KUALA LUMPUR – Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar has urged the federal government to reevaluate its decision to withdraw its appeal against the high court’s 2021 landmark ruling allowing non-Muslims to use the term “Allah”.
In a statement, Sultan Ibrahim said this is because the implications of the government’s decision are closely linked to the “boundaries” of Islam and the sentiments of Muslims in the country.
He said Johor has enactments that prohibit the usage of words exclusive to Muslims and could not be used by those by adherents of other religions, unless in circumstances and situations allowed under the law such as in the lyrics of the Bangsa Johor anthem.
The ruler also pointed to a fatwa dated June 4, 2009, which also bars non-Muslims from using the word “Allah”.
“Rules, regulations, enforcement, and coordination of the usage of Allah must be observed without affecting fatwa and state enactments to ensure harmony and unity of the community are upheld.
“I remain with my stance that the publication, printing, broadcasting, and distribution of any materials that may confuse the people, especially Muslims, would not be allowed in Johor, in line with the position of Islam under the promulgation of the Johor state constitution (1895)."
Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Attorney-General Tan Sri Idrus Harun had found the government’s initial appeal against the high court’s landmark ruling in 2021 allowing non-Muslims to use the term “Allah” to be “weak”.
Anwar said that when the withdrawal of the appeal was brought up with the attorney-general, it had received Idrus’ backing due to several reasons, including that the lengthy court procedure would not have worked in the government’s favour.
The prime minister had earlier explained that the cabinet, in its meeting on February 7 this year, had agreed to adhere to the Agong’s orders on the matter.
Noting that the Conference of Rulers had decided that the word “Allah” cannot be used by non-Muslims in West Malaysia while conditional usage is to be allowed in Sabah and Sarawak, Anwar said the attorney-general had then been engaged to look at the case “from an administrative perspective”.
Anwar, who is also Pakatan Harapan chairman, said the government intends to amend and revoke laws that do not align with the Conference of Rulers’ stance as part of government efforts to avoid the issue being contested in court in the future.
On May 15, it was revealed that the Attorney-General’s Chambers had on April 18 informed the Court of Appeal that it does not intend to pursue the appeal, resulting in criticism from Muslim rights groups and figures from opposition party PAS.
Past news reports on the high court’s March 2021 decision in favour of Sarawakian Jill Ireland have stated the judge’s findings that the Home Ministry’s directive in December 1986 to ban the word “Allah” and three other terms from non-Muslims’ use contradicted a cabinet decision.
The high court judge then was Datuk Nor Bee Ariffin, now a Court of Appeal judge.
In her 2021 ruling, she held that the 1986 directive was filled with illegality and irrationality, adding that the four words could also be used by Christians for teaching purposes as they have been in use for more than 400 years.
It was reported then that the cabinet in 1986 had left it to the deputy prime minister at the time, the late Tun Ghafar Baba, to decide which words should be prohibited for Christians.
Ghafar had apparently decided that four words, “Allah”, “Kaabah”, “Baitullah”, and “solat” were permitted on the condition that “For Christians” is printed on the cover of books or materials.
The Home Ministry’s December 1986 circular, however, ordered a blanket ban on the four words. – The Vibes, May 24, 2023
