your say 'Many languages/dialects native to the region had to adapt Malay words to support their vocabulary, just as the Malay language today have to adapt many new terms from English.'

Habib RAK: Thank you Md Asham Ahmad for your researched point of view. I respect that based on the research you have done, you have drawn your conclusion as presented in your article. Likewise, others too have done their research and have drawn their conclusions which in some cases are the opposites. Thus, given this is the situation, what do we do?

In this day and age, using might will never solve any differences in viewpoint. We need to find a win-win solution where we can co-exist whilst respecting each others' point of view and practices. Granted, there are sensitivities that must be managed tactfully. Again, these cannot be managed via forceful methods be it through law or might.

In my view, these can only be managed through education. Education will help each one to solidify their faith and not be confused even when religious propagation is done in a very subtle manner. My hope is to not run away from facing reality. There is always an acceptable solution to any problem.

John Smith: This article works hard to make a point but misses one very important fact - Bibles are translated. Whilst the Quran is kept in Arabic, Bibles are translated into each required language. When one translates text into a certain language, it is not expected that one create new words when there are existing words available.

It is impossible to translate something without using words from the language into which you are translating. Yet, despite this, the Bible in Malay is very careful in defining what is meant by ‘Allah', for example in Yohanes 1-5:

"Pada mulanya, sebelum dunia dijadikan, Sabda sudah ada. Sabda ada bersama Allah dan Sabda sama dengan Allah. Sejak semula Ia bersama Allah. Segalanya dijadikan melalui Dia, dan dari segala yang ada, tak satu pun dijadikan tanpa Dia. Sabda itu sumber hidup, dan hidup memberi terang kepada manusia. Terang itu bercahaya dalam kegelapan, dan kegelapan tak dapat memadamkannya."

Eugene : The poor writer can't even put in context of the use of language in translation. He even have the audacity to ask, "But why is 'Allah' not the terms used in Hebrew, Greek, or Latin versions?"

The obvious answer is you would use a Hebrew, Greek or Latin equivalent or another word closer to the meaning for the translation. Also, reading the finer lines and you would sense the spite in his article against Christians as if it was the Christians who raised the issue here in Malaysia and attempting to divide the Muslims.

The Watchman: Md Asham said: "Unfortunately it was the Malays themselves who had sabotaged their own culture and religion. They did that first of all by allowing 'Bahasa Melayu' to be named 'Bahasa Malaysia'."

If the Malays want to claim full ownership of Bahasa Melayu, then why force the whole nation to study Bahasa Melayu? Let only the Malays study Bahasa Melayu. The other citizens should be allowed freedom to choose the languages they want to study.

If Bahasa Melayu is adopted by all for the sake of national unity, then it is the language for everyone and no one should lay exclusive claim on it. When the government forces everyone to study the language, it becomes the language of all Malaysians.

Wira: As Bahasa Melayu/Bahasa Indonesia was the lingua franca of the archipelago for many centuries, please understand that many languages/dialects native to the region had to adapt Malay words to support their vocabulary, just as Malay language today have to adapt many new terms from English.

Actually the Malays did not sabotage their own culture and religion by allowing 'Bahasa Melayu' to be named 'Bahasa Malaysia'. Allowing your myopic view, I would venture to say they ‘sabotaged' themselves by agreeing to the merger between the peninsular and the Borneo states.

Haiyah: This fellow is confused between global Muslims and Malay Muslims. He seems to use it interchangeably to suit his argument. What he says actually represents only Malay-Umno Muslims and not Malay-PAS Muslims who are more global in their thoughts.

The global Muslims never objected to others using the word ‘Allah' in the generic form, only this small group of Malay-Umno Muslims. The main problem is that these Malay-Umno Muslims were taught a narrow, misguided form of Islam. That is they were never told what other religions are all about and what Allah really is.

They are worried that their followers' faith will be shaken. A true Muslim will have full faith in Islam and will be able to face whatever challenges confronting them.

Gk: The arguments put up by Muslim scholars in favour of the government's ban of ‘Allah' so far centered on fear of confusion to Malay Muslims, which may lead to conversion into Christianity.

But if you look into the definition of ‘Malay' in the constitution, conversion into other religion is completely impossible in legal term, as a Malay must be a Muslim, and not other faith according to the definition.

If we consider this angle, fear of confusion and conversion would not happened at all. Such fears are unfounded.