KUALA LUMPUR – Using the word “Allah” is still banned in Selangor for non-Muslims, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said.
The ban remains based on Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah’s decree on March 23, 2021, which specified that the use of the term is limited only to Muslims, he said in a statement.
“This is also in line with the Federal Court decision in the Titular Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur v Home Ministry case in 2014, as well as the fatwa gazetted in Selangor on February 18, 2010, regarding the same issue.”
The 2014 case refers to a Federal Court ruling which maintained a ban against The Herald – a Catholic weekly paper – from using the term “Allah” in its publications.
Amirudin was responding to the federal government’s withdrawal of its appeal against a 2021 high court decision that allowed the use of the words “Allah,” “Baitullah,” “Kaabah,” and “solat” by Christians for religious education purposes.
“Developments over this matter will not affect or threaten the state government’s stance over the use of ’kalimah Allah’.
“Selangor remains firm in defending the importance of respecting religion and refraining from threatening peace and unity which was built as the foundation of this state.”
He added that the state government will defend provisions in Selangor’s Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Amongst Muslims) Enactment 1988.
The Attorney-General notified the Court of Appeal on April 18 that it did not intend to pursue the case which involves Sarawakian Christian Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill who sued the government 15 years ago.
On August 20, 2008, shel commenced a judicial review application for the return of eight CDs with the word “Allah” confiscated from her on May 11, 2008, upon her arrival at the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal in Sepang.
In her 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 to education, as provided under Article 11 of the federal constitution.
On March 10, 2021, the high court ruled that Ireland was allowed to use the term “Allah” for religious education in the Malay and Melanau languages in Sarawak.
The high court also ruled that a Home Ministry directive issued on December 5, 1986, prohibiting the use of the words “Allah,” “Baitullah,” “solat,” and “Kaabah” by non-Muslims was illegal and unconstitutional.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim earlier today said his cabinet would be making proposals to the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong on improving policies regarding the use of “Allah”, while safeguarding racial and religious harmony. – The Vibes, May 17, 2023
