YOURSAY Archbishop Murphy Pakiam, I support your criticism of Najib for his insistence that the word ‘Allah’ is exclusive to Muslims.’

Archbishop roasts Najib over 'Allah' row

Ferdtan: I have just watched the movie ‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’. In one episode before he stood for South Africa’s first free election, much violence broke out and this time the blacks had the upper hand. Many whites were assaulted in revenge for all the past killings.

The people, both white and especially the blacks, did not want to change; they demanded retribution. So the situation was rocked with uncertainty and violence went on unabated.

Not many leaders, especially politicians, would want to be seen taking a different stand to the wishes and expectations of their supporters. It is akin to committing political suicide.

However, Nelson Mandela was different. He was truly a leader who acted according his conscience. Mandela went on the national TV to call for peace - much against the wishes of his black supporters.

He said, “I am your leader and as long as I am your leader I am going to tell you always when you are wrong. I am telling you now, you are wrong. As long as I am your leader, I am going to give you leadership.”

So what has this Mandela story got to do with the ‘Allah’ controversy and with our leader, PM Najib Razak? We are asking Najib, show us your leadership. Don’t sway with the wind.

Harmony in our beloved country is not about getting votes. Najib, how do you want our children to remember you - a true leader or a political coward?

RR: Now that the outgoing Archbishop, Murphy Pakiam, has spoken loudly and clearly of the prevailing circumstances and the character of Najib, and with the abundant views expressed by a sea of people on the Allah issue, the apex court judges should put on their thinking caps before delivering a truthful and judicious judgment on the appeal before them. They must not be politically biased, for jurisprudence forbids it.

SAM98: As a Muslim, I believe the archbishop is correct in his assessment of the whole issue. Najib is a politician and will use any form of nonsense to win elections. Islam has existed for 1,435 years whereas Christianity for 2,013.

Pemerhati: It is doubtful if the top Umno and BN leaders actually believe in their own religion or for that matter in any religion. If they really believed in religion, they would not be doing the terrible things that their religion forbids them to do.

For instance, all religions forbid their adherents from stealing or committing adultery or murder.

But the fact that some of Malaysia’s top leaders and their collaborators and cronies steal by the billions and have also been caught for rape, adultery and murder, clearly indicates that they do not believe in what their religion preaches.

For them, religion is a tool that is to be used to influence the masses and get their votes so as to stay in power, and to go on doing what their religion forbids them to do.

The Allah issue is being played up by Umno to rouse the emotions of the majority Malays and make them think that the party is the champion of the religion for the Malays. By doing so, they hope they will get more than 47 percent of the votes in future elections.

Slumdog: Archbishop Murphy Pakiam, I support your criticism of Najib for his insistence that the word ‘Allah’ is exclusive to Muslims. As we all know, Najib has never in his time as PM showed any leadership or statesmanship on any moral or legal issue facing his government.

Instead of leading the way for genuine reform, tolerance and good governance, he remains silent and lets his unqualified, biased and unintelligent Umno mouthpieces defend the government’s stance.

He says all the right things at the international stage and forum, but does the complete opposite at home.

So far he has managed to con many of the world’s leaders into thinking of Malaysia as a moderate, democratic, tolerant and thriving Muslim nation. How far is this from the truth?

Mr KJ John: Archbishop, thanks for finally speaking up and showing that you are not weak except that you honour the biblical mandate to respect authorities and now that you are no more the Titular Archbishop, you can speak freely and say what you really think and feel. My hats off to you.

Maybe St John’s Institution never taught Najib to stand up and speak out for truth? It takes moral audacity; and for truth, you either know it or you do not. He obviously does not; so please continue to pray for him.

Telestai!: Tan Sri Murphy, while I respect your current stance, I think it's a case of too little too late. There is no point closing the stable door after the horse has bolted.

It is indeed true that we are living in dangerous times. You feted Najib and helped boost his image, but little did you know that he cannot be trusted. Let us move on with the Allah issue. Use ‘Yahweh’ or the equivalent.

Kairos: Clearly, our PM is a Muslim first, a Malay second and a Malaysian third. The funny thing is that he calls himself the prime minister of Malaysia.

With the recent tacit approval given to the rigorous Chinese bashing at the Umno assembly and the open declaration to defend the exclusivity of the word ‘Allah’ for the Muslims, he might as well just call himself the prime minister for Malay Muslims.

As he has rejected the other races and other faiths, why bother to call himself the leader for all races in Malaysia?

Bianca Lee: Archbishop Pakiam has made this very gracious statement in spite of his frustration. He deserves my highest respect. Let the world know the high handedness and injustice in which this Allah issue has been handled. The truth shall prevail.

Jesse: The court decision was clouded by the judges' surprising ignorance and prejudice. It has no historical or judicial merit and worse, the spineless PM chose to exploit it.

It is the ‘confused’ Muslims who should stop preventing others from using ‘Allah’ as it had been used all over the Islamic world for ages.

Progressive: How can Najib do otherwise and survive politically if close to 90 percent of Malays believe that ‘Allah’ should be for the exclusive use of Muslims? So there are only two choices left.

One, all of us try to convince the majority of our Malay brothers and sisters to change their mind, which would then allow Najib to change his stand, too.

Second, for the sake of the nation, the Christians, including myself should back off and accept this reality.

Pushing the envelope on this will only lead to religious tension in this peaceful country of ours. These are the only two choices that we have. Anything else will be disastrous for our nation.

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