The Kedah branch of the Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air (Kita) party today expressed surprise at the attitude of PAS leaders, including PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, who had agreed that non-Muslims could be allowed to use the word ‘Allah’.

NONE Its chief, Zamil Ibrahim ( right ), said PAS and all quarters should be in conformity that the word is exclusively for the use of Muslims, as reminded by the Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah yesterday, and it was not allowed to be used in the Malay version of the Christian Bible.

Stern action should be taken against those who insulted the fatwa (edict) on the matter," Zamil said when commenting on Nik Aziz's statement on the matter yesterday.

Nik Aziz's statement had come following a proposal by Penang Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng in his Christmas Day message last month for the federal government to allow the use of the word ‘Allah’ in the Malay Bible.

Meanwhile, Selangor Islamic Affairs Council secretary Mohd Misri Idris said in a statement that Sultan Sharafuddin had decreed that the word ‘Allah’ was a holy word specifically for Muslims and could not be used by any non-Muslim religion, as stated in an edict gazetted on Feb 18, 2010.

"What Sultan Sharafuddin said is clear. The opposition pact leaders should remember that His Highness is the sultan of Selangor and the head of the Islamic religion of the state who must be respected.

"The federal constitution and the Rukun Negara call for loyalty to king and country, and questioning this is tantamount to treason.

“Anwar Ibrahim, as the Selangor economic advisor, should remember that," said Zamil, who is a former Kedah PKR Youth chief.

In Shah Alam, Pertubuhan Jalur Tiga (Jati) information chief Hasan Basri echoed the same.

Hasan, who is also former Selangor PAS information chief, said the move by the PAS leaders was actually a ploy to fish for votes from non-Muslims in the upcoming general election.

- Bernama