Sinar Harian calls off ‘Allah’ debate
(MM) – Sinar Harian announced today the cancellation of its closed-door debate on the “Allah” issue, as tensions continue to rise over the protracted dispute between Muslims and Christians here.
The debate between PAS central committee member Khalid Samad and Selangor Umno chairman Datuk Seri Noh Omar was originally scheduled to be held later today
“After carefully analysing the situation and following advice from religious leaders, several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as well as concerned individuals, we have decided to cancel the debate,” the Malay-language newspaper quoted Karangkraf media group’s executive editorial adviser Datuk Abd Jalil Ali as saying in a report this morning.
Abd Jalil added that many of the views on the matter had been aired through the newspapers, social media, emails as well as letters that were sent to the Sinar Harian office.
“We understand the feelings and the current general sentiment and that this why we have made this decision,” he added.
When contacted by The Malay Mail Online, PAS’ Khalid confirmed the matter, saying “reasons as per what was printed on today’s Sinar.”
The word “Allah” is viewed as exclusive to Islam by some Malaysian Muslims, who also proposed that non-Muslims — especially Christians — use the Malay word “Tuhan” for God instead.
However, the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) — an umbrella body of churches nationwide — has pointed out that the word “Allah” cannot be replaced with “Tuhan”, as both words have different connotations in the Christian faith.
CFM had also pointed out that any attempts to replace “Allah” in the local translation of the phrase “Lord God” in their bible would create an “absurd situation”, where the resulting phrase “Tuhan Tuhan” would indicate plurality and create the impression that Christians believe in many gods.
Earlier this month, the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) raided the Bible Society of Malaysia and seized over 300 copies of its Malay and Iban language bibles, which contain the word “Allah”, deepening the religious lines that resurfaced following last October’s Court of Appeal ruling barring the Arabic word to non-Muslims.
It also complicated Putrajaya’s 10-point solution that was introduced in 2011 to allow Christians the continued use of bibles in the national and other native languages even as the legal case dragged on.
The ongoing legal dispute between the government and the Catholic Church over its right to print the word “Allah” in the Herald’s Bahasa Malaysia section is pending before the Federal Court, which is set to hear arguments from both sides on March 5 before deciding on whether it will hear an appeal by the Catholic Church.
Christians make up close to 10 per cent of the Malaysian population, or 2.6 million.
Almost two-thirds of them are Bumiputera and are largely based in Sabah and Sarawak, where they routinely use Bahasa Malaysia and indigenous languages in their religious practices, including describing God as “Allah” in their prayers and holy book.
