COMMENT 2014 is expected to be a challenging year. Our standard of living will decline with higher costs as the government struggles to balance the budget by reducing subsidies.

It also hopes to increase revenue by way of introducing new taxes like the GST in the following year. All this in the midst of a diminishing ringgit, toll hikes and a sluggish economy; the simple conclusion is that the government has no choice.

Our biggest problem is therefore how to prepare for all the hardship that will soon be engulfing us. In such situations, the government of the day needs to bring as many onto its side as possible.

National unity at the times of adversity is crucial if we are to weather the storm and not cause greater inequality. Instead, the government is allowing a single word to come between the people of Malaysia. It is allowing extreme elements in its own body politic to distort ethnic relations.

It is remaining silent on important issues because there is no consensus in cabinet. In short, Putrajaya is paralysed and consequently, there is no leadership in Malaysia.

As the main sponsor of the “global movement of moderates”, the Malaysian government should be well and truly ashamed of itself for its poor handling of its own public sphere. Governments can no longer behave as though they are immune to social media.

Nobody, for example, can really believe in the United States as a “defender of freedom” after the revelations by whistleblower  Edward Snowden. Similarly, nobody in their right minds can think of Premier Najib Razak or Malaysia as a global leader of moderates.

It is quite mind-boggling why Putrajaya is so silent on Jais’ recent action to raid and confiscate 300 Malay language Bibles in Selangor recently.

If reports are accurate, the raid was done without a warrant. If this action is condoned with silence (silence is consent), does this mean that religious authorities now have the right to raid, confiscate and arrest without a warrant?

I am not sure about other non-Muslims in this country but for me, this is really crossing the thin red line!

Null and void

Malaysia is held together by a Constitution. Even laws and amendments to the constitution passed by Parliament but that is contradictory to the spirit of the 1957 Constitution can be challenged and if proven so, is null and void.

Whilst Islam is the religion of the federation, the constitution guarantees freedom of religious beliefs. Non-Muslims can practice their religion in "peace and harmony".

Since the Court of Appeal decision on the right of the Catholic Church to use the word ‘Allah’ in the Herald, there has been a distortion with regards to the words "peace and harmony", which was interpreted as a condition for the freedom. It is hoped that the Federal Court will remedy, what to my mind, is an error in interpretation (no disrespect to the Court of Appeal).

"Peace and harmony" to my mind means “should not be prevented”. In short, there should be no interference by the state especially the Islamic authorities like Jais over the religious activities of non-Muslims. Their jurisdiction ends with Muslims, period.

The contention in the Jais raid is that they are carrying out the Sultan of Selangor’s decree prohibiting non-Muslims from using the word ‘Allah’ for the purposes of converting Muslims to Christianity.

As law professor Azmi Shahrom ( left )  explained, the 1988 state enactment was designed for a specific purpose, which is to stop the “propagation” of religious beliefs other than Islam to Muslims.

In this case, there is no evidence of intent or the presence of any “action” of propagation. In short, the Bibles were kept in a storeroom and its use was for Christians only.

As in any other case, one lives in hope that “innocent until proven guilty” still applies to non-Muslims in this country.

In situations of crisis like this, it is important to nip controversy in the bud and we expect leadership from the government. When will the prime minister break his silence over this matter?

He does not have to look far and can take a leaf from his father’s book. Razak would have cancelled his overseas holiday and convened a high-level cabinet meeting to thrash the matter out. It is really quite amazing that Putrajaya has allowed the matter to fester for so long.

Once the PM’s views on the matter has prevailed in cabinet, those cabinet ministers who disagree can leave cabinet voluntarily or be sacked if they step out of line.

The ‘Allah’ issue is not going to be solved by the law courts. The High Court decided in favour of the Catholic Church and its decision was reversed by the Court of Appeals.

Now that decision is being considered by the Federal Court but whatever it decides will satisfy nobody.

It is best for the PM to demonstrate all that he preaches to the rest of the world what the “global movement of moderates” really mean. If the PM is successful in securing consensus then he might just serve out his new five -year term.

There is really little point in saying “silence is not an option” as the PM has consistently demonstrated that he prefers working in the background. But in this particular case, there is no voice at all.

If we had hoped for an elder statesman like former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad  ( right ) to exert a moderating influence, he has instead inflamed the situation further by asking the Catholics not to annoy the Muslims.

Whilst the issue is an emotional one, why is it not permissible for Catholics from Sabah and Sarawak, who work and live in peninsular Malaysia, to continue referring to God as Allah whilst worshipping in churches?

How can it be okay for them to do so in East Malaysia and not in West Malaysia?

Calling a spade a spade

Sarawak State Minister James Masing called a spade a spade when he said that Putrajaya cannot have it both ways. Either we can or cannot use ‘Allah’ when referring to God.

I personally find this ‘solution’ totally disrespectful to the sanctity of God. How dare mere mortals arrogate the power to define God based on geographic convenience.

Putrajaya, especially Umno, must come clean on the matter. Can we or can we not refer to God as “Allah”. If not, then say it clearly and loudly so that members of the public and current lawmakers can make an informed decision about supporting the Umno-led BN in Parliament and the state legislative councils when the matter comes up.

Similarly, what is the stand of the shadow cabinet and Pakatan Rakyat on the matter? Where is the firestorm of leadership by Anwar Ibrahim on the matter?

PAS’ Mujahid Rawa is about the only decent politician who states clearly what he thinks and believes. Pakatan also has to demonstrate its own convictions in this matter. Jais may be under the purview of the Sultan of Selangor but the Menteri Besar of Selangor can surely provide the ruler some advice on the matter.

Assuming he is already do so, let the solution be not a stop-gap measure and a damp squib like “pleading for space” to investigate the matter.

Why was the action by Jais carried out? Silence on the part of Pakatan is also not an option.

Finally, as former Federal Minister Bernard Dompok ( right ) said, the action by Jais is clearly not respecting the 10 Point Solution.

The problem is that there is no real consensus on this issue and as such not all civil servants agree with it. With little or no real leadership in the country, civil servants sometimes act on their own convictions. It appears to be seen how this crisis will be solved.

In case, there are some who think that this issue can be allowed to fester and that it will solve itself whilst taking public attention away from the rising cost of living, please think again. That is an ultimately silly way of thinking and shame on the opposition for fanning it.

A thin red line was crossed by Jais when it raided the Bible Society in Selangor and confiscated the 300 Bibles meant for Christians with crosses embedded on its covers.

There has been no leadership expressed by the BN on the matter and instead we have third tier politicians crossing swords further aggravating the matter. We do not need more partisanship or legal battles. We need people-to-people solution.

Let cool minds decide the matter but for goodness sake Najib Razak, please demonstrate some of that moderating influence you claim to the whole world.