Bar Council given final warning

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said it was an unwise move by the Bar Council as such a sensitive Islamic issue or of any religion for that matter, should not be put to debate or a public opinion survey.

"If they (Bar Council) continue to play up the issue, the Muslims may rise and if they do, the Bar should not be angry but be willing to accept the consequences.

"This is the final warning for the Bar Council. Islamic religious matters come under the jurisdiction of the Malay rulers and if they continue to dispute the authority's decision on the issue (use of the word "Allah" in non-Islamic religious publications), it means they are disputing the power of the rulers," he told reporters after officiating at a ground-breaking ceremony for the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council's Sekolah Menengah Imtiaz in Setiawangsa, here, today.

Ahmad Zahid said all quarters, expecially the Bar Council which comprised legal professionals, should realise that the issue had been referred to the court for a decision and should therefore not become polemic. 

"The Cabinet and Parliament too had ruled that the issue should not be put to discussion by the members.

"After this, I hope no individual or organisation will raise the issue and we should accept the court's decision. States had also gazetted the decision made by the Malay rulers and this should be respected," he said.

Ahmad Zahid was also asked on the invitation from Pahang Umno liaison chief Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob for Paya Besar Umno division head Datuk Ahmad Tajuddin Sulaiman to swear in the State Mosque to prove his (Ahmad Tajuddin) allegation that Adnan had interferred in the Paya Besar divisional elections last year.

Ahmad Zahid said the mosque should not be used to settle political disputes.