The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) strongly protests the government's ban on the usage of the word 'Allah' by the non- Muslims in the Peninsular, as pronounced by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Nazri Abdul Aziz.

By perpetuating the myth that multi-religious usage of the word causes racial and religious discord, the government indirectly encourages a violent reaction against those who challenge the ban.

On Jan 15, Nazri Abdul Aziz said in an interview that the usage of 'Allah' is allowed for non- Muslims in the East Malaysia but forbidden for Christian publications and sermons in the Peninsula. He told journalists from the media group KTS's dailies of Borneo Post , Utusan Borneo and Oriental Daily that the ban is to preserve harmony among groups in Peninsular Malaysia.

On Jan 5, Nazri disputed the High Court ruling permitting the word's usage by Catholic weekly Herald on the same grounds. Following the ruling, ten churches and a Sikh temple have been attacked with petrol bombs, Molotov cocktails or otherwise vandalised.

However the violence has clearly been caused by the ban, rather than by the use of the word 'Allah'. The word is being used in East Malaysia peacefully and has been used by non-Muslim communities in the Peninsula without incident. State censorship and clampdown of alternative views has deepened the so-called sensitivity and confusion. Research into preventing ethnic conflict has repeatedly shown that a diverse, mature media is one of the key factors in violence prevention.

In this context, CIJ is concerned that the police have discouraged a forum on the issue that was held on Jan 11, and by reports that the Prime Minister has implicitly instructed editors to censor coverage of the opposition coalition's views on the banning of the word 'Allah'. What is needed to diffuse tension is encouraging of public discussion and debate, with all sides being given time to present their views.

By applying for a stay order against the Catholic Herald , the Government is perpetuating the view that the Christian newspaper is to blame for the violence. What is needed is an investigation into the root cause of this controversy, the ban itself.

The government should stop promoting ahistorical views which ignore the fact that the word 'Allah' predates Islam and the experience where 'Allah' has been used by other faiths peacefully. CIJ calls on the government to allow the court ruling in favors of multi-religious usage of the word "Allah" to take effect.

The writer is the director of the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ)