KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here revealed that the four Arabic words including “Allah” were allowed to be used by Christians in their publications on the condition that it must be stated “For Christians Only” on the front page of such materials.
In her 96-page written judgment, Justice Datuk Nor Bee Ariffin said her ruling that the Christians nationwide could use the word Allah, Baitullah, Kaabah and solat in their religious publications for educational purposes was based on the government’s May 1986 policy.
She said the Cabinet came out with the policy decision in May 1986, according to a note by the then Deputy Prime Minister Tun Abdul Ghafar Baba to the Home Ministry.
“The plain and clear language in the DPM’s note in my view simply means that the 12 words could be used unconditionally while the four words (Allah, Baitullah, Kaabah and solat) could not be used, but the four words could be used subject to the condition stated immediately below the four words. It is crucial to bear in mind the condition that the words ‘For Christians Only’ be printed on the front cover of the books,” she added.
The judge said, however, on Dec 5, 1986, a directive was issued by the Home Ministry to all Christian publications that the four words were totally prohibited.
“Among the reasons for the prohibition was to avoid any misunderstanding between Muslims and Christians which could threaten public security and order, as well as hurt religious sensitivities of Malaysians,” she said.
Nor Bee said it was on this directive that the then Home Minister Tan Sri Syed Hamid Syed Jaafar Albar had affirmed an affidavit in support of the ministry’s argument to ban Sarawak native Christian, Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill from using the word “Allah”.
“His ministry, being in charge of regulating printing and publication, was made responsible to execute and enforce the said law and the government policy under the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 (Act 301).
“In my view, on a true and proper construction of the then prime minister’s letter (Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad) and the late Ghafar Baba’s note, the Cabinet’s policy decision did not impose a total ban on the four words. The impugned directive did. The impugned directive, in my view, was simply a stand-alone directive, so to speak, issued by the Publications Control Division of the ministry.
The judge also stressed that, if the Cabinet’s policy decision was correctly, properly and validly carried into effect by using the appropriate law under the charge of the Home Ministry, there might not even be this judicial review proceeding.
On March 10, the judge ruled that Christians nationwide could use the words Allah, Baitullah, Kaabah and solat in their religious publications for educational purposes after allowing a judicial review application by Jill Ireland.
Last Monday, the government, however, filed an appeal against the High Court’s ruling to the Court of Appeal.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Fri Mar 19 2021
She said the Cabinet came out with the policy decision in May 1986, according to a note by the then Deputy Prime Minister Tun Abdul Ghafar Baba to the Home Ministry.
Mangsa banjir di Perak terus meningkat, Selangor menurun
Jumlah mangsa banjir yang ditempatkan di PPS di Perak terus meningkat pagi ini manakala jumlah mangsa di Selangor menunjukkan penurunan.
Letupan baharu menggegarkan Beirut
Memetik laporan Associated Press, rejim Zionis turut menyerang kem pelarian Palestin jauh di utara buat kali pertama ketika ia menyasarkan kedua-dua pejuang Hezbollah dan Hamas.
Pelabur makin yakin, Malaysia disaran tingkatkan keperluan RE
Keperluan tenaga boleh baharu (RE) di negara ini semakin meningkat seiring keyakinan pelabur asing khususnya untuk mewujudkan pusat data, kata Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
Dua minggu hilang, nasib Orang Asli Zuzina masih misteri
Pelbagai pihak masih mencari wanita orang Asli Zuzina Abine yang hilang selepas keluar rumah sejak 20 September lalu.
Ringgit dijangka berbanding dolar AS minggu depan
Ringgit dijangka kekal pada paras 4.21 hingga 4.22 berbanding dolar AS minggu depan, tetapi dengan kecenderungan meningkat terhadap dolar AS selepas data senarai gaji bukan ladang (NFP) Amerika Syarikat (AS) bagi September meningkat mendadak kepada 254,000 pekerjaan.
[TERKINI] Enam rakyat Malaysia selamat tiba dari Lubnan pagi ini
Kementerian Luar Negeri mengesahkan seramai enam orang rakyat Malaysia daripada sebuah keluarga selamat tiba di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur (KLIA) dari Lubnan pada pagi ini (6 Oktober 2024).
Konvoi motosikal Seru For Gaza, cerminan sokongan sesama saudara
Liputan Wartawan Astro AWANI, Faida Rahim di acara konvoi motosikal Seru For Gaza di Cafe Rosco sebagai cerminan sokongan kepada saudara sesama Islam di Gaza, yang sudah setahun diperangi keganasan Israel.
Kenanga jangka OPR stabil 3.0 peratus pada 2025
Kenanga Investment Bank Bhd menjangka Kadar Dasar Semalaman (OPR) kekal stabil pada 3.0 peratus sepanjang 2025.
88 badan pensijilan halal luar negara dapat pengiktirafan JAKIM
Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) telah memberikan pengiktirafan kepada 88 badan pensijilan halal luar negara setakat Mei tahun ini.
PERKESO sasar sejuta pencarum OBS menjelang akhir tahun ini
PERKESO menyasarkan untuk mencapai sejuta pencarum bagi kategori Orang Bekerja Sendiri menjelang akhir tahun ini.
Malaysia #QuranHour 2022 ajak masyarakat hayati erti kemerdekaan - WUIF
Pelakon filem Mat Kilau pula Datuk Adi Putra diberikan penghormatan untuk membacakan ikrar untuk memerdekakan diri dari keburukan di jiwa.
Kembali kepada Tuhan, hadir sesuatu yang berharga dalam kehidupan - Aliff Aziz
Aliff Aziz bercakap tentang kerinduan membuat persembahan, kerinduan pada keluarga dan peluang menebus semula masa lalu.
'Ayah pesan sempurnakan kerja di sana kerana Allah' - Ebit Lew mohon doakan bapa terlantar sakit
Pendakwah bebas, Ustaz Ebit Lew berkongsi di media sosialnya tentang berita terbaharu bapanya.
'Teruskan dan jangan berundur, kita mampu kembalikan kehidupan normal' - PM
Muhyiddin menzahirkan rasa kagum atas semangat yang ditunjukkan oleh semua lapisan masyarakat dalam mengekang wabak penularan COVID-19.
Ebit Liew masuk Gaza hari ini, serah dua treler ubat dan keperluan asas kepada rakyat Palestin
Ebit Lew mengakui air matanya tidak dapat dibendung lagi usia mengaminkan doa sejurus bantuan disampaikan.
Ustaz Ebit Lew bawa misi kemanusiaan bantu rakyat Palestin
Ebit Lew dan delegasinya akan menjalani bantuan misi kemanusiaan di Mesir pada 25 - 30 Mei 2021.
Pengawal peribadi dipukul: Kerajaan perlu wujudkan jawatankuasa khas elak hina agama
Kerajaan perlu mewujudkan satu jawatankuasa khas bagi mengukuhkan perpaduan sesama rakyat pelbagai bangsa dan agama di negara ini.
Ramadan: Jadikan tahun ini sebagai 'reset' beribadah
Jadikan Ramadan tahun ini sebagai peluang menetapkan semula atau 'reset' kehidupan untuk beribadah kepada Allah SWT.
Menjelang Ramadan: Apa maksud fidyah? Siapa wajib membayarnya?
Fidyah ialah denda ke atas seseorang Islam yang telah baligh kerana meninggalkan puasa wajib atas sebab-sebab tertentu.
Munaqasyah kedua isu kalimah Allah dua minggu lagi
Perbincangan kedua berhubung penggunaan kalimah Allah akan diadakan dalam tempoh kira-kira dua minggu lagi.