SERDANG, APR.15: The Ministry of Home Affairs will issue a directive and guideline relating to the usage of “kalimah Allah” and several others for the people to have a better understanding on the subject while adhering to the existing Act.
Minister of Home Affairs, Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin said, the directive is administrative in nature and will be issued from time to time.
“The administrative directive is very important as there are cases where the word Allah has been used in publications. In this context, the ministry can take action by using the Printing Presses and Publication Act 1984,” said Hamzah at a press conference after attending the round table talk with non-muslim groups on the usage of Allah.
Regarding the round table talk with non-Muslim groups including Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, academicians, lawyers, SUHAKAM and representatives from Sabah and Sarawak, the Minister said the discourse was carried out to find a way and criteria to reach an understanding and agreed by all the groups.
“We want to unite everybody in this country, live in peace and prosperity and this requires tolerance from both the majority and the minority groups. We want to see the convergence towards unity of the people in this country,” said Hamzah.
Whatever the situation, Hamzah said, the Ministry will follow the existing laws, the Malaysian Constitution including the state’s laws and will combine these together to reach a mutual understanding and agreed by all the parties.
Hamzah also stressed that all the parties involved in the round table talk do not want the issue to be subjudice when it is taken to the court. It is only a discussion for a better understanding of the usage of the “kalimah Allah”. The case now is referred to the Attorney General (AG).-Malaysia World News
