The government is rolling out programmes next week in a bid to create better interfaith understanding and to “ease the tensions” which are building up due to religious issues, particularly revolving the use of the word 'Allah'.

The programmes, which will be held in conjunction with World Interfaith Harmony Week 2014, would include interfaith dialogues and visits to places of worship by multi-religious groups.

“What is important is for us to calm the tension... since the matter involving the use of the word 'Allah' is now in court, what we can do is to explain the issues around it to raise understanding.

“We also try to create a conducive environment for dialogues, so we can find the best solution,” Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Joseph Kurup ( right ) said at the pre-launch event.

Kurup, who is in charge of interfaith affairs, said that the National Unity and Integration Department have also been tasked to take “proactive measures to raise better understanding among the rakyat so as to strengthen existing ties between them”.

He said that the interfaith dialogue at Kompleks Persekutuan in Kota Kinabalu on Feb 7 will be among the larger events planned for the Feb 1-9.

Asked how the government would handle the matter if the 'Allah' dispute is raised in the dialogue, Kurup reiterated that it will seek to raise understanding on the issue.

Temple visits and a bowling competition

Other events include a visit by ministers and national service trainees to Tao, Buddhist,Christian, Muslim, and Hindu places of worship on Feb 8, as well as a bowling competition.

For the week, religious sermons - including the Muslim Friday sermons - will be coordinated to touch on the topic of interfaith harmony.

The Education Ministry is also running school programmes on the matter in conjunction with the week, while national service camps will have “cultural exchange” days.

“For example, if it is 'live like a Hindu day' then the trainees will be eating with their hands like Hindus,” an officer handling the matter told Malaysiakini .

The World Interfaith Harmony Week is an international event celebrated in the first week of February in all United Nations member countries, after it was proposed by Jordan's King Abdullah II in 2010.

Malaysia is facing heightened religious tensions - marked by a petrol bomb attack on a church in Penang this morning - believed to be related to the dispute over the word 'Allah'.

This dispute also sparked attacks against places of worship in 2010, where a number of churches and a gurdwara had faced arson and vandalism.