News Watch: Malaysia | Row over use of ‘Allah’ as God’s name by non-moslems
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Arabic speaking non-Muslims have for centuries used the word Allah to refer to God, but in more recent times, the Malaysian government banned the use of the word Allah by non-Muslims. In december a judge ruled in favor of Arabic speaking non-Moslems using the word Allah for God, stating that the ban was unconstitutional. This ruling sparked considerable tension between the Muslim and Christian communities in Malaysia which led to some violent demonstrations which included firebombing of churches, attacks on a Sikh temple, and several mosques and Muslim prayer halls.
On Febuary 16, The Malaysian government revised the ban on the use of the word “Allah” by Christian publications to refer to God and is allowing them to use it as long as they specify the material is not for Muslims. The government had earlier argued that the use of Allah in Christian texts might confuse Muslims, who might think Allah refers to their God.
Although the Malaysian constitution is said to guarantee freedom of religion, Malaysia is officially and predominantly a Muslim country in Southeast Asia, with 60.4 percent of its population being adherents of Islam, including nearly all ethnic Malays. Buddhists make up 19.2 percent of the population and Christians are at 9.1 percent, according to the CIA World Factbook. In general, the different faith groups have been able to live harmoniously so the recent sectarian incidents have come as a surprise to Malaysians.
In response to this growing tension between religious groups, the Malaysian government constituted a committee “The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism” to promote greater understanding between the Muslim majority and minority faiths. Koh Tsu Koon, an official in the prime minister’s department, said committee members will exchange ideas on religious issues, according to Agence France-Presse. They will also offer recommendations to the government and cabinet to help them better understand the issues and make more informed decisions.
Rev. Thomas Philips, president of the interfaith panel said the panel held its first meeting with about a dozen religious leaders and government officials. Initial discussions included the Allah controversy.
Source: The Christian Post, Google News
