Use of ‘Allah’ By Herald – Controversy Best Resolved Out of Court

Take it from the wise man himself --our dear Tun --the row over the use of ‘Allah’ by The Herald, a weekly Catholic Church magazine, which has aroused the anger of Muslims, could have been resolved out of court.

In his blog, Che Det, Dr Mahathir Mohamad says the controversy started when he was still Prime Minister. The Cabinet then decided that the use of ‘Allah’ in the Bible was a sensitive issue.

Sensitive issues such as the recent controversy, cannot be solved by referring the case to the law, he says.

Laws, he points out, do not consider the sensitivity of an issue, whether it can cause tension or conflict among people of different faiths.

The correct translation for ‘God’ should be ‘Tuhan’, and not ‘Allah’, says Dr Mahathir. (Go to www.chedet.com)

There you have it!. Herald should have consulted Dr Mahathir for the right translation and not drag the issue to the High Court.

Meanwhile, the High Court today allowed a stay of an earlier order to allow the use of "Allah" by Herald, following consent by the Home Ministry and Roman Catholic Archbishop of Malaysia on the grounds of national interest.

Bernama report below:

Court Allows Stay Of Earlier Order On Use Of 'Allah'

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 6 (Bernama) -- The High Court on Wednesday allowed a stay of an earlier order to allow the use of "Allah" by Catholic weekly, Herald, following consent by the Home Ministry and Roman Catholic Archbishop of Malaysia on the grounds of national interest.

Justice Datuk Lau Bee Lan, who had issued the earlier order on Dec 31 last year, made the ruling in chambers after meeting Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail and counsel Derek J. Fernandez for Archbishop Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam for 30 minutes.

Fernandez told reporters that Lau agreed to record the stay by consent.

Abdul Gani was grateful that there was agreement for a stay.

"As far as I am concerned, it involves national interest, there is no necessity to get involved in an argument for a stay," he said.

"I am very grateful to my learned friend who has agreed for a stay and we will try to have this matter be heard as soon as possible in the Court of Appeal. I believe it can be very, very soon," said the attorney-general.

-- BERNAMA

(Go to www.bernama.com)