PKR man upset ‘Allah’ can be used in Christian publications
PKR’s Zulkifli Nordin today questioned the decision made by the Home Ministry in allowing the Catholic weekly The Herald to use the word “Allah” in its publications.
“Have they referred to the related decree? The ministry should not compromise on this matter,” said the Kulim Bandar Baharu MP when asked about the decision.
He told The Malaysian Insider that his opposition to the use of the word “Allah” by non-Muslims were not motivated by theological arguments.
The Home Ministry has allowed Herald to use the word “Allah”, but the publication has to clearly print the words “For Christianity” on its cover.
“We should look at the social context where the word is used by the Malay Muslims in the country, what is the reason behind their insistence on using ‘Allah’,” said Zulkifli.
Earlier in his speech while debating the motion of thanks to the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, the first term MP express his unhappiness with The Herald’s editor Lawrence Andrew’s statement on the use of the word Allah by the publication.
“I am worried that the word ‘Allah’ was used with the aim to confuse the Muslims,” said Zulkifli referring to leaflets in Malay promoting Christianity which he claimed was distributed in a Malay-majority school in Ampang.
“Does God’s name follow the race or language,” said Zulkifli.
He added that the word “Allah” which is also used in the Malay version of the Bible, Al-Kitab would also confuse the Muslims.
“I have no problem with the use of the Malay language, but by using the word ‘Allah’ to refer to God, it made the Muslims unhappy, I have met a lot of them who told me this,” he said in his speech.
Zulkifli has always been consistent in raising issues relating to Islam which often contradicts the common stand agreed to by Pakatan Rakyat leaders.
Last year he led a protest against a closed door forum on Islam, saying that the event organised by the Bar Council was an attempt to question the position of Islam as the religion of the federation.
