KUALA LUMPUR – The new government’s proposal on the use of the word Allah will be tabled at the meeting of the Conference of Rulers taking place from October 25 to 27.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said that the proposed new administration directive had been presented to the Malaysian National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs (MKI) chaired by the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.
He said the proposal drew from the findings of five engagement sessions held to obtain feedback and input related to the matter.
“So, the result of the discussions from the engagement sessions has been acquired and it has been presented to the Sultan of Selangor and the next stage is the presentation to the Council of Rulers by the secretariat of MKI.
“All the results from the presentation will be used by the Home Ministry to produce a new guideline on the use of the word Allah,” he said in Dewan Rakyat today.
Saifuddin Nasution was replying to a supplementary question by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (Pagoh-PN), who wanted to know the development related to the issue of the word Allah and what are the steps the government is currently taking.
Meanwhile, in response to Muhyiddin’s original question regarding the government’s stand on issues involving religion, race and royal institutions (3R), Saifuddin said the federal constitution, the Penal Code, the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and the Sedition Act 1948 were the legal basis used.
“The position of the government is that actions, statements, messages and speeches that are against the laws on 3R matters are not allowed.
“Provocation, incitement involving rulers can be acted upon under the Sedition Act, apart from the Penal Code and the Communications and Multimedia Act,” he said.
According to him, to date, 104 cases related to 3R issues are being investigated by police involving both parties, whether from the government bloc or the opposition. – Bernama, October 23, 2023
