(Logo Twitter © Twitter.com)HANYA Allah yang tahu betapa saya cuba mengawal pergerakan jari saya pada 19 Jan 2010. Akhirnya saya tumbang dan terus menaip: “Rais is so ancient, when the animals went in two by two he said, ‘Nanti kalau diorang berkhalwat macam mana?’ #yorais.” Lepas itu saya ingat saya akan lega, buang tabiatlah katakan. […]
Columns
BN-style resolution to “Allah” issue
By Jacqueline Ann SurinWORD 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 […]
Understanding town planning
By KW Mak(Pic by moth / Dreamstime) THE Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) is the law when it comes to development within Petaling Jaya. It is empowered to impose all sorts of rules and conditions on developers. This is fine, except the conditions and rules that have been implemented may not have adhered to town-planning laws in […]
Terror against religious freedom
By Tommy Thomas(Pic by Jan Tabery / sxc.hu) THE attacks against churches and other places of worship that ushered in 2010 have brought into sharp focus the intolerance of an unruly minority in Malaysia. This minority is determined to destroy the delicate balance reached through compromise and consensus in a plural society by our founding leaders, which […]
Church survival and complicity
By Deborah LohGurdwara Sahib Sentul was stoned and had a glass door damaged (Stock pic source: morguefile.com) THIS is not another commentary on “Allah” and its usage, nor is it about the attacks against churches, a Catholic school and a Sikh gurdwara after the issue spiralled out of control. It is instead about the private dilemma the […]
No action on illegal structures
By KW Mak(Pic by cjung / sxc.hu) THE issue of whether barricades on residential roads should be allowed has been simmering for some time. By taking no action, the authorities seem to be encouraging the problem. These barricades are illegal by law, and the residents who put up these barriers are cognizant of this. But these residents […]
Allah and the Malay language
By Wong Chin Huat(Blackboard pic by ilco / sxc.hu) IF the church were to agree to the ban of the word “Allah” for non-Muslims, would this solve our problems? The answer is no. Religious authorities in the West Malaysian states have banned more than the word “Allah”. In Pahang and Malacca, the word “nabi” (prophet) is banned, making […]
The consequences of bad habits
By Nick ChooWITH the state of affairs in Malaysia today, one wonders what it would take for extremists to get riled up over what they might deem “inappropriate” and “sensitive” content. What kind of situation or context might pose a threat to those who fear encroachment upon their faith, and who only know how to react through […]
Right to go to court over “Allah”
By Ding Jo-Ann(Pic by Nikolai Mamluke / Dreamstime) THE argument that Malaysians are being asked to accept over the “Allah” issue sounds like this: “Muslims are the majority in this country. In a democracy, the majority’s wishes should be prioritised. Christians may have the right to use the word ‘Allah’, but why do it when it provokes […]
If “Allah” were for Muslims only
By Chan Kheng Hoe(Pic by xymonau / sxc.hu) MUCH has been said about the use of the word “Allah“, and I do not necessarily want to add clutter to the debate without a fresh perspective. It seems interesting that everyone wants to give their input on this issue, including free-thinkers for whom God, by whatever name God is […]
