MAJU fully support the joint statement dated 15 March 2021 by Sabah and Sarawak MPs, Senators and State Assemblypersons supporting the High Court’s ruling to allow all Malaysians to pray to Allah and for the Federal Government to withdraw its appeal against the High Court’s ruling declaring the word Allah ban as unconstitutional.
This is not a political issue. This is a fundamental issue of civil liberties and human rights. This strikes at the very heart of at MAJU constitution.
The High Court has already ruled on 10 March 2021 declaring the Allah ban since 1986 as unconstitutional. There were never a right reason to ban the term and other related religious terms from use by other races or religions, either spoken or written, in our own national language be it in Malaya, Sabah or Sarawak. Such usage of Allah was never a threat to Muslims anywhere else in the world and it was never one in Malaysia.
This politicisation of Islam in order to divide our peoples and somehow win votes must stop now. This Federal Government must show that it is not of the same ilk that thrives on divide and rule, creating divisions within our society by race and religion as has been done by previous Governments, conniving political parties and interests at the expense of our peace, harmony and unity.
Our Bornean brothers and sisters, our orang Asli and orang Asal has embraced our national language as theirs as well, some for hundreds of years using these terms of Allah and others in their daily lives, prayers and books. It is their right and the upholding of their civil liberties that must be respected and defended by the Government, instead of giving in to bigotry and religious extremism within its or any part of our society’s ranks.
We need not repeat what has already been said by MAJU Advisor, Tawfik Tun Dr Ismail in his recent media statement on this subject matter but we must repeat the leadership he invoked that Malay-Muslim leadership must turn a new page in order to lead this Nation to a better place of not just true unity in our diversity but on how to lead it to be a progressive and successful society amongst our citinzenry. Withdrawing the appeal would signal a strong show of strength in leadership to all our people in Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak.
We end this statement by urging that, we as all right minded Malaysians, embrace the lead from our land beneath the wind that we are here to build a Nation, not a race or a religion.
Let us MAJU together.
Malaysian Action for Justice and Unity (L) Foundation
17th March, 2021
PDF version:
http://localhost/majustaging/download/press_statement_withdraw-appeal-allah.pdf