 Malaysian women in Islamic dress (photo: International Christian Network) |
Tensions are escalating in Malaysia where government officials have ordered a Catholic newspaper to stop publishing its Malay language edition in an argument over use of the word “Allah,” and the newspaper is threatening legal action against the government.
According to the Malaysiakini.com news website, officials ordered the Catholic Herald to halt publication of its Malay language edition. The newspaper responded with the suggestion that there may be legal action against the government.
Herald editor Father Lawrence Andrew told the website Intellasia the ban on the Malay language edition was just one of the conditions imposed by the nation’s Muslim government when the newspaper renewed its license to publish for this year.
Authorities have contended that the word “Allah” can be used only by Muslims, but the Herald is circulated among the nation’s 850,000 Catholics.
“The Constitution says Malay is the national language, so why can’t we use the national language in Malaysia?” Andrew asked the site, confirming he plans to take action over the orders.
According to a report from Compass Direct News, the order came from the nation’s Ministry of Home Affairs, which also set conditions that the newspaper can be sold only in churches. The government also required the paper to publish notice that it is intended for Christians only.
The newspaper already has appealed the order to the Ministry of Home affairs, and a hearing is scheduled next month.
Andrew called the limits “unacceptable.”
Murphy Pakiam, the Catholic archbishop in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, told the New Straits Times the ban didn’t make sense.
“Even if the courts dismiss our application for judicial review, that has no bearing on the publication (in the Malay language),” he said.
The publication, a multilingual product put out by the Catholic Church, typically appears in English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil. It has a circulation estimated at 13,000-14,000 and is read by about 50,000, officials said.
The dispute arose in 2007 when government officials warned the newspaper to not use “Allah,” explaining that if Christians used the word it could cause confusion among Muslims.
The newspaper, however, said the nation’s laws and constitution provide it a right to use the designation.
The Catholic News Agency said publishers in Malaysia must get annual permits from the government in order to operate.
Although Malaysia ostensibly grants freedom of religion, there has been a long list of controversies related to the issue.
A number of Christian converts from Islam have been denied permission to change the religious designation on their government identity cards, and the government limited the release of the movie “The Passion of the Christ.”
The official said “only Muslims can use the word ‘Allah.'”
Andrew has explained 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.
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