KUCHING – Various political and religious leaders in Sarawak have hailed the recent Kuala Lumpur High Court judgment allowing the word “Allah” to be used in religious publications by non-Muslims as a triumph for freedom of religion.
They said it is congruent with the spirit and practice of religious harmony that has been part of Sarawak’s culture for centuries.
Selangau MP and Ba’kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian said Sarawakians expect their religious rights and freedom to be protected as specified in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the Inter-Governmental Committee Report.
“This decision is a bold one. As Sarawakian Christians, it is good news to many of us here,” said the staunch evangelical Christian.
“I hope the religious leaders, especially the respondents or defendants in this case, accept this decision and respect it accordingly,” he added.
Hailing the ruling as a “correct reading of the law”, he called on the government not to appeal the court’s decision.
Do not politicise the term ‘Allah’
Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri James Jemut Masing told the local media that the right decision has been made because politicising the term “Allah” is not acceptable.
“Religion and politics must be separated and must not be used to derive political mileage by certain quarters.
“Malaysians must celebrate this decision by the Kuala Lumpur High Court and allow the freedom of practising one’s religion according to the tenets in the Malaysian constitution.
“The term ‘Allah’ precedes Islam, and Sarawak Christians have been using it since the arrival of Christian missionaries to its shores in the mid-1800s,” he added.
‘Sound in law and consonant with justice’
Meanwhile, DAP assemblyperson for Bukit Assek, Irene Chang also praised the verdict.
“This is a watershed landmark decision as it has effectively quashed the 1986 government directive which forbids the use of the ‘Allah’ term and some other 40 words, as being illegal and unconstitutional,” she said.
“It has been 13 long years since this case was brought to court. Christians in Malaysia should rejoice and feel vindicated by the court decision that their freedom of worship as guaranteed under the federal constitution has been upheld in the court of law.”
The trained lawyer said the decision by judge Datuk Noor Bee Ariffin was “sound in law and consonant with justice and religious freedom”.
She said Sarawakians have always been concerned about protecting their secularism and with maintaining the essence of a secular state, which assures religious freedom among all faith communities.
“I hope that the government will not appeal against this decision, but instead respect the decision of the court which upholds the rights accorded to Malaysians by the federal constitution.”
Let cool heads prevail
Michael Kong, the special assistant to state DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen, said he believes that soon all religions will be practised in harmony notwithstanding the common use of “Allah”.
He said this is in line with how the people of Sarawak have been able to live in religious harmony for centuries.
“This is a good decision. However, we must pray that everyone accepts this decision with cool heads,” he said.
“We must show our maturity and avoid any form of physical violence or vandalism.
“We do not want to see incidents like the series of arson attacks on churches nationwide in 2009 following the landmark judgment where the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled that the Home Ministry’s blanket ban on the use of the word “Allah” by non-Muslims was illegal.”
‘Independence of the judiciary’
Bobby William, president of Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak, said the term “Allah” is Arabic.
“The Kuala Lumpur High Court’s decision yesterday says it all for the rights of Malaysians to practise their faiths freely without any form of hindrance. Let the buck stop here, put a full stop.
“The decision also points to an independent judiciary in judge Datuk Noor Bee Ariffin.”
He also hoped his Muslim “brothers and sisters” will take this decision positively.
“There are many other pressing issues which are more important than literally quarrelling over the name of God,” he said.
Victory for common sense
Datuk Danald Jute, Anglican prelate for Sarawak and Brunei, said in Kuching that the high court decision is a victory for common sense, and must not be seen as a victory of one group against another.
Incidentally, it was a judicial review application by a Sarawak native Christian, Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill, that led to Court of Appeal judge Datuk Nor Bee Ariffin sitting as high court judge to deliver the landmark decision.
In the application, Jill Ireland had sought, among others, a declaration that it is her constitutional right to have access to Christian publications in the exercise of her rights to practise her religion and right to education, as provided under Article 11 of the federal constitution.
She also wanted the court to declare the Home Ministry’s 1986 circular to ban the word “Allah” in Christian publications as unconstitutional and unlawful. – The Vibes, March 11, 2021
