Home Ministry engages with Islamic scholars, teachers on ‘Allah’ issue

KUALA LUMPUR – The Home Affairs Ministry held an engagement session with Islamic scholars and religious teachers in Parliament on Thursday in its effort to prepare a proposal to improve the administrative directive on the use of the word “Allah”. 

According to the ministry, it is in line with the order of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah on June 5 for the government to harmonise the current issue and place the use of the word Allah in the right context by taking into account the national security, the benefit of the ummah, as well as his majesty’s position and the position of other Malay rulers as heads of Islam. 

The participants were allowed to give suggestions to put an end to rising issues regarding the control and enforcement of relevant publications in Malaysia within the scope of maintaining the existing policy regarding the use of the word “Allah”. 

“The findings will be examined and formulated into a proposal for the improvement of new administrative directive before it is submitted to the cabinet, after taking into account the policy decisions of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs Malaysia and the Conference of Rulers which are all scheduled in 2023,” read the statement yesterday. 

The ministry also gave a detailed explanation to the stakeholders about the government’s stance and commitment to coordinating the provisions of Islamic law for the sake of national security, the welfare of the ummah and the position of the royal institution, it said. 

It said more engagement sessions will be held with other stakeholders, particularly with key opinion leaders, state Islamic Religious Councils and the Islamic Development Department to get holistic recommendations and coordination over the matter. 

The ministry also expressed its commitment to maintaining public safety and order by imposing action against publications that are deemed harmful to public order from time to time, in line with the provisions under the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 (Amendment) 2012 and Article 11 of the federal constitution. – Bernama, June 10, 2023