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KOTA KINABALU: Perikatan Nasional (PN) component party Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) has urged people not to politicize the “Allah” issue any more.
Its President Jeffrey Kitingan, who is also Sabah’s Deputy Chief Minister, said that while he welcomed the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s decision to allow Christians to use the word “Allah” in their religious education, the focus now it should focus on healing the wounds caused. by the excessive politicization of religious issues.
He added that this included the use of Arabic terms in non-Muslim publications.
“This issue has been a source of contention among people for so many years and I am glad that we can finally move forward now.
“I hope that no party will politicize the decision, since this issue has never been about politics, but it is a legal matter that must be decided by the court,” he said, in a statement here today.
Kitingan said he was relieved that the problem had finally been resolved and that the country and its people could finally move on.
Superior Court Judge Nor Bee Ariffin, allowing a judicial review by a Christian from Sarawak, said that an Interior Ministry directive of December 5, 1986 prohibiting the use of certain words by non-Muslims was illegal and unconstitutional, adding that it was erroneously issued as it was beyond the objective of the Printing and Publications Act of 1984.
Following yesterday’s decision, Interior Minister Hamzah Zainudin said his ministry will decide on the next course of action after receiving the reasons for the court’s written judgment.
“I urge all parties not to speculate or interpret the decision, and to respect the country’s legal and judicial process,” he said today.
PPBM, Umno and PAS have asked Putrajaya to appeal the High Court decision, but Christian organizations and the leaders of Sabah and Sarawak opposed it and said the federal government should not appeal the decision.
Commenting on requests for the federal government to refer the decision to the Court of Appeals, Kitingan said it was Putrajaya’s decision.
“For me, Umno and PAS have the right to have an opinion. At the same time, they must also respect the court’s decision, ”he said.
To this end, he said as the government of a multicultural and multi-religious society, the Sabah government would focus its energy on the economic growth of the state and ensure that its image as a united and inclusive nation remained intact.
“In Sabah, we have always been united and respectful to each other regardless of our religious and racial background.
“There has never been a problem with non-Muslims using Arabic words in their worship, even before this landmark ruling,” Kitingan said.
