The Herald Catholic Newspaper

First of all I would have to congratulate Archbishop Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam for winning the High Court decision to allow the paper to use the word Allah. I have to congratulate The Tan Sri because for the last few months the Malays/Muslims in Malaysia were actually disoriented and without clear directions. There were so many bashings that were going on directed without mercy at the Malays and the Muslims. Dr Mohd Ridhwan Tee Abdulllah, Dr. Mahathir Mohammad and others are some of the personalities being bashed by the bloggers by some of the Chinese and Indian newspapers.

But suddenly came the High Court decision that allows the Catholics carte blanche/ freedom to use the word to describe the Lord /Jesus. This decision immediately has awaken Muslims and Malays from their sleep and deliberating their skewed positions. The decision by the esteem High Court judge has united UMNO, PAS and PKR Muslim members. Even the non-political Malays are beginning to unite again. All this because of Archbishop Tan Sri Pakiam. Thank You Sir. We need this unifying factor to continue to to unite the Muslims in Malaysia. Dato Seri Najib Razak could not have done it. Even Dr. Mahathir Mohammad despite years of experience could not have done what the Archbishop did. Thank you again Sir.

It was a a good thing  on the part of the Catholic leader to go to Court to solve what should have been solved through consultations and compromises. I thought the Barisan Nasional government was very accommodating to all believers in Malaysia. But alas this was not enough to the Archbishop. He wanted more . He wanted to encroach the threshold to the point that would anger the Muslims in Malaysia. It is truly a wrong strategic move. The Muslims in Malaysia would care less if the pribumi who embraced Catholicism in Sabah and Sarawak continue using the word Allah. But making it official through the legal means in which has severe social and legal implications is definitely not welcome by the Malays. Not every thing can be solved through the legal means.

The argument that the the Christian Arabs have been using the word to describe Christian god does not hold water because the context is different. In Malaysia Allah only refers to specifically to Muslim god. No other comparison should be made. The Catholics in Malaysia have no right to take it away from the Muslims. Getting the Court to help interpret on the behalf of the Muslims does not work. As it is just not a literal translation of God but it involves Akidah.

As a Malay who tries to unite the Malays I'm very thankful to the Catholic leader for uniting them. May Allah bless you.