YOURSAY ‘If this is an olive branch offered to Christians, don't bother.’

Churches can still use 'Allah', says gov't

Kim Quek: This is clearly a hollow assurance, meant to mollify the anger of non-Muslims, particularly the Christians in Sarawak who can do BN in at coming elections.

When Jais (Selangor Department of Islamic Affairs) confiscated bibles in January, did Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak defend and uphold the 10-point solution?

No, he abdicated meekly on the cowardly excuse that the 10-point solution has to defer to the Islamic enactments of the individual states.

Even after Selangor Islamic Council (Mais) and Jais had defied the attorney-general's decision exonerating the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) and refused to release the bibles and even wanted to bring it to court, Najib has done nothing to date to avert such trampling of minority rights.

Contrary to assurance that the fallout of this latest Federal Court decision is only confined to the publication The Herald , the sweeping legal principles anathema to the federal constitution as asserted by the Court of Appeal, have endowed sweeping powers to authorities, both Islamic and governmental, to violate the constitutionally enshrined rights of non-Islamic faiths as and when these authorities deem fit, including Sabah and Sarawak.

An application to review this Federal Court decision is hence a must, so as to keep the hope alive that our constitution may yet be saved from permanent defilement from such scandalous judgments by both the Federal Court and the Court of Appeal.

Bruchaga: Since the ban is only on The Herald then why are the bibles still kept by Mais and Jais? The police should raid Mais and Jais to recover the bibles and return them to BSM.

Mais and Jais should be prosecuted for taking the law into their own hands before the court ruling. Can the government stand up for the minority Christians and take action on Mais and Jais?

Telestai!: If this is supposed to be the olive branch offered to Christians, don't bother. With the extent of flagrant defiance of authority shown by the IGP, Mais and Jais, this statement means nothing.

Until and unless Najib’s government grows some teeth and reins in the little Napoleons, I won't be noticing what it says.

Wg321: The 10-point solution is valid only as long as Najib is the prime minister. What is going to happen if he is no longer the premier? The 10-point solution is not an Act of Parliament.

Isma, Perkasa, etc, can argue that the 10-point solution goes against the ruling of the Federal Court, which also applies to Sabah and Sarawak.

If ever East Malaysians brings their Malay bibles to West Malaysia, they will be confiscated by Jais and other state Islamic authorities.

What a pity, if these pribumi of Sabah and Sarawak have to use the Malay bibles and worship their Allah underground, in their own land.

Mosquitobrain: A 47:51 government making a 50:50 decision - can use the word ‘Allah' in worship but not in its weekly publication, The Herald .

Instead of a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer, they've opted for the 'middle path'.

Ratbatblue: Of the panel of judges, Federal Court justice Zaitun Ali was the most ‘manly'. Whatever her pronouncements were, she had the strength and courage to state them, just like her other two non-Muslim colleagues.

What makes her more outstanding was that she did her job impartially and stood her ground, whichever way, unlike the other four who probably were afraid of repercussions if they stuck their necks out.

If the ban was for the word in The Herald only, what if only the name of the paper was changed? Would the ban still be in place? Also, in Sabah and Sarawak, could this word be used in new publications? Flip-flops abound in our country's policies.

Ipohcrite: When the government, by proxy the premier, should show leadership in dealing with contentious issues, it did not.

Now, with a court order firmly in place, the government tells you to act differently from the court order. Is this government above the law?

MacMac: Will Jais enter a church and stop the prayers if ‘Allah' is used? What guarantee is there they will not do this? After all, they raided a wedding, a funeral, and even snatch bibles.

Anon1: Mr Anonymous Government Spokesman, do you have anything to address to the mob who wants to " chop off heads "? Or are you in fear too of losing your head?

Do you have the mob's permission to make this statement in the first place? Or are you fanning the fire so that the mob carries out what they have threatened?

Limfly: Indeed, more double-speak from Najib. If churches can use ‘Allah' why can't The Herald ?

But we all know, when push comes to shove, the court judgment against The Herald will be used right across the board to prohibit other Christian publications and churches from using the word.

Then, it will the turn of the Sikhs.

Anonymous_3f6d: The Catholic Church should set up a new publication and continue as normal. The IGP can ignore the courts, so can we.

Make 10-point solution law, and we’ll believe you

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