East Malaysians can’t use Allah in West Malaysia
Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz has added more confusion to the Allah ruling when he said today that East Malaysians cannot use the word in Peninsular Malaysia.
"East Malaysia has no state laws to disallow the use of Allah, but here, we have," said Nazri at the Malaysia International Golf Symposium 2013 in Kuala Lumpur today.
He said the Allah issue has been hyped up by people who do not know the law and customs.
According to Nazri, the use of the word Allah has been a practice in Sabah and Sarawak for 100 years.
"They understood this and there has never been a problem as it is their way of life," he added.
But if East Malaysians were to come to the peninsula, they have to respect the laws as West Malaysians are not used to Christians using Allah, he said.
Yesterday, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Joseph Kurup said that while the Court of Appeal ban of the word Allah was exclusive to Catholic weekly Herald, Christians in Peninsular Malaysia were free to use the word in the weekly masses.
But Nazri today said the word Allah was never used in West Malaysia, and as such East Malaysians must follow this practice.
"I am warning Sabah and Sarawak to respect our (law) just as much as we respect theirs," he said.
"It has never been an issue before and I hope other non-Christian groups such as the Sikhs and others don't gang up on us. If you love our country, don't do it as it will just sensationalise the whole issue.
"If we are worried about Christians demonstrating, Muslims too can demonstrate."
Nazri, however, said Christians could still sing state anthems containing the word Allah.
"I'm sure the Sultan would not be happy if they sing 'Tuhan Selamatkan Sultan' or 'Kwan Ying Selamatkan Sultan'.
"You'd get a slap in the face," he remarked.
Nazri said if a Christian Arab tourist comes to Malaysia and prays using the word Allah, it would be for his or her own use.
He said while the court ruled that Herald cannot use the word Allah, the same rule did not apply to the Al-Kitab, the Bahasa Malaysia bible.
"You see, the Al-Kitab is only for use by Christians, at the church or in their own homes. But the Herald is widely circulated," he said.
When asked how the country would unite with two sets of laws, Nazri said: "You should ask Sabah and Sarawak. They set their rules, this is what they wanted.
"Same goes with how West Malaysians who go there need to use passport, but they are free to come here without it."
Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said Putrajaya would honour its 10-point solution made in 2011, allowing churches in Sabah and Sarawak to use the word Allah.
Under the deal, bibles in all languages, including Bahasa Malaysia or Indonesia, can be imported into the country. - October 22, 2013.
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/now-nazri-aziz-says-east-malaysians-cant-use-allah-in-west-malaysia
