KOTA KINABALU : Ronnie Klassen, the initiator of the signature campaign to lift the ban on the use of the word “Allah” by Christians in the country expressed shock and regret over the remarks of Minister in the Prime Minister Department, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok on Monday that, the said campaign was redundant and that it was being organised by the opposition.
In a statement issued here today, Klassen said such a remark were rather shocking and unbecoming considering the fact that it came from someone who once was rather critical of the controversial ban imposed by the Home Ministry on the use of the word “Allah” by Herald, a Roman Catholic weekly.
He recalled that in an interview with a popular online news portal early this year, Dompok who is thus far the only Christian Federal Minister who publicly made his stand on the issue, had even defended Herald and fought for its right to use the word Allah.
Dompok had commented that Herald has the right to use the word Allah in its Malay section until the court rules otherwise.
He noted that the issue before the court is the historical use of the word Allah for God not only among Christians in the country but also among Christians in Indonesia and Arabic speaking countries, among others.
He expressed disbelief that some people in this country want to even disallow worship in Malay language by religions other than Islam, especially arguing that Bahasa malaysia (Malay) does not belong to the Malays alone.
Klassen thus wondered whether Dompok who is also a former chief minister of Sabah and currently president of the United Pasok Momogun KadazanDusunMurut Organisation (UPKO) was really sincere when he championed the issue or, he has since changed his stand on the issue.
“I think he (Dompok) owes the people, the Christian community in the country an explanation on his latest statement on the signature drive campaign, which has clearly insulted all those who supported it in the true spirit of religious freedom and harmony,as what is enshrined in our Federal Consitution.
“Furthermore, what makes him (Dompok) thinks that the present Government is not going to listen to the people;s view and appeal on the issue,” Klassen argued.
On Dompok’s remark that the campaign was organised by the opposition, Klassen refuted that Dompok should not simply jump the gun just because the press conference for the launch of the signature campaign was facilitated by Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, who happens to be an opposition leader.
He underscored that Jeffrey was acting in his capacity as a concerned Christian and not as a politician,as what had been miscontrued by Dompok and certain quarters.
He also quipped that Jeffrey would not have come into the picture in the first place had Dompok and his other fellow Christian colleagues in the Federal Cabinet like Tan Sri Joseph Kurup, Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili, Datuk Ronald Kiandee and Datuk VK Liew had succeeded in getting the Home Ministry to lift the ban on the use of Allah in the Christian publication.
He also expressed regret that till to-date, Sabah deputy chief minister cum PBS president Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Pairin Kitingan had remained silent on the issue.
Klassen however concurred with Liew who is also president of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) cum Deputy Minister of Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) when commenting on the Government gazetting of the word Allah, that the matter has not been decided by the Federal Court yet, adding that it’s a matter that concerned religious freedom that is guaranteed under the Federal Constitution.
Klassen thus warned that any attempt to undermine and violate such a freedom unnecessarily would only create resentment and animosity among the general public especially the younger generation, towards the government.
He continued that the Christian community in the country was now asking why the Government hurried the gazetting and prohibiting use of the word Allah in Christian publication.
While noting that the suit filed by the Church against the Government over the ban on the use of Allah is still pending in the court under the Printing and Publication Act, he quipped that it was mind-boggling that the court is to decide and dictate on behalf of god, on how the people should address Him, when religious authority in the country like PAS spiritual leader Datuk Niz Aziz Nik Mat had no objection to non-Muslims using the word Allah.
Nik Aziz who is also the Menteri Besar of Kelantan had recently said that non-Muslims were allowed to use the word Allah as there is a verse in the Quran which quotes the non-Muslims of Mecca calling their god ‘Allah’.
Klassen went on to note that many right-thinking Malaysians including Muslims too find it mind-boggling for the Government to claim exclusivity on the use of Allah,adding that he knew for a fact that many Muslims have even supported the signature campaign.
He thus called upon Malaysians regardless of their religious belief,to continue to come forward to support the signature campaign, which is also available online at www.petitiononline.com/sabahan/petition.html.
The collected signatures will be attached to a memorandum to be presented to the Prime Minister,in April.
In a statement issued here today, Klassen said such a remark were rather shocking and unbecoming considering the fact that it came from someone who once was rather critical of the controversial ban imposed by the Home Ministry on the use of the word “Allah” by Herald, a Roman Catholic weekly.
He recalled that in an interview with a popular online news portal early this year, Dompok who is thus far the only Christian Federal Minister who publicly made his stand on the issue, had even defended Herald and fought for its right to use the word Allah.
Dompok had commented that Herald has the right to use the word Allah in its Malay section until the court rules otherwise.
He noted that the issue before the court is the historical use of the word Allah for God not only among Christians in the country but also among Christians in Indonesia and Arabic speaking countries, among others.
He expressed disbelief that some people in this country want to even disallow worship in Malay language by religions other than Islam, especially arguing that Bahasa malaysia (Malay) does not belong to the Malays alone.
Klassen thus wondered whether Dompok who is also a former chief minister of Sabah and currently president of the United Pasok Momogun KadazanDusunMurut Organisation (UPKO) was really sincere when he championed the issue or, he has since changed his stand on the issue.
“I think he (Dompok) owes the people, the Christian community in the country an explanation on his latest statement on the signature drive campaign, which has clearly insulted all those who supported it in the true spirit of religious freedom and harmony,as what is enshrined in our Federal Consitution.
“Furthermore, what makes him (Dompok) thinks that the present Government is not going to listen to the people;s view and appeal on the issue,” Klassen argued.
On Dompok’s remark that the campaign was organised by the opposition, Klassen refuted that Dompok should not simply jump the gun just because the press conference for the launch of the signature campaign was facilitated by Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, who happens to be an opposition leader.
He underscored that Jeffrey was acting in his capacity as a concerned Christian and not as a politician,as what had been miscontrued by Dompok and certain quarters.
He also quipped that Jeffrey would not have come into the picture in the first place had Dompok and his other fellow Christian colleagues in the Federal Cabinet like Tan Sri Joseph Kurup, Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili, Datuk Ronald Kiandee and Datuk VK Liew had succeeded in getting the Home Ministry to lift the ban on the use of Allah in the Christian publication.
He also expressed regret that till to-date, Sabah deputy chief minister cum PBS president Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Pairin Kitingan had remained silent on the issue.
Klassen however concurred with Liew who is also president of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) cum Deputy Minister of Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) when commenting on the Government gazetting of the word Allah, that the matter has not been decided by the Federal Court yet, adding that it’s a matter that concerned religious freedom that is guaranteed under the Federal Constitution.
Klassen thus warned that any attempt to undermine and violate such a freedom unnecessarily would only create resentment and animosity among the general public especially the younger generation, towards the government.
He continued that the Christian community in the country was now asking why the Government hurried the gazetting and prohibiting use of the word Allah in Christian publication.
While noting that the suit filed by the Church against the Government over the ban on the use of Allah is still pending in the court under the Printing and Publication Act, he quipped that it was mind-boggling that the court is to decide and dictate on behalf of god, on how the people should address Him, when religious authority in the country like PAS spiritual leader Datuk Niz Aziz Nik Mat had no objection to non-Muslims using the word Allah.
Nik Aziz who is also the Menteri Besar of Kelantan had recently said that non-Muslims were allowed to use the word Allah as there is a verse in the Quran which quotes the non-Muslims of Mecca calling their god ‘Allah’.
Klassen went on to note that many right-thinking Malaysians including Muslims too find it mind-boggling for the Government to claim exclusivity on the use of Allah,adding that he knew for a fact that many Muslims have even supported the signature campaign.
He thus called upon Malaysians regardless of their religious belief,to continue to come forward to support the signature campaign, which is also available online at www.petitiononline.com/sabahan/petition.html.
The collected signatures will be attached to a memorandum to be presented to the Prime Minister,in April.
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