The Unity Government is not sensitive to the issue of the word 'Allah'

SHAH ALAM - Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin has questioned the move by the Unity government to suddenly withdraw the appeal regarding the decision of the Kuala Lumpur High Court to allow Christians to use the words Allah, Baitullah, Kaabah, and prayer in the publication of Christian religious material for learning purposes.

He deemed the move as 'insensitive'

Hamzah said as the former home minister who was directly responsible for defending the sanctity of the word Allah in the case, he regretted and was disappointed with the government's decision regarding the matter.

"In the Constitution, any decision made during a trial can be appealed up to the Federal Court, and all parties need to allow this legal process to take place appropriately without any interference.

"Why was the legal and judicial process blocked, and why did the ministry act without waiting for the Court of Appeal's decision first, when the issue of the word Allah is very sensitive?" he said in a statement on Wednesday.

The notice of termination of the judicial review appeal was filed by the Attorney General's Office on April 18 at the Registrar's Office of the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya.

On March 10, 2021, the Kuala Lumpur High Court allowed Christians throughout the country to use the word 'Allah' in religious education publications.

He further added that what was sadder was not only the controversial decision was made quietly, but the notice of termination to express the intention to not continue with the appeal and the termination of the entire appeal were also made on April 18, 2023, which is in the month of Ramadan.

"Even the Fatwa Committee of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs (MKI Muzakarah Committee) in 2018 confirmed that Allah is a special holy word and it cannot be used or equated with other religions

"In fact, the decision of the National Fatwa Committee was reinforced by the order of the Sultan of Selangor, the Sultan of Johor, and the Sultan of Kedah,that the word Allah is the exclusive right of Muslims and completely prohibits its use in the Bible or the printing of any books and writings involving Christianity in any shape or form," he explained.

He stressed that Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, had also issued a misleading statement that the decision of the Kuala Lumpur High Court only applied in Sarawak.

Therefore, he insisted that the decision made by Perikatan Nasional (PN) to file an appeal using legal and judicial channels to preserve the purity of Islam and the word Allah is correct.

"The PH-BN coalition government's decision to withdraw the appeal is completely wrong and misguided," he said.