Lawmakers from both sides of the political divide in Sabah and Sarawak today urged Putrajaya to withdraw its appeal against a High Court's ruling which allowed the use of the word "Allah" by non-Muslims in Malaysia.

The move, according to them, will not only end the 35-year-old polemic and the pain felt by the Sabahans, Sarawakians and the Orang Asli, but it will be a positive legacy for the prime minister.

"It is a blessing that all Malaysians can pray to Allah in mosques, churches and gurdwaras," the 54 parliamentarians and state assemblypersons from nine...