The Home Ministry should withdraw its appeal against the Kuala Lumpur High Court judgment on the “Allah” controversy to demonstrate the government’s seriousness and commitment to resolve the issue through inter-religious dialogue.
Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said yesterday that it is time to set up an inter-faith council to reach a mutual understanding on religious matters, with the Star report giving the headline : “’Time for interfaith council’ – Muhyiddin: Mutual understanding needed among all religions.”
Barisan Nasional leaders, from the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak downwards have said that the “Allah” controversy must be resolved through inter-religious dialogue and not through the court process.
However, certain Umno Ministers and leaders have given the impression that when they speak about inter-religious dialogue, they are not talking about an open, full and free discussion and interaction but using the inter-religious dialogue to achieve a pre-determined outcome, in the case of the “Allah” controversy, to achieve the same objective as the Home Ministry ban on the Catholic weekly Herald from using the word “Allah”.
If this is the case, then the whole idea of an inter-religious dialogue would be discredited and would not be able to produce a lasting solution to the problem.
It is for this reason that I am proposing that the Home Ministry withdraw its appeal against the Kuala Lumpur High Court judgment and to convene an inter-religious dialogue to find a solution to the “Allah” controversy without any conditions as to the final outcome.
Yesterday, Muhyiddin said that Malaysians, irrespective of ethnic and religious background, must stand together to defend the country’s unity.
He said that unity among the various communities was essential, more so with the recent attacks on the churches following a court decision in the “Allah” controversy.
I cannot agree more with Muhyiddin on the need for all Malaysians, regardless of race or religion, to unite to defend national unity in the wake of the stresses and strains over religious issues like the “Allah” controversy.
However, like other Barisan Nasional leaders Muhyiddin does not walk the talk. For instance, can Muhyiddin explain why after some three weeks, the Barisan Nasional government has not convened an all-party, all-religious roundtable or conference to discuss the national unity problems arising from the “Allah” controversy although I had made this suggestion many a time?
#1 by yhsiew on Sunday, 17 January 2010 - 4:12 pm
If the Court of Appeal declares a blanket ban on the use of the word “Allxh” by non-Muslims, that could mean the end of UMNO in the 13th GE (voters in East Malaysia will cross over to PR). It is interesting to see what UMNO will choose – religious victory or political victory?
#2 by ekompute on Sunday, 17 January 2010 - 4:20 pm
Hmmm, let me bet my last dollar… the government will definitely win its appeal. What daddy wants, daddy gets LOL.
#3 by Dap man on Sunday, 17 January 2010 - 4:40 pm
Aiya!
The real Court of Appeal is UMNO. The three judges on the bench just write the grounds on a decision already made by UMNO.
Or they can will allow the appeal but sit on the written judgement for years. Alternatively, the COA may not sit at all for years since the High Court decision has been suspended.
So Herald cannot use the word Allah.
It is same with the MB vs MB case. The Federal Court will sit on the judgement till after the 13th General Elections.
#4 by yhsiew on Sunday, 17 January 2010 - 5:02 pm
The Home Ministry should get the “Allxh” issue resolved as soon as possible before the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom applies pressure on Malaysia and includes the country under its “watch-list”.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom is not an ordinary NGO; it is a diplomatic tool used by the U.S. to make sure countries practice freedom of religion.
The Commission had urged the government to carefully resolve the current religious conflict or else it will “affect the country’s political and economic future”, hinting the Commission may take action (including economic sanctions) against the country if the conflict is not amicably solved.
#5 by Jong on Sunday, 17 January 2010 - 5:41 pm
Let the two 2 cousins Najib and Krisman be reminded that Saddam Hussein and his cousin ‘Chemical Ali’ were hauled in and held accountable for their evil misdeeds and it’s time they too stop fanning the fire!
Right-thinking concerned Malays-Muslims do not fall for their trap. Any further mischief coming from their direction will not be tolerated and taken too kindly anymore by all Malaysians!
#6 by -ec- on Sunday, 17 January 2010 - 6:28 pm
i think the name middle malaysia is far from impressive. when 1malaysia is 1.0, middle malaysia gives the impression of 0.5, unripe or premature.
there should be other better name to brand your party policies.
#7 by Evenmind on Sunday, 17 January 2010 - 6:32 pm
We are having low IQ leaders at the helm of Malaysian politics. How on earth do you think that they will take your advice??/
Before this they have always been politicitizing race , then religion and now GOD. These scums of the earth (bumiputeras my az) would do anything to be in the limelight., they now say that the are above the Quran and they are better than their muslims brothers from the rest of the world, because GOD belongs only to muslims in M’sia.
Really the only choice you have is use all available means to oust this gomen in the next elections, the scumbags are not going to change, they will bring destruction to M’sia very soon, just watch how the economy would be unfolding in the next few months, there would be a large sellour of the RM .
#8 by Evenmind on Sunday, 17 January 2010 - 6:44 pm
Sellout of the RM , yes very soon , and the stink would last as long as the stupid moron UMNO is in power. May Allah have mercy on malaysia.Very soon Indonesia would be importing maids from Malaysia.
#9 by yhsiew on Sunday, 17 January 2010 - 7:26 pm
///IPOH, Jan 17 — DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng today staked his party and Pakatan Rakyat’s claim today to “Middle Malaysia”, spelling out his belief that moderate voters can deliver Putrajaya to the federal opposition.
He told the DAP national convention here today the new coalition would have to take the middle ground and create a more moderate, more tolerant Malaysia that is “Middle Malaysia”.
“Middle Malaysia prefers co-operation not conflict, consultation instead of confrontation and an inclusive, shared society rather than an exclusive, separate society.
“We want no part of the extremist fringes with pronouncements and positions that frightens off any decent Malaysian,” he said in his opening address to a crowd of over 1,200 delegates.///
Well done, Guan Eng!
“Modest Malaysia” is a better term than “Middle Malaysia”. The latter sounds abstract – more abstract than Najib’s 1Malaysia!
#10 by monsterball on Sunday, 17 January 2010 - 9:53 pm
They are making contradicting comments to cover each other.
You will find UMNO ministers are not saying the same things….like before.
Najib have no power over anyone.
UMNO is exposing their weaknesses…day in…day out.
#11 by Jong on Sunday, 17 January 2010 - 10:26 pm
While those schemers are out of the country busy engaging that Pangkor Pirate on another dangerous mischief, their UMNO cahoots back home are getting sillier by the day!
#12 by tanjong8 on Sunday, 17 January 2010 - 10:27 pm
Kerishamudin is staking his future in Umno by taking an extremist stance !
He is part of the UmnoUtusans who are beyond redemption.
The only way to vote them out in the next GE.
Go to his constituency and campaign against him
#13 by Jeffrey on Sunday, 17 January 2010 - 10:55 pm
///The Home Ministry should withdraw its appeal against the Kuala Lumpur High Court judgment on the “Allah” controversy to demonstrate the government’s seriousness and commitment to resolve the issue through inter-religious dialogue./// – YB Kit.
There are 2 problems here.
First, when the premise/objective is to find a solution via preferred option of inter-religious dialogue in lieu of Court decision, parties like Home Ministry & Herald can begin exploring preferred option of inter-religious dialogue only from equal / level ground. If Home Ministry withdraws its appeal, will it be level ground for the Lau Bee Lan ‘s High Court decision favouring Herald to remain standing in force? Will Herald be prepared to vacate that High Court judgment favouring it ie to apply for its rescission/cancellation or non binding on the Govt???
Second, though it is fashionable for every quarter to speak of interfaith dialogue/discussion, will such dialogue really work and find a solution/consensus with regard to Christians’ use of the word Allah in Malay version of Bible/sermon and to stop arson cases in context/milieu of Ketuanan?
Hope that it will work is one thing but what are chances in reality?
I assume inter-religious dialogue involves representatives of both faiths meeting to discuss, understand each other traditions, exploring for solutions to issues of conflict.
Whilst the Herald/Catholic churches can appoint their leaders to dialogue who speak for Islam? JAKIM, IKIM, ABIM or the Home Ministry as stakeholder?
Also an inter-religious dialogue is helpful if one side comes to understand in the process of dialogue the other side’s position which it didn’t understand before so that it could from such understanding forge a compromise.
In the present Herald controversy which side exactly does not understand what of the other side which it didn’t understand before?
The Herald’s position is well known : Christians in East Malaysia have been using the word in their bible for decades before since the time of missionaries; other Muslim countries like Indonesia have no such restrictions; the word has been used for eons before. For the other side, Islam is official religion and should be respected. Muslims are majority and their feelings should be respected. Ketuanan based on Social Contract should be respected. What then are remaining areas on either side that the other side does not know before the dialogue?
Supposing we get respected representatives on both side of the divide to engage in dialogue. The first problem is based on public feed back from blogs etc even respected figures on each side may have differing opinions between themselves. And even if the participants of both opposing sides come to more or less a consensus, what is the assurance that their respective followers of faith will agree or abide by decisions of their so called representatives? Certainly on issue of stopping arsons, the throwers of Molotov cocktail will not abide by whatever consensus even if reached from the dialogue. And if the dialogue protracts to months without consensus, the arguments in these dialogues, if made public, may incense some followers, and if kept private will not convince other followers thinking that private deal/concession, or even sell out has been made by their representatives, and in either cases where dialogue proceedings are protracted, it will provide lead time for arson or other violent expressions to continue being perpetrated.
A firm, fair, rational and incisive decision from the government quick and now is more important than protracted discussions.
#14 by Bigjoe on Monday, 18 January 2010 - 7:51 am
Withdrawing will not avert the disaster waiting to happen. They have to put in place a plan to walk away from the ultras in their party and prepared to have it split. Cut off the gangrene that has been eating away at UMNO/BN for several decades now. Without a comprehensive plan like that, the only eventually is a prolong disaster.
Violence is an eventuality, the issue is whether its going to be quick or whether its going to prolonged. The contemporary UMNO/BN way prolongs it.
#15 by alwaysfair on Monday, 18 January 2010 - 11:18 pm
They have pure Ketuanan blood running through their veins and will never withdraw the appeal. They will of course win again, the A-word will only be allowed to be selectively used just to damage control. This is better because only then we realise what a bunch of 1Malaysia circus performers we have in Parliment and are forced to kick them out.
#16 by alwaysfair on Monday, 18 January 2010 - 11:24 pm
They do so much evil and still dare to champion the religion, and worse still managed to win some followers to their side, who must be blind and deaf to their evil deeds.
These blind guides and blind followers will soon all fall into the longkang.