A Catholic newspaper in Malaysia has gone to court to challenge a government ban on the use of the word “Allah” by Christians.
The government earlier had told the editor of the Herald, Father Lawrence Andrew, that the newspaper could not use the word because it could cause confusion, and its use should be limited to references to the Islamic religion.
However, Andrew told Agence France-Presse that his organization has filed a court action to obtain permission to use the word.
“We are in the view that we have the right to use the word Allah, (a right) which … is now sought to be curtailed,” he told the agency.
 Malaysian women in Islamic dress (photo: International Christian Network) |
“We cannot let other religions use it because it will confuse people,” Malaysia’s Deputy Internal Security Minister, Johari Baharum, earlier told the DNAIndia publication.
He said “only Muslims can use the word ‘Allah.'”
The newspaper, after using the word, had been warned it now is at risk for not having its publication permit, without which it cannot operate in Malaysia, renewed.
The newspaper reaches the Catholic community in the English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil languages, and has a circulation of about 12,000, officials said.
But Baharum said it is not right for such a publication to use the protected word. “We cannot allow this … in non-Muslim publications,” he said.
Andrew said the word was not used to offend anyone. He said the Malay-language Bible uses the word “Allah” for God, and uses “Tuham” for Lord.
Andrew said the court case was filed in a Malaysian High Court.
It was brought by the Herald and the Sabah Evangelical Church, whose lawyer, Lim Heng Seng, told the Associated Press such a declaration that “Allah” is only for Muslims is simply unlawful in the country.
The report said the church had three boxes of educational material for children confiscated, and Pastor Jerry Dusing reported being told they were a security issue because they used “Allah.”
But he also confirmed that “Allah” is used for the name of God in Arabic Bibles.
It is not the first problem Christians have had in Malaysia, even though the nation’s constitution calls for religious freedom.
The Wall Street Journal has summarized the plight of a Malaysian woman who converted to Christianity, but lost a court case seeking to have “Islam” removed as her religion on her identity card.
“While Muslim-majority Malaysia is considered a largely moderate, modern society, renouncing one’s Muslim faith still is considered both sinful and illegal by Islamic authorities – who have gained increasing sway of late. Ms. [Lina] Joy’s apostasy case … has inflamed public debate, divided the legal community … and threatens to set off political tremors in this Southeast Asian nation.”
The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty said the government’s refusal to allow the woman to choose her religion violates customary international law protecting freedom of conscience as expressed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
It also violates the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, to which Malaysia is legally bound, the Becket Fund said.
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