A group of about 200 to 250 Muslims protested this morning in Penang against the High Court verdict granting the Herald the right to use the term ‘Allah’.
The gathering, in front of the Dewan Sri Pinang, opposite the Penang High Court, began at 10.15am and ended before 11.15am, according to an eyewitness. It was organised by the Badan Anti IFC (Inter-Faith Council) network, known by its acronym Badai, and comprised representatives of various groups. Badai was the same loose group that gathered some 200 demonstrators and disrupted an Article 11 forum at a hotel in Penang in 2006.
Uniformed and plainclothes police were out in numbers this morning, but the gathering, though emotionally charged, was peaceful.
The group called on the government and the Conference of Rulers to intervene.
Other Muslims, however, have different views. Check out Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad’s stand on the use of the term ‘Allah’.
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JUST WHO IS IN CHARGE IN UMNO? IS IT TDM? NAJIB? DPM? HISHAMUDDIN? NAZRI? IT IS JUST SO CONFUSING! NAJIB SAID HE WILL TAKE THE DECISION ON THE ALLAH ISSUE AND ASKED THE REST TO STOP THE DEBATE, BUT, OH MY GOD! IT JUST SHOWED HOW HIS INSTRUCTION ARE SO BLATANTLY IGNORED BY SO MANY OF HIS SUBORDINATES! NOW EVEN WANITA UMNO AND ALL THE UMNO NGO’S ARE GETTING INVOLVED! SUCH A LAUGHABLE MATTER, AS THEY SHOULD KNOW THE MALAYS TODAY AIN’T THAT STUPID NO MORE! NO MORE POLITICAL CAPITAL! TOO MANY SCANDALS! TOO MUCH CORRUPTION! FAILING ECONOMY! HIGH CRIME… Read more »
Both side is missing the big picture: WHY is Najib AND Muhiyiddin, BOTH without real legal expertise, SO CONFIDENT that the Appeal Court ‘will resolve the issue’???…
… If the Malaysian Muslims want to claim that Allah is rightfully and exclusively theirs, for God’s sake, give them back la, why do Catholics want to quarrel over God’s name?
Really, Malasian, greatest joker in the world !!!
Just wonder whether can I call my God as HeHeHaHa, that means my God is a happy God.
What we see today in Malaysia a political party UMNO feeling so insecured, trying to gain political mileage in the name of Islam/Allah, nothing else. Disgraceful!
I am sure to The Herald(supported by many Muslims and non-Muslims alike), it must be a matter of principles, the BULLYING HAS TO STOP! No one has the right to claim ownership of another, not even a word …”ALLAH”.
I read in one of the UMNO-supported blogs saying that Islam is the sole property of the Malays. He is wrong, Islam is a universal religion, just as Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism are universal religions. Where in the constitution was it stated that Allah cannot be used by others? The east Malaysians and the Sikhs have been using the word “Allah” for hundred of years. I doubt that Sabah and Sarawak would be willing to be part of Malaysia if it were known that they cannot use the word “Allah” in their worship of God. In so doing, have they insulted… Read more »
The Christians in East Malaysia have been using Allah for the One God for a long long time, NOW IT IS THE TIME FOR EAST MALAYSIAN TO USE THE 1 MALAYSIA VOTE TO VOTE OUT THE BN UMNO IN THE NEXT GE. THE ACTUAL CHRISTIAN POPULATION OF CHRISTIANS IN SARAWAK IS 56%
I am agreed. Most Sarawakians language is just Bahasa Melayu. But that does not warrant Catholics to make a issue out of it. Again, the Bahasa Melayu has to be clearly define Tuhan and Allah. Sarawakians may have dialects and their written language maybe just Bahasa Melayu.
This issue will create tensions amongst Catholics and Muslims. Our country leaders must stand out for the Malaysians. This is all about language. It hurts feelings of so many Malaysians.
There you are…sensitive issue! Neither side want to give in. There is no end to it. For the good, our leaders should appeal to all media to avoid this topic now.
Read this Malaysian.
Any person who has faith in his believe should NOT be afraid of the external forces.
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/opinion/breaking-views/48413-confident-people-do-not-get-confused–marina-mahathir
200 huh? So (they have) more support than the MACC huh? Najib desperately appeals for calm but he can fire tear gas and water cannons at tens of thousands protesting in KL without even mentioning it huh?
“I am pissed today”
Christ, I wish I was!
(Different meanings, either side of the Atlantic. Thank God for Christians, or I would never be able to write a comment like this. Blimey, what a world that would be! Jesus, I need a drink….)
I am pissed today not sure if this is related to the Allah thing & Christian. Back to school today for my (Grace Ho Hwee Ling)) daughter’s Darjah 5 in the same school she had studied since the past 4 years, I had a rude shock when her teacher’s recorded her name as Grace A/P Hweeling!!!!!!! My family name Ho is gone and missing and the teacher says she simplified it with A/P. A/P mean anak perempuan. While Ho has 2 characters, A/P are 3 characters so her reasoning she simplified it is not valid. Yes, her name tag for… Read more »
What a goldmine for those who wish to retain power. Slick move dudes. This is why, Malaysians, especially the opposition need to think a whole lot more before they say or do stuff. Use your damn brains for a bit. Remember that you are dealing with an organization that is desperate to retain power at all costs and will do whatever it takes to achieve that….
I have always asked how can there be more than 1 GOD? God is Infinite and all Powerful? So is it possible to have not one but 2 or 3 or 4 infimite Gods?
On the other hand, I see more and more muslims are using Christian names with a different spelling, but sounding the same. Christina is being spelt Qistina. This would also be very confusing to the muslims … and soon they will be come Christians(?). Or is it possible that in 5-10 years time, such names will become the IP/copyright of muslims in Malaysia?
Hi there Anil, Have been reading your blog and this is my first time posting on your blog. While the term “Allah” whether its use is being allowed by ppl other than muslims does not affect me greatly personally, i can see it being directly affecting Christians esp those of Sabah and Sarawak whose main language use in worship is in bahasa. It seems that now not only the christians are drawn into this senseless debate started by the governemnt of Malaysia, but it seems that the Sikh are also drawn into this debate. Sikh apparently uses the term “Allah’… Read more »
What a joke.
If the term “Tua Pek Kong” is used instead, would the toaist cared or protest? As a toaist myself, I don’t think so, in fact I feel proud.
I would love it if someone wants to call my GOd *Allah*too;religion is only a word which is only a concept;its the ultimate reality that counts;perhaps the christians should call their god *Buddha*or *Amitabha* because *Buddha* & *Amitabha* and *Allah* had been used more than 5000 years ago inChina;long before *Islam * and their religion & followers came into being;insyah Allah this will come to a compromise;Alhamdulilah!
Don’t be naive, the rule of law is never exist in their (UMNO included) mind….
Who actually is the real Talibans in Malaysia? Is it PAS together with PKR and DAP or the UMNO led BN supported by MCA, MIC, Gerakan and other mosquito parties? Makes one wonder, why is BN who claimed to be the party who considers themselves moderates, but, their actions are worse than … extremists …? Even the Talibans would be magnanimous enough and happy if the Americans say Allah in their prayers! It just showed how successfully the religion has spread. But in Malaysia, well a different set of rules apply. Just wonder why Gerakan, MIC had not spoken a… Read more »
Islam in other country like Indonesia is rational, open and liberal unlike version in the Bolehland.
These people here are giving bad image to Islam.
This is all just a “wayang”.
The decision (could) be overturned on Appeal and in Federal Court, for sure.
Meanwhile, they have managed to strike fear in the Muslims that this is what will happen if they vote PR into power.
UMNO ministers make pro-Islam speeches. Najib rushes to the Council of Rulers for help.
Guess who comes out looking like true defenders of the faith?
GE13 is as good as lost.
Sarah, Not to worry. Be calm. The GE13 plan is very much on track as far as the Rakyat can see who are the actual scums of the Malaysian society. This is a God sent, or should I say, Allah sent opportunity. It is the intervention of Allah to correct the evils in Malaysia. This is a wake up call to all, to see the difference between UMNO and PAS. Sarah, think, think very hard why I mentioned what happened is God sent, Allah sent! Cannot be too specificla, as there are too many spinners here, but just put on… Read more »
We are a divided naton. So diverse that the all slogans associated with 1Malaysia seem like jokes. Malaysians failed to learn from history, where the inhabitants then stab and killed in the name of religion. Can’t we value peace now, and cultivate the basic human virtues of tolerance and togetherness? If such a divisive behaviour continues, then the present and future ruling government have to keep on coining out slogans of 1 or unite or lekat or … that … for another hundred years, just because Malaysians are infant in understanding the meaning of a plural society. People who are… Read more »
Why protest in Penang?
The problem is not in Penang.
The problem, if any, is in East Malaysia.
Why the fuss here if the East Malaysian Muslims are not complaining and they certainly know that their Christian brothers have been calling their God “Allah” since time immemorial.
Dirty hands of politicians in action.
adam and eve = adam dan hawa
mary – maryam
jesus = nabi isa
abraham = ibrahim
jacob = yakub
joseph = yusof
moses = musa
solomon = sulaiman
david = daud
Mr. Netto, as a reporter, could you do a report, on the (alleged) infiltration of Muslim NGOS by foreign-based fanatics… Particularly from Afghan, Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationalities – Intelligence must be palced in all these so-called NGOs? They are stirring up hate in both Malaysia and Indonesia against non-Muslims;- in order to have their strategic base in oil-rich SEA(?) In KL, a few times, I was driven in a taxi, by these nationalities (and including many Indonesians)- how did they get the permits so easily? I have made complaints to the authority before I left Malaysia. Especially in Penang, Johor… Read more »
Agree with you, Noor. I had many experiences travelling in taxis driven by Indonesians. Just how did they get their licence huh? Surprising, these people are depriving our locals of a job, and worst of, once inside their taxis, they will blow their trumpets, that the towkays here trust them more than they trust Malays, and branded the Malays here lazy. Just are the authorities aware that these people are undermining the good name of the country? Really just wonder.
I have experienced this many times in taxis driven by Indonesians. (Some of) these drivers would condemn the Malay race. This happens almost all the time. They even know how to relate the Malay race to the word Melayu which they loosely translate as ‘orang malas’. They would quip, “Orang Melayu malas, orang Seberang kuat kerja.” “Kami masih warga Indonesia”. “Kami hanya cari duit untuk pulang.” This is too much coming from foreigners,though they seem to look friendly. I just wonder what would happen to the country if more foreigners are allowed in. There are now Pakistanis, Afghans, Iraqis, Yemenis… Read more »
Allahuakhbar or Allah the Great. With One Malaysia concept very soon all the Christians will learn to say ” Allahuakhbar” Most Malays including Mahathir, Zulkifly Nordin etc does not ever understand the teaching of Jesus in the Bible.They confused with the teaching of Paul or Saul the Murderer. What did Jesus( peace be upon him) teach in the bible? Mark 12:29 29″The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.[a] Did anywhere in the bible that Jesus ( peace be upon him)teach about TRINITY? What did Moses ( peace be… Read more »
Anil..bet you….of the 200 illegal protesters, 195 are … wannebe Malays,,, hahaha
Devan, EXACTLY
ayam keluar dari telur ATAU telur keluar dari ayam…..very2 sick of msia…