By Stephen Ng
Malaysiakini
Oct 12, 2013

As the nation anxiously awaits the Court of Appeal’s decision on Monday regarding the use of the word ‘Allah’ by non-Muslims, a short chapter on the controversial issue in former Tenaga Nasional Bhd chief’s latest book, ‘Memoirs of Tan Sri Ani Arope’, is both apt and timely.

Representing the “endangered species” of broadminded Malays who grew up in multicultural Malaysia, Ani asks, “Why there is so much uneasiness among Muslims to hear others using the word loosely?”

Ani is referring to the dispute on the use of ‘Allah’ by non-Muslims in Malaysia, which has gone all the way up to the appellate court.

It has also created tension between Muslims and non-Muslims in the country, which led to a few churches being fire-bombed following the High Court decision to allow the Catholic weekly The Herald to use the word ‘Allah’ for God in Bahasa Malaysia, the language used by many Christians in Sabah and Sarawak.

Pig’s heads, wrapped in plastic, were also found in two mosques in Kuala Lumpur, but to date police have not arrested the culprits.

Sincere and frank dialogue

According to Ani, the term and use of the word ‘Allah’ is not and cannot be exclusive to Muslims.

“The Jews and Christians in the Arab speaking world would use the name ‘Allah’ to refer to the Almighty,” he argues.

He further explains: “Allah (swt) to us, Muslims, is not merely a word but more importantly, the concept from an Islamic teaching.”

The octogenarian, who turned 81 recently, said he had hoped that his sincere and frank dialogue on the Allah row could help to “continue to build peaceful and friendly relationships based upon mutual respect, justice, and what is common in essence in our shared Abrahamic tradition, particularly ‘the two greatest commandments’ in Mark 12:29-31 (and, in varying form, in Matthew 22:37-40), that the Lord, our God, is one Lord (Rabi Allahu Ahad).”

‘Memoirs of Tan Sri Ani Arope’ is published by the Fulbright Alumni Association of Malaysia. The soft-launch of the 143-page book was done at the Fulbright’s 50th anniversary dinner in July this year by its president, Professor Dr Gendeh Balwant.

The book will be available in major bookstores nationwide soon.

STEPHEN NG is a chemist by training. He dealt with printing ink, paint and emulsion polymer for 15 years before becoming a freelance writer.