COUNCIL of Churches of Malaysia (CCM) Youth is disappointed and deeply regrets the Home Ministry’s lack of order and clarity in its handling of the restriction over the usage of “Allah”, involving the Bahasa Malaysia edition of the Roman Catholic Church’s publication Herald. The lack of order and clarity is obvious from the earlier prohibition […]
Home Ministry
Home minister rescinds new gazette on “Allah”
KOTA KINABALU, 1 March 2009: The home ministry has rescinded a government gazette that allowed conditional use of the word “Allah” in Christian publications with immediate effect. Bernama reported on 28 Feb that Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar admitted there was a mistake in enacting the gazette that resulted in confusion over the […]
Christian publications can use“Allah”
By Zedeck SiewPETALING JAYA, 26 Feb 2009: The government has gazetted a ruling that prohibits Christian publications from using the word “Allah”, unless they carry the disclaimer “For Christianity” on their front covers. While the ruling, published in the Government Gazette on 16 Feb, allows publications like the Catholic weekly Herald to continue using the word in […]
Halting Nepali guards being considered
KUALA LUMPUR, 19 Feb 2009: The Home Ministry is considering freezing the intake of Nepali security guards to stem their numbers in the country due to the big demand for them. Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said many applications for them had been received by his ministry to the point of causing concern. […]
PPPA bad for business
By Zedeck SiewTHE recent seizures of Suara Keadilan and Harakah have once again highlighted inherent difficulties posed by the Printing and Publications Act (PPPA) and its impact on our publishing industry. One aspect that has fallen by the wayside in the rush to speculate on the seemingly arbitrary confiscation — if they were part of a routine […]
Muslim NGOs view Herald’s action as rude
KUALA LUMPUR, 4 Feb 2009: The action of the Catholic weekly Herald to continue to use the word “Allah” as a translation for “God” in its Malay edition is rude and can lead to racial tensions. Muslim Consumers Association Malaysia secretary general Datuk Dr Ma’mor Osman said use of the word which was sacred to […]
Booksellers want clearer guidelines
By Zedeck Siew(Pic by James Long) PETALING JAYA, 29 Jan 2009: The government should consistently update laws governing the book industry so that they are specific and take into account the realities of the business, the Malaysian Booksellers Association (MBA) said. “We should revisit the rules every year,” MBA secretary Keith Thong told The Nut Graph in […]
Hark: the Herald
By Zedeck SiewCorrected on 29 Jan 2009 at 11.40am “The use of the word ‘Allah’ by non-Muslims may arouse sensitivity and create confusion amongst the Muslims in this country.” FORMER Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Dr Abdullah Md Zin, quoted on 4 Jan 2008. He was elaborating on a cabinet decision to hold as exclusive […]
PPPA affects business
By Zedeck SiewGOMBAK, 20 Jan 2009: The Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA) makes it difficult for book publishers to conduct their business and should be amended, the Malaysian Book Publishers Association (Mabopa) said. Mabopa secretary Arief Hakim Sani said the PPPA was outdated and easily subjected to abuse. Mabopa secretary Arief Hakim Sani“I definitely think the […]
Review Emergency Ordinance procedure: Suhakam
KUALA LUMPUR, 12 Jan 2009: The Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) today urged the Home Ministry to review its procedure in using the Emergency Ordinance on crime suspects. “Each crime suspect has the right to get justice. He is only guilty when the court finds him guilty after a trial,” said commissioner Datuk N Siva Subramaniam. […]
