By Jacqueline Ann Surin | The Nut Graph
WORD is, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is mightily concerned about the “Allah” issue and wants the matter resolved.
Forgive me, but it’s hard to believe this, based on the public statements the government has been making. Honestly, how can we believe that the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) government under Najib’s leadership is sincere about resolving the issue of who can use “Allah”?
Indeed, apart from Najib, at least three other cabinet members have publicly displayed a lack of respect, knowledge, or even intelligence about the issues at stake.
Dialogue BN-style
First off is Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom, who calls for interfaith dialogue but in the same breath tells church leaders to drop their claim to use “Allah” to refer to God.
To substantiate his argument, reported on 11 Jan 2010, Jamil Khir declared that “church leaders must have deep understanding of the situation and history” about the use of “Allah” in Malaysia.
The following day, Jamil Khir was quoted again as calling for dialogue, and highlighting the initiatives by agencies such as the Institute of Islamic Understanding. But the minister’s call was made together with his call for the different states’ religious authorities to challenge the High Court decision that allowed non-Muslims the right to use the word. Jamil Khir also lauded the Selangor sultan’s statement about the state’s prohibition against the use of “Allah” by non-Muslims.
At the very least, Jamil Khir is clueless about what a dialogue is and how it works. Dialogue, as experts in conflict resolution will share, can be a powerful tool, but only if it embodies a deep and respectful listening of what is important to the different stakeholders. Meaningful dialogue only happens when all parties are treated as equals. It does not happen when one party is more powerful than the others and has already dictated what results are expected of the dialogue.
Hence, Jamil Khir’s proposal for an interfaith dialogue is either a half-baked public relations exercise to demonstrate that the Malaysian government is fair to all, or, Allah help us all, the minister doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Worse still, it’s both.
No matter — when a minister repeatedly declares that the government is right in stripping away the rights of minority groups, one has to pause to wonder just how sincere the BN government is.
And when a minister extols others to have “deep understanding” of the history of the use of “Allah” in Malaysia, but clearly demonstrates ignorance about the historical and cultural use of the word, one has to protest. Is this the kind of leadership the nation needs governing our country?
Safety BN-style
Then, of course, there was the downplaying of the attacks on non-Muslim places of worship. “Everything is under control,” declared Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein on 11 Jan 2010, even though by then there were eight churches that had been targeted. And Hishammuddin said this even though the Inspector General of Police had announced that the police force could not guarantee the safety of churches in Malaysia.
Of course, Hishammuddin’s declaration proved faulty when four other churches were subsequently targeted. Additionally, two suraus became arson targets on 21 Jan even though it could not be ascertained if the arson attempts were related to the attack on churches.
And so, what was even more troubling about the home minister was his description of the suburban terrorism happening in modern-day Malaysia. “This is just a small case and only the front door was damaged by splashed petrol,” Hishammuddin said of the Sidang Injil Borneo church in Seremban.
Now, I’ve argued before that Hishammuddin should be sacked for his incompetence. But when the prime minister also downplays the seriousness of the attacks by calling them a “minor aberration”, we really have to stop in our tracks and demand for some answers.
How can the seemingly systematic targeting of churches be “small” or “minor”? It cannot feel like a minor aberration to the community that is being attacked, especially when the state has told them specifically that it cannot guarantee protection.
And really, how different is Najib and Hishammuddin’s statements from a patriarchal society telling women that being sexually harassed is but a small matter? When violence is committed, it is never a “minor aberration” for those being targeted. Indeed, it is to the advantage of the party holding power to downplay the seriousness of the violation in order to continue perpetuating violence.
There is no doubt that the churches were attacked, regardless of whether the attackers were successful in starting a fire. There is also no doubt that the church’s right to use “Allah” is being attacked by the same government that claims it wants dialogue. Hence, unless the Najib administration learns to acknowledge this and respect the feelings of those whose safety are being violated, I have no reason to be convinced of the government’s intention to resolve the “Allah” issue.
Fairness BN-style
Another Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz also gave us all just cause to screech to a halt when he declared that the issue could be resolved if “Allah” was used in Sabah and Sarawak only, but not in the peninsula.
Why? Because peninsular Muslims are insular? And weak in their faith compared to Muslims in Sabah and Sarawak?
Because we may be one nation, but we are actually two countries?
How does this suggestion even resolve the issue of what right the BN government has, through the Home Ministry, to deny non-Muslims the right to use a word that pre-dates Islam and for which Muslims don’t own copyright over?
Let’s be clear. Muslims don’t own the word “Allah”. They never have. And Muslims elsewhere face no confusion over the use of the word by non-Muslims and are, in fact, bemused by the Malaysian government’s actions.
Clearly, Nazri’s suggestion is a half-baked one. It tells us that the minister has no respect for the rights of peninsula-based non-Muslims — even if they are from Sabah and Sarawak — to worship in the national language as they have done for generations.
Whither Najib?
What will it take for me to be convinced of the Najib administration’s sincerity in resolving the issue fairly?
First, the government needs to admit it was wrong. There is no historical, cultural or scriptural basis for the ban they have imposed on the Catholic church from using “Allah”. Second, drop the court appeal against the High Court decision. Third, stop pandering to the ignorant and fearful among Muslim pressure groups, whether within or outside the administration.
And finally, learn respect. Respect for the legitimate concerns and rights of all Malaysians. Respect for the fact that the government must represent all Malaysians, and not just the majority. And respect that the electorate deserves intelligent and honest leadership.
———————-
Jacqueline Ann Surin is not convinced that the Barisan Nasional is capable of doing what is right over the “Allah” issue. She wonders why the government is undermining the “national unity” and “mutual respect” among different communities, which the prime minister says has been the nation’s cornerstone, through its words and deeds.
If the courts decide that the use of the word ALLAH by non muslims is legal. it will be a defeat to the reigning government and have a serious repercussion to UMNO.If the courts decide to disallow the use of ALLAH among the non muslims, Malaysia will go down in History as one nation that do not understand what religion is basically; the freedom to express without repression.
A little joke to take the heat out of this hotly debated topic and maybe clarify our minds as well:
A man came home from work and his children ran to him and called out “Ayah! Ayah!”. His neighbor got very upset and said to him, “Can you please tell your children not to call you ‘Ayah’?”
The man inquired why, to which the neighbor retorted, “Because my children have been calling me ‘Ayah’ all these while. They might get confused and mistaken you to be their father.”
To this, the man responded, “Are you not ashamed to say that your children do not know who their ‘Ayah’ is, such that by my children calling me ‘Ayah’, your children will call me ayah too?”
The neighbour said, “Yes, only my family can use the word ‘Ayah’.”
The man shot back, “Then there must be something wrong in what you are teaching your children. They do not even know who their ‘Ayah’ is!”
UMNO twisting and turning…at it’s best.
Fortunately ..events unfolded did not present any good news to Najib nor UMNO to go further with their evil agendas.. and low class dirty politics.
Noting it did hurt UMNO…Najib and the rest..in UMNO ministers are contradicting each other…like good souls..wanting peace on earth…goodwill to mankind..their individual styles….exposing further…Najib is just a figure head.,no power in UMNO.
My foot the do want peace on earth..good will to mankind… in Malaysia.
They want to disunite Malaysians…to divide and rule.
It’s their only way to keep ruling forever.
It is the ever popular style of UMNO to make a 180% turn….cunningly…to make sure ordinary Malaysians sees them as peace makers….which s far far from the truths. These are the devils deciples…being bought up by money….and dressed with false titles.
Problem is…these weaklings…nothing is ever enough. They are so greedy…and using the power to do whatever they like.
Malaysians means noting to them. All are the subjects of the great UMNO empire. Do not be fooled by their acting and scheming.
Dirty politics will be their only way..to succeed .
But they will never succeed….no matter what type of dirty evil ideas or style…
13th GE is near and Malaysians are just waiting for that day to come and settle it….once and for all.
We are simply tired of the non stop nonsense…after 12th GE…with these elected guys…being paid…not to work….but keep playing politics with no benefit to Malaysians nor country.
But UMNO will never care.
Things go smoothly…OK..for them.
Things not working their ways.and daily being exposed as corrupted hypocrites…these smart crooks will not dare to sue anyone.
Democracy is dead ..since Mahathir took over.
Of course they are dishonest about the issue? UMNO is dishonest about ALL the tough issues. That is their modus operandi for decades. At its core of Mahathirism is a small amount of legitimacy covered up with lies. That is how the old man can go off spouting off nonsensical consipiracy theory of 9/11 because he is so used to doing it himself for decades.
UMNO is a party of cyncs. Its OK to be a party of sceptics but when cynicism dominates, and it does with UMNO, they are a lost cause. Cynics sooner or later fine out the truth that the rest of the world can’t live with that kind of negativity. They eventually lose. Cynicism is easy, its lazy and the people not only don’t want to live like that, they can’t.
all the problem cause by pakiam ; drop your claim pakiam and all of us can go for tea tarik at brickfield
Without pakiam the conflict will still come to a head. And the cause of the conflict – the ban by syed botak i.e. the then home min without rhyme or reason. So someone here is behaving like a half-baked cowboy (ala swaggering john wayne in songkok) from the wild-wild west firing away from the waist.
Jib gave umno the green light to protest (and I suppose to cause havoc too) with his now famous “we cannot stop them from protesting in mosque” (something like that) remark. He lit the match with the hope of triggering havoc so that he too would be presented with a situation which is similar to that his father created years ago. (Err well it is only my guess.) But Razak, i.e. jib’s father, was from the old school. He has not the benefit of btn and umno’s (-)meritocracy system. That means he is actually smarter than his son, jib.
It is a sensitive issue, jib and gang claimed. Religion (particularly islam jenis umno aka islam j.u.) is a very very sensitive matter. That is to say Islam j.u. is like gun powder – highly inflamable and explosive in character. Well more accurately, umno is highly inflamable and explosive in character when it comes to defending islam j.u. The religion itself cannot burn or explode. That is impossible.
So he lit the match. And where the hell is the fire? There certainly was some. And we all could see them but where are all the big time burnings and horrifying explosions jib and gang cautioned us about? There were none of that sort really. So either (1) umno is not doing their job as protector of islam j.u. or (2) (more likely) all malaysians (umno people in general included) are actually more mature and peace loving than what jib and gang made them out to be or (3) (very likely) both of the above.
Why do I say umno is not doing its job as protector of islam j.u.? Look at the recent arrests made by the police in relation to the torchings. The police revealed (if msm reporting is reliable) that those responsible appeared to be some (well i prefer to call them) pranksters merely. They are not related to any group or political party. That means umno did not burn and explode over the issue. Just a lot of noise by Jib and gang – more like gang sans jib – over the issue, the content of which are largely unintelligible.
So jib and gang, you clowns are out of order by a large margin. So who are you leading really? Just go away and have your teh tarik will ya.
Alamak, alamak, how 2 settle d Allah issue lah
Ai say, churches firebombed, no mass hysterical reaction
Temples stoned, mosque firebombed, also no mass hysterical reaction
Some more Utusan kept fanning d flame of racial n religious hatred, discord
Ai yo yo, what’s happening 2 this nation, so calm 1
How 2 survive ah 4 racist entities like Umno B, Utusan, n MMK
UMNO led govt is like ONE MEGA CIRCUS!!..mana ada system and mana ada integrity…just having Ministers shooting out silly remarks in this Allah controversy from their rears.
C4’s 1Malaysia is just 1Big Joke!
chengho, did you wash your a## today, the odour you generated in this blog is disgustingly unbearable!
Jacqueline Ann Surin is not convinced that the Barisan Nasional is capable of doing what is right over the “Allah” issue.
You are right on spot. Everything under the sun, whether seen or unseen has turned into political creatures for UMNO. I really cannot find any words to describe this noxious, willful, racist, nincompoop party that has lost its sense of direction and if we have leaders like Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom around which indeed UMNO has plenty, we are heading for doom. We have to destroy them before they destroy the country and with Mahathir around to accelerate the destruction, looks like we do not have much time left to salvage.. The people must wake up fast to do the needful before it becomes a sunset country like Somalia or Zimbabwe.
//First off is Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom, who calls for interfaith dialogue but in the same breath tells church leaders to drop their claim to use “Allah” to refer to God.
To substantiate his argument, reported on 11 Jan 2010, Jamil Khir declared that “church leaders must have deep understanding of the situation and history” about the use of “Allah” in Malaysia.// (Jacqueline Ann Surin)
Major General Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom was a militant-trained person who was appointed by Najib to hold the post of Minister in charge of Islamic affairs. His main duty is to preach Islam to all non-muslims, including the non-muslims in Sabah and Sarawak. However, preaching to a regular citizen is not his major duty. His most important duty is to foster a group of Muslim loyalists to Umno within the ASEAN nations, which include Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Kampuchea, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Brunei, and the Phillipines, and South Asian nations, which include Nepal, Iran, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
Datuk Jamil Khir made the above mentioned comment only before KL High Court Judge Datuk Lau Bee Lan announced the written court verdict to the public. As we should give the benefit of doubt to Datuk Jamil Khir for not knowing too much about the historical development of Abrahamic religions in the Middle East and in East Malaysia, we should also give a second chance to Datuk Jamil Khir to make a correction to his political stance on the “Allah” issue so that the non-muslims may also be allowed to use “Allah” as the address to God in their worship sessions.
Allah issue has taken over the front pages of newspapers and people have almost forgotten about Teoh Beng Hock’s death, the 12.5 billion PKFZ scandal, the 500 million service charge for paper-serving the submarine, and much more.
UMNO knows how to divert attention. After the churches were torched, surau was the latest. Interestingly, the Home Minister said that the four arrested in connection with the surau incident did it for fun, and no mastermind was involved. It is simple matter to confirm whether there was mastermind when he is caught, and it would be much more difficult to prove that there was none. But Kerismuddin was able to do it without sweat. He might have joined the four kids like he did with those cow-head demonstrator, to justify that since the kids had no opportunity to burn down churches, they needed to let off steams by burning surau.
Would the Home Minister say that torching of the churches and the surau was for kick only, and it was not a demonstration against non-Malays referring to Christian God as Allah? If he did, then Nasri cannot say that the incident provide fresh evidence against justice Lau Bee Lan’s decision. If not, then the Government had no basis to ban the use of Allah by Herald in the first place.
Can the Home Minister explain why persons practising the same faith would vandalise against the holy place for their religion? Was that staged?
We know that May 13 was staged. That was working against the so-called enemy. But the surau incident was not the work of believers against that religion. So it was self inflicted, like Mamak said about Anwar’s black eye. Was that staged?
“Can the Home Minister explain why persons practising the same faith would vandalise against the holy place for their religion? Was that staged?” (Loh)
A very simple reason has been suggested by the Home Minister, that is, the youngsters wanted to get attention of people to their kampung. In a small kampung, there are not many job opportunities. Many people have to live in subsistence level if they are not the landowners. Those youngsters must have been disappointed by God whom they used to trust, for their God continuing allow them to live in an infamous, economically scarced situation without showing a clue of how their fate can be changed for the better. If PAS or PKR are strong in that kampung, probably they can turn to put hope in Pakatan Rakyat. Unfortunately, PAS and PKR are not very strong in Johor. That fact is very disappointing to the Malay youngsters. They need an alternative political party in Johor which can take over Umno as the ruling party when Umno is already a hopeless party to those young Malays. The young Malays has got nothing if they are not given the money by the parents when they themselves have difficulty to find a decent job. The only thing left for them to do is to make trouble to others so that the politicians will be called to come and give away money to the Kampung folks. When the politicians come, at least they are benefited with some free foods from official kenduri catered by Umno. That is the typical kind of mentality Barisan Nasional has successfully produced among many youngsters of kampung Malays!
To some ignorant Malay youngsters, setting fire on 2 suraus is the best way to catch attention.
Some ppl want 2 b infamous fast mah
Also HH may visit n support them just like when ppl paraded cow head in Shah Alam
hahahahaha…wanderer..chengho is not chengho..if he does not put out a messages to carry UMNO balls. That is is duty…but this young chicko…very easy to trace.
It is cintanegara and especially limkumput…that have messages that will confuse young voters..with their “discussions”.
Once a person is lured to talk to these two MCA worms….it will benefit BN more than anything else.
Change in government is riding high.
Gun down all pro BN buggers. Do not talk to them..just gun them down.
All problems are actually caused by holier-than-thou politicians who can’t understand & tolerate the Sabahan & Sarawakian bumiputra Christians’ way of worshipping God, which the Catholic Church is only trying to accommodate. Those holier-than-thou politicians should practise better understanding & tolerance so that all Malaysians can have teh tarik together in harmony.
The irony is…almost all are having teh tarik as Malaysians and happily together.
It is defeating UMNO’s …divide to rule concept.
That is why…fear..provocations..killings…race and religious issues…all emerging….one by one…to make sure Malaysians are living in fear and suspecting each other…do not know who to trust…in schools..Malays keep away from other races..and vice versa.
These are the results that pleases UMNO…..and we must not let them win…to divide and rule us.
Vote them out…all problems solved…..especially on huge corruptions.
Another irony is that the way UMNO’s BN had twisted and turned this issue to their whims & fancy, has already annoyed the Sabahans & Sarawakians, the very people responsible for keeping UMNO’s BN in power during GE12. No wonder Pekan MP’s deputy had gone over to announce the allocation of more government funds to speed up development in the two Borneo states. UMNO’s BN must be hoping that this will cool the Sabahans & Sarawakians down especially when the Sarawak state election approaches…
Onlooker, re #13, ask yourself, which is the more probable – the best way to catch attention or to make some pocket money???
Sarawakians appear to be very quiet on the surface, but normally “Quiet Dog Bites Deep” and they are famous for their success in uniting people (SUPP).
//Onlooker, re #13, ask yourself, which is the more probable – the best way to catch attention or to make some pocket money???// (Jeffrey)
Jeffrey,
One suspect (the son of the police head) is the operator of a warung (Malay Eating House) at the kampung. When there are many outsiders, including the journalists, flocking into the kampung, the warung will stand to gain, at least from selling teh tarik to the outsiders.
To you who works as a lawyer, this kind of advertising commercial strategy does not make sense. However, you will be able to know much better about the mentality of the kampung people if you are willing to bow yourself much lower in order to pay a visit to the kampung and get some feeling of the kampung life by mixing around with the kampung people.
//Sarawakians appear to be very quiet on the surface, but normally “Quiet Dog Bites Deep” and they are famous for their success in uniting people (SUPP).// (johnnypok)
Yea. Perhaps YB Kit should start learning to sing a folk song of the Sarawakian aborigine people and sing it in the political rally at Sarawak. It will help to buy more votes.
Onlooker Politics :
Referring for context to :
· your earlier statement in #13 (ie “the only thing left for them to do is to make trouble to others so that the politicians will be called to come and give away money to the Kampung folks. When the politicians come, at least they are benefited with some free foods from official kenduri catered by Umno”) and
· your latest statement in #21 (ie “One suspect (the son of the police head) is the operator of a warung (Malay Eating House) at the kampung. When there are many outsiders, including the journalists, flocking into the kampung, the warung will stand to gain, at least from selling teh tarik to the outsiders”),
I wonder how committing arson on a Surau could, even for a local kampung boy, be soliciting the ” kind of advertising commercial strategy” that could catch the desired publicity for commercial benefit to kampung or the warung in it???
When, in relation to motives, I asked you earlier to consider the greater probability of “make pocket money” than “catch attention”, I was merely ushering you in direction to speculate on whether it is more probable that the mischief (arson on suraus in light of earlier arson on churches) might be perpetrated by Kampung boys paid by city folks trying to brew/orchestrate troubles for a political agenda.
“I was merely ushering you in direction to speculate on whether it is more probable that the mischief (arson on suraus in light of earlier arson on churches) might be perpetrated by Kampung boys paid by city folks trying to brew/orchestrate troubles for a political agenda.” (Jeffrey)
Jeffrey,
Even if your speculation can be proven accurate, Home Minister Hishammuddin will never disclose it to the public at the moment. It is not the right timing to disclose it now, especially when his main duty is to restore peace and tranquility to the society.
Onlooker Politics, I however agree with what you said in #24 above & #37 of preceding blog thread “Najib should set a two-week deadline to resolve the “Allah” controversy to salvage his 1Malaysia slogan and to defuse the latest factor driving away Malaysian talents and FDIs”.