CaRe

M'sian Catholics demand use of word 'Allah': lawyer

KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIAN Catholics on Tuesday demanded the right to use the word 'Allah' in their publication after the Muslim dominated government prohibited using the Islamic word for God.

The Herald, a tabloid newspaper, is circulated among the country's 850,000 Catholics, with articles written in English, Chinese, Tamil and Malay.

It is pushing the High Court to revoke the ban and for a declaration allowing use of the word 'Allah'.

A defence lawyer told the Court that the word should not be exclusive to Muslims.

'The (publication) is using the court to declare whether it is right for the (government) to say only one community can use the word and no other communities can,' counsel Porres Ryan said.

In January, The Herald almost had its licence revoked over its use of the word in its Malay-language section. Authorities, however, warned the paper not to use 'Allah' in future.

The Malaysian Cabinet last year declared that the word could only be used by Muslims, with the internal security minister issuing a ban on its use in a non-Muslim context.

The Herald has defied the cabinet decision but Catholics say they fear the paper will not have its permit renewed later this year.

Mr Porres said the court ruling was important as it would allow followers of other religions to know whether they can use the word 'Allah'.

'The ruling by the court will be some sort of precedent on whether other religions can use the word too,' he said.

'I can't see how this order on not using the word Allah applies only to Catholics and I am sure it applies to other non-Muslim faiths in Malaysia,' Mr Porres later told reporters.

But senior federal counsel Azizah Nawawi objected to the need for such a declaration.

Judge Lau Bee Lan said she will decide on May 5 if the court would hear the publication's appeal.

Many Malaysians are concerned over the growing 'Islamisation' of the country.

In recent months, there have been controversies over the construction of the world's tallest Taoist Goddess of the Sea statue on Borneo island and the destruction of Hindu temples by local authorities. -- AFP

shypineapple

My mind fails to understand
What my heart tells me to do
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rockerbaby

This is Malaysia..... how narrow minded they are

Allah is actually an arabic word for god. It is used by all Arabic-speaking Muslims, Christians, Jews, and others.

Huaikong

pengz........

gumok

Malaysia is always like that...
As long as you offend their religion, they'll find ways to make things difficult for you...

confusedain

true.....

i esp hate that so called "muslim " political party...

makes muslims lose face....

..~*But I don`t care what they say*~..
I`m in love with you

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haruX

.......

Voodoo Vince

M'sian Catholics win right to challenge 'Allah' ban

KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIAN Catholics on Monday won the right to mount a legal battle against a government ban on the use of the word 'Allah' as a translation for 'God' in their main publication.

The Muslim-dominated government last year declared that the word could only be used by Muslims and threatened to close down The Herald newspaper if it defied the prohibition.

The newspaper, which features articles written in English, Chinese, Tamil and Malay, is circulated among the country's 850,000 Catholics. In January it nearly lost its publishing licence after using 'Allah' in its Malay section.

Authorities warned The Herald not to print the word in future, but instead it is asking the High Court to revoke the ban and make a declaration that its use is legal.

High Court judge Lau Bee Lan on Monday overruled objections by the state's counsel to the case going ahead, saying they were 'without merit and therefore dismissed'. 'The issues should be determined in the next stage,' she said.

Father Lawrence Andrew, editor of The Herald, welcomed the decision which paves the way for a judicial review of the government ban.

'I am very pleased that we can now proceed. We will see what will happen at the next stage,' he told reporters.

The church's lawyer Porres Ryan said they would soon submit an application to proceed with the case.

'The effect of the decision today is that our application is not frivolous and we can now proceed to address the issues at the review,' he said.

Malaysia is dominated by Muslim Malays and the minority ethnic Chinese and Indians have become concerned over the growing 'Islamisation' of the country.

In recent months there have been controversies over a ban on the construction of a Taoist statue on Borneo island and the destruction of Hindu temples by local authorities. -- AFP


http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2...ry_234164.html

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People don't plan to fail... They fail to plan.

dawgbyte

Reminds me of the FEDEX commercial. (is it Mr. Tan)? Someone might accidentally pray to the wrong religion.

Anyway, if that is the case, next thing we know, the term god will be used only for catholics and christians. Anyone who shouts oh my god and cannot prove they are with the right religion, will go to jail. they can oh my god in jail for as long as they want.

icyOrange

i thought it was Zhang? LOL. In islam, our god hav 99 names. and one of them is ALLAH. so yea. Well malaysia wants to be like those countries in UAE la..

Love means nothing when its comes out from your mouth..

But it means everything when its comes from the heart..

Dont fall in love..
Walk thru it..

~A simple guy with a complicated life~
^_^ icyOrange ^_^