KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 6 — PKR has weighed in on the raging battle over the use of the word “Allah” by backing the High Court ruling that allows the Catholic weekly Herald to use the Arabic term for God in its Bahasa Malaysia edition amid an uproar from Muslim conservatives.
PKR Religious Strengthening and Understanding Bureau chief Dr Muhd Nur Manuty said "the wish of the non-Muslims to call their God Allah is a positive turn of events and should respectably be recognised".
"There is no necessity for any faction in society to take advantage of the current circumstances and turn the dispute into a narrow political propaganda to show off as if they are really the champion and guardian of Islam in this country," Muhd Nur said in a statement issued last night.
He argued that to worship and glorify Allah as the God is a fundamental right of every person.
The PKR leader then said there were many verses in the Quran which indicate clearly that there is no harm in Christians using the term "Allah":
"If indeed thou ask them who it is that created the heavens and the earth, they would be sure to say: "Allah." … (Az Zumar 39:38)"
"O people of the Book! come to common terms as between us and you: that we worship none but Allah; that we associate no partners with Him; that we erect not from among ourselves Lords and patrons other than Allah." If then they turn back, say: ye! "Bear witness that we (at least) are Muslims (bowing to Allah's will)." (Ali Imran 3:64)
Muhd Nur claimed not only did the ruling coincide with the teachings of Islam, but was also legally appropriate as reflected in the Federal Constitution.
"This is parallel to the provision of the Federal Constitution, Article 3(1), which guarantees the status of Islam as the official religion of the Federation while at the same time concedes that other religions may be practised in peace and harmony."
This, he claimed, is also consistent with PR's stand on the matter as reflected in the recently affirmed Declaration of Understanding of the Pakatan Rakyat.
Apart from the country's religious conservatives, the landmark ruling by Justice Datuk Lau Bee Lan has triggered vigorous attacks from the hawks within the ruling party, Umno.
PKR, like its fellow coalition partners in the opposition pact Pakatan Rakyat, has always accused its political rivals, particularly Umno, of attempts to exploit the situation for support.
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