Why obstruct natural course of justice in ‘Allah’ case, Hamzah asks govt

KUALA LUMPUR – Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin has questioned why the government failed to follow the natural course of justice by allowing the appeal against the high court’s decision to take place in the issue involving the usage of the word “Allah”, given its sensitive nature.

“The question is why did the Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional coalition government not want to allow the legislative and judicial process to take place according to the federal constitution?

“Why was the legislative and judicial process obstructed and why did the home minister act without waiting for the Court of Appeal's decision in the first place, when the issue involving the word ‘Allah’ is extremely sensitive?” he asked in a press statement today.

Expressing disappointment that the controversial decision was made quietly, the former home minister also questioned the government’s true motives when the notice to terminate the appeal was made on April 18 during the holy month of Ramadan.

“The muzakarah decision by the fatwa committee of National Council of Islamic Affairs had in 2018 affirmed that ‘Allah’ is a specific holy word and cannot be used or equated with other religions.

“In fact, the decision by the committee was reinforced by the sultans of Selangor, Johor, and Kedah’s respective decrees that the word ‘Allah’ is the exclusive right of Islam and Muslims, and completely prohibits its use in the Bible or the printing of any book as well as writings involving Christianity in any form whatsoever,” he said.

The Larut MP also questioned whether the Selangor Islamic Religious Council, Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council, and Kedah Islamic Religious Council, as well as the Malay rulers who are the head of Islam in their respective states, were consulted first before the decision was made.

“Thus, the decision of the (then) Perikatan Nasional government to file an appeal using legal channels and justice in preserving the purity of Islam and the word ‘Allah’ is the correct decision.

“On the other hand, the PH-BN coalition government's decision to withdraw the appeal is completely wrong and misguided,” he added.

Yesterday, the cabinet obtained the consent of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to submit its proposal to improve the enforcement of policies relating to the use of the word “Allah” by non-Muslims to the Conference of Rulers.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said in a statement that the government will always uphold the federal constitution, especially Article 3, relating to Islam as the religion of the federation, and that other religions may be practised in peace and harmony.

The issue was discussed at the cabinet meeting yesterday following the attorney-general’s decision to withdraw the appeal against the high court’s ruling on the case involving Sarawak Christian Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill and her publication material containing the word “Allah”.

On May 15, the Home Ministry and the government were reported to have withdrawn their appeal against the decision of the Kuala Lumpur High Court, which ruled that Christians can use the word Allah and the three other Arabic words in the publication of their religious material for learning purposes. – The Vibes, May 16, 2023