AND THE WHOLE WORLD ARE PUZZLED WHY THE MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT IS OPPOSING THE USE OF ‘ALLAH’ BY CHRISTIANS IN MALAYSIA.
The whole muslim world in the Middle East, Africa and Indonesia allow the free use of allah. The odd man out is Malaysia.
The natives of Sarawak and Sabah are also unhappy that they are being deprived of the use of Allah, a custom which has been handed down by their for centuries past, very much before the formation for UMNO and the independence of Malaysia.
In view of this, it is obvious that the Malaysian government has no leg to stand on on this issue. Their lame excuse is that to allow the use of Allah by Christians would confuse Muslim Malays who could then be easily converted to Christianity.
Umno’s confusion theory is an insult to Malaysian Muslims who are devout muslims and true to their religion, and do not change their faith. If the use of Allah by non-muslims could confuse muslims, how is it that islam could thrive so rapidly while living with the jews and christians in the Middle East?
The muslims of Malaysia should not fall prey to the falsehoods spread by Umno. Their confusion theory is conceived to further their political survivial, and not for the benefit of muslims.
#1 by Evenmind on Wednesday, 13 January 2010 - 9:53 am
All these lead to the notion that the home ministry officials from top to bottom , not forgetting the ruling party are bunch of morons and imberciles, ha ha ha , they have made themselves the laughing stock of the world, ….. its simply does not compute …i.e. the conversion theorey . Some body should have asked the foreign dignateries what did they think of that theorey, they must be laughing theirrheads OFF /////(: /////
#2 by rabbit on Wednesday, 13 January 2010 - 10:00 am
This HOME MINISTRY Secretary got a bit tak betul. he is a batu api for this issue. no body shell be blame. if want to pin point there!! he shell be the one… so tak bertamadun!! pity him.
#3 by Bigjoe on Wednesday, 13 January 2010 - 10:28 am
Learning English, Science, airplanes, cars, tourism, internet, women having and education and private rights, and just about every modern thing in existent fall into the same category for such reasoning.
THIS is not about religion. For hundred years they have been doing it in Sabah and Sarawak, Indonesia and Middle East, I don’t see any confusion in those places because of it. This is about UMNO basic fundamental policy that have gone wrong. This is about Mahathirism that have gone wrong.
And its still going wrong. Hishammudin threatening ISA on the religious nuts? Again BN show its true colour of being the first to adopt wrong Western ideas ironically. Using force against religious nuts is as Neo-Con and George Bush Jr as it gets.
This is a battle of the minds. Its not about force and power.
#4 by changeforum on Wednesday, 13 January 2010 - 10:45 am
Why is it that no one captured speeches like that and rehash it Jon Stewart style yet?
#5 by -ec- on Wednesday, 13 January 2010 - 11:22 am
the cause is not religious, not judiciary, but polity. so it its solution.
#6 by mendela on Wednesday, 13 January 2010 - 11:27 am
BN strong foothold in Sarawak and Sabah is eroding fast.
Let UMNO and BN die.
Let them win this round and in GE 13, we shall undo all the wrongs!
#7 by wanderer on Wednesday, 13 January 2010 - 11:47 am
WHEN A COUNTRY LIKE MALAYSIA DOES NOT PRACTICE PURE ISLAM AND A RACIST POLITICAL
AND OPPORTUNISTIC PARTY LIKE UMNO, WHICH
IS LOADED WITH MUSLIM PRETENDERS, WHAT HOPE IS THERE TO SEEK A COMPROMISE… A SATISFYING SOLUTION TO ALL RELIGIOUS GROUPS.
THIS POLITICAL PARTY UMNO IS LIKE A TERMINAL PATIENT, WILL DO ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING TO CLINCH ON TO POWER….EVEN TO CLAIM SOLE
OWNERSHIP OF THE WORD, “ALLAH”…IT IS LAUGHABLE.
WHO ARE THESE MUSLIM EXTREMISTS TRY TO KID?……PERHAPS, THESE MALAY MUSLIMS SHOULD FIRST TRY TO TRACE THEIR ROOTS BEFORE THEY MAKE THIS CLAIM.
#8 by frankyapp on Wednesday, 13 January 2010 - 11:59 am
Yeap Umno started it ,Umno is responsible .Umno used its power without any responsiblity.This’s the main reason why Malaysia is a kind of ‘ rojak state’. Why’s Umno needed laws and ban certain words to protect malays muslim in Malaysia.Don’t they know that GOD is almighty,need none of HIS creation to protect HIM.Good example,the Philipines,marjority of the population is catholic yet the government has no laws to protect them. Similarly why Malaysia under Umno/bn did the opposite. It shows Umnoputra needed it to protect themselves. Umno’s brand of political Islam would definitely breed hatred,encourage terrorism,turmoil and chaos within the country . Another good example is Parkistan even through it’s an Islamic republic. Umno’s top leaders should be pretty careful,least they would fall down like a ton of bricks but it’s okay if it did not take the rakyat along with them.
#9 by Motorist on Wednesday, 13 January 2010 - 12:04 pm
Its about UMNO playing very dirty politics.
The means justify the end. Anything to stay in power.
#10 by Suckkars on Wednesday, 13 January 2010 - 12:49 pm
Don’t expect much! BN are all mama toppers! They can’t rule and lead ; but they top their mama all times…..
#11 by ktteokt on Wednesday, 13 January 2010 - 1:35 pm
It is not only causing confusion among Malay Muslims but soon confusion will arise within PDRM due to the presence of this sensitive word in their coat-of-arms!
#12 by undergrad2 on Wednesday, 13 January 2010 - 2:11 pm
The People of the Book i.e. Jews, Christians and Muslims pray to the same God and that God is the God of Abraham.
Does it matter what you call him be it Yahweh or Allah? What is the word for God in Egyptian? Weren’t Egyptians praying to God before Islam? Weren’t Syrian Christians using ‘Allah’ when praying before the advent of Islam??
#13 by alorting on Wednesday, 13 January 2010 - 6:59 pm
haha. thank God I’m not a Muslim now. My IQ would have dropped 100 points when the person elected to the highest order of the civil SERVANT service says that Muslims in Malaysia would be confused by sharing the simple name of God with another Abrahamic religion…..I know a lot of my Muslim friends are insulted and ego bleeding profusely now….classic…this is better than watching George Bush Jr looking like an idiot when the Twin towers were attacked on 9-11
#14 by Loh on Wednesday, 13 January 2010 - 10:05 pm
///Their lame excuse is that to allow the use of Allah by Christians would confuse Muslim Malays who could then be easily converted to Christianity.///
It would imply that Muslim Malays remain Muslims only when they are not exposed to the knowledge of other religions. That might be reflecting an inferiority complex, for the religion. The excuse is blasphemy against Islam.
#15 by rockdaboat on Thursday, 14 January 2010 - 3:34 pm
So the government thinks that Malays are naive and stupid, can be easily confused and influenced?
#16 by tanjong8 on Thursday, 14 January 2010 - 10:43 pm
UtusansUmno are always playing the sentiments of the Malays, treating them as if they are one and all.
Actually, UmnoUtusans are exploiting for their own benefits, to squander and loot the country of its wealth.
Najib and Kerishamudin must be held responsible for the debacle.
#17 by tanjong8 on Thursday, 14 January 2010 - 10:46 pm
UmnoUtusans are misleading the Malays and exploiting.
They must be thrown out in the next GE.
They are evils.