NON-MUSLIMS WANT POLITICISING OF "ALLAH" ISSUE TO STOP
13 Mar 2021
By Ilona Andrew
KOTA KINABALU: It’s a rapture for Malaysian non-Muslims when they are finally allowed to use “Allah” after decades of discrimination.
Recently, the High Court has ruled that the use of the word “Allah” – along with “Baitullah”, “Kaabah” and “solat” – by non-Muslims all over Malaysia is allowed.
But Muafakat Nasional pushing for an appeal immediately after the ruling has non-Muslims worn to a frazzle and asking: “Why does this need to be politicised?”
Andrew Joseph, a 58-year-old Catholic from Papar, said the term “Allah” is an Arabic word that means “God” and is not exclusively used by Muslims only, and that this matter should not even be politicised in the first place.
“There are more important issues that should be looked into that would help improve or enhance the development of our nation instead of arguing over the usage of a word that is not even an original Bahasa Malaysia word in to begin with.
“We are a country of various religions and the recent ruling by the High Court to allow non-Muslims to use the word ‘Allah’ is a significant move for national unity,” he told Nabalu News.
The politicised issue, he asserted, has brought nothing beneficial but uproars among the public, an act which goes against Malaysia’s supposedly most admired virtue as a multiracial and multicultural nation living together in peace and harmony.
“I myself have Muslim relatives and we respect each other’s beliefs. I would like to think that Malaysians are wise enough to not stoop low and fight with one another over this issue.
“Let’s continue to live in peace and harmony despite our differences like how we used to before this problem (ban of ‘Allah’ term) occurred,” said the father of four who hopes for Malaysia’s genuine harmony to be restored.
Marciana Andrew who hailed from Tenom also expressed her disappointment in the political affiliation formed between the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) and United Malays National Organisation (Umno) for pushing for an appeal.
“Malaysia has a lot of religions that all use ‘Allah’ to refer to ‘God’, not just Muslims. Therefore, I think Muafakat Nasional should respect the court’s decision. Mutual understanding is pivotal in a multiracial and multireligious country.
“The word ‘Allah’ is not only used in the Christian Bible, but also in hymns and prayers in Malay language. It has been practiced for a long time and there are no other words to be used besides ‘Allah’ so I think it’s irrelevant for certain religion to claim for exclusivity,” she said.
Marciana opined that the peninsular has a lot to learn from Sabah and Sarawak which both have a more diverse ethnics practicing different religions, while still living in peace together.
“I believe difference in perspectives can appear anywhere in Sabah, Sarawak and the peninsular, however I think it is safe to say that the society here (Sabah and Sarawak) is more open-minded.
“And I believe that many in the peninsular also agree that this issue should be put to an end, once and for all, so that we can be a united nation once again.
“Therefore, I suggest to the Home Ministry not to appeal against the court ruling,” she said.
Another Sabahan who believes the vital importance of mutual understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims in Malaysia is Eva Cabrini from Penampang.
“The word Allah is very important for both Christians and Muslims simply because ‘Allah’ means ‘God’. Both Muslims and Christians believe in God which translates to ’Allah’ in Arabic.
“There should not be any appeal and the court’s decision should be respected. The usage of the word ‘Allah’ by non-Muslims has been protested for quite a long time already.
“It’s about time that such sensitivity be put to rest. It is important for a mutual understanding from all parties so that this issue will not be prolonged,” she commented.
For Jegathisan A/L Sivanesan, 26, appealing the court’s decision would only serve to divide the people.
He believes that the issue causing uproar among the public and that making a mountain of out the molehill would only be a waste of time and energy.
There are many major problems that we should be focusing on instead,” he said.
“Growing up in Sabah, many of my Christian friends use the word ‘Allah’ but none with ill intent. I believe the word is important not only because it represents ‘God’ but also the faith of the practitioners. It is much more than just a word,” he added.
The court’s decision brought relief to all non-Muslims not only in Sabah and Sarawak but also throughout Malaysia, said Arron Guramon from Kota Belud.
"We have been using the word ‘Allah’ for a long time and there has never been a problem for other religions, especially Islam in Sabah," he said.
He added that this was in line with the Malaysian Constitution which provides freedom to individuals or communities to practice their respective religions.
"It has become our habit to use ‘Allah’ when praying, during mass and also in the Bible. So it is not a big issue among Muslims here because we respect each other,” he said.
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