Agence France-Presse
October 8, 2009
CAIRO - Egypt's Al-Azhar University, the most prestigious centre of religious learning in the Sunni Muslim world, said on Thursday it will ban the face veil from female-only classrooms and residences.
"The Supreme Council of Al-Azhar has decided to ban students and teachers from wearing the niqab inside female-only classrooms, that are taught by women only," a statement said.
The ban extends to women's dormitories and to schools affiliated with the university, it said.
The face-veil, or niqab, is worn by some devout Muslim women. Local press reported that Mohammed Tantawi, head of Al-Azhar, said last week that he intended to ban the practice in the university.
The supreme council's statement added that Al-Azhar does not oppose the niqab, which it said only a minority of Muslim scholars consider an obligation, but it opposes "imprinting it on the minds of girls."
The decision came after female students who wear the niqab were banned from the women's dormitory of the state-run Cairo University.
Most Muslim women in Egypt wear the hijab, which covers the hair, but the niqab is becoming more popular on the streets of Cairo.
The government has shown concern over the trend. The religious endowments ministry issued booklets against the practice, saying the niqab is not Islamic, and the health ministry wants to ban it among doctors and nurses.
In the Middle East, the niqab is associated with Salafism, an ultra-conservative school of thought practiced mostly in Saudi Arabia.
Most Salafis shun politics, but the creed has influenced Islamist militants such as al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden.
From the Palestinian territories, a small Salafi group known as Jund Ansar Allah has called on Egyptians to strike out in reaction, according to a statement reported by the SITE Intelligence Group.
"We call upon our mujahedeen brothers to start crushing the fortifications of the government of the pharaoh of this age (President Hosni Mubarak) and to strike with an iron hand all the agents and traitors."
Al-Azhar has long enjoyed a reputation as Sunni Islam's eminent source of learning and edicts.
Salafists, who actively promote their creed, sometimes funded by wealthy patrons in Saudi Arabia, are opposed to Al-Azhar's theological teachings.
France set to move towards burqa ban
AFP Global Edition
2010-01-26 06:10:13
After six months of hearings surrounded by fierce public debate, a commission set up by parliament will publish Tuesday its findings on outlawing the full-face veil.
Despite a large Muslim presence, the sight of fully-veiled women is not an everyday occurrence in France. Only 1,900 women wear the burqa, according to the interior ministry.
Half of them live in the Paris region and 90 percent are under 40.
Nicolas Sarkozy backs a ban on the full Muslim veil
by Charles Bremner in Paris
From The Times January 26, 2010
Curbs on wearing the full Muslim veil come a step closer in France today with a report that will call for a ban on the dress in post offices, universities, hospitals and state-owned premises, as well as public transport.
Last night President Sarkozy was due to endorse the proposals, to be made by an all-party commission. Last week he called the niqab, the form of veil worn in France, “contrary to our values and to the ideals we have of women’s dignity”. Parliament is expected to act on the proposals in the spring.
If they become law women with covered faces would be refused public services such as transport, university classes and benefits.
The popular campaign for an “anti-burka law”, as it is known, is helping Mr Sarkozy after a series of political blunders in recent months that have robbed him of his aura of invincibility. In his appearance last night he sought to restore confidence in his administration. His format — questions from 11 hand-picked members of the public — was attacked by the opposition as “Berlusconi-style” propaganda.
Two out of three people want the veil, worn by a small but growing number of young fundamentalists, to be outlawed anywhere in public, according to opinion polls. Mr Sarkozy’s Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) and a section of the left-wing opposition want that, too, but the President called for narrower measures and more thought. France should not stigmatise Muslims, he said.
After five months of testimony from religious leaders, human rights activists and others, the parliamentary commission closed its work in disarray. A limited legal ban and a parliamentary resolution condemning the niqab was the maximum consensus that could be reached. Even that is likely to draw criticism from outside France.
The Socialist opposition, divided among themselves over the veil, are to abstain from a vote on the report. They say that it has been polluted by a “great national debate” on French identity that Mr Sarkozy has staged over the past three months.
Some figures in Mr Sarkozy’s party are also uneasy over the way that the veil question has been blended with the national debate, which has focused on the integration of the country’s five million Muslims. Mr Sarkozy has contributed to the distaste, calling on French Muslims to be discreet about practising their religion. The critics see this as a crude play for votes before the regional council elections in March.
Muslim leaders told the commission that the full veil was not supported by most Muslims but that a law would add to the feeling of rejection.
Views on the veil
The Netherlands A proposal to ban veils failed in 2006 after lawyers said that it would be unconstitutional. The Government has since said that it will try to ban face-covering veils in schools and for government employees
Italy A law passed in 1975 required people to keep their faces visible in public but it is not usually applied to Muslim women. Silvio Berlusconi’s government said in October 2009 that it would try to add a specific ban on religious garments that cover the face
Belgium Full veils were banned in the town of Maaseik in 2004 but there is no countrywide ban
Germany Some states have banned teachers from wearing headscarves in public schools
Switzerland The Justice Ministry said that it would consider a ban after November’s referendum halting the building of new minarets
Turkey Islamic-style headscarves in schools, universities and government offices are banned
Sources: Associated Press; Reuters
Burka, niqab have no place in Denmark, PM says
Agence France-Presse
January 19, 2010
COPENHAGEN - The face-covering burka and niqab veils worn by some Muslim women have no place in Denmark, Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen said Tuesday, adding his government was considering restricting them.
Rasmussen stopped short, however, of calling for a ban on the veils, noting "legal and other limits".
"The government's position is clear: the burka and the niqab have no place in Danish society. They symbolise a view of women and humanity that we totally oppose and that we want to combat in Danish society," Rasmussen told reporters.
Denmark is "an open, democratic society where we look at the person to whom we are talking, whether it's in a classroom or on the job," he said.
"That is why we don't want to see this garment in Danish society," he added.
He said his centre-right government was "discussing ways of limiting the wearing" of the veils without violating the Scandinavian country's constitution.
The prime minister's comments came a day after the publication of a report which showed that use of the burka was "extremely rare" in Denmark, though no figures were given, and that the niqab was worn by "between 100 and 200" women.
The report was commissioned by the social affairs ministry and written by researchers at the University of Copenhagen.
It follows a heated debate on the burka that has divided the two-party coalition government since the summer amid pressure from its key parliamentary ally the far-right Danish People's Party.
Some 100,000 Muslim women live in Denmark, representing about 1.9 per cent of Denmark's total population of 5.5 million. Some 0.15 per cent of the Muslim women wear the niqab, according to the report.
2010-01-26 06:10:13
France was set to move one step closer to barring Muslim women from wearing the full Islamic veil with the release Tuesday of a report calling for a ban on the burqa in public institutions.
It is expected to call the burqa an affront to French values and make 18 recommendations, including adopting a ban on wearing the full veil in "public services" including hospitals, schools and transport.
President Nicolas Sarkozy set the tone for the debate when he declared the burqa "not welcome" in France and described it as a symbol of women's "subservience" which cannot be tolerated in a country that considers itself a human rights leader.
Hopes for reaching any sort of political consensus have evaporated, with the opposition Socialists, divided by those calling for a total prohibition and those opposed to stigmatising wearers of the full veil, planning to abstain from the vote on the report.
The leader of Sarkozy's right-wing party in parliament, Jean-Francois Cope, has already presented draft legislation that would make it illegal for anyone to cover their faces in public for reasons of security.
Home to Europe's biggest Muslim minority, estimated at about six million, France is heading into unchartered territory. No European country has adopted sweeping national legislation on restricting the full veil.
French support for a law banning the full veil is strong: a poll last week showed that 57 percent are in favour.
While lawmakers are divided on the scope of the restrictions, with many fearing that a draconian law would stigmatise Muslims who are already bristling at the anti-Islam rants heard during the government's national identity debate, they agree that some time will be needed to craft a solid text that would stand up to a court challenge.
Nicolas Sarkozy backs a ban on the full Muslim veil
by Charles Bremner in Paris
From The Times January 26, 2010
Curbs on wearing the full Muslim veil come a step closer in France today with a report that will call for a ban on the dress in post offices, universities, hospitals and state-owned premises, as well as public transport.
Last night President Sarkozy was due to endorse the proposals, to be made by an all-party commission. Last week he called the niqab, the form of veil worn in France, “contrary to our values and to the ideals we have of women’s dignity”. Parliament is expected to act on the proposals in the spring.
If they become law women with covered faces would be refused public services such as transport, university classes and benefits.
The popular campaign for an “anti-burka law”, as it is known, is helping Mr Sarkozy after a series of political blunders in recent months that have robbed him of his aura of invincibility. In his appearance last night he sought to restore confidence in his administration. His format — questions from 11 hand-picked members of the public — was attacked by the opposition as “Berlusconi-style” propaganda.
Two out of three people want the veil, worn by a small but growing number of young fundamentalists, to be outlawed anywhere in public, according to opinion polls. Mr Sarkozy’s Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) and a section of the left-wing opposition want that, too, but the President called for narrower measures and more thought. France should not stigmatise Muslims, he said.
After five months of testimony from religious leaders, human rights activists and others, the parliamentary commission closed its work in disarray. A limited legal ban and a parliamentary resolution condemning the niqab was the maximum consensus that could be reached. Even that is likely to draw criticism from outside France.
The Socialist opposition, divided among themselves over the veil, are to abstain from a vote on the report. They say that it has been polluted by a “great national debate” on French identity that Mr Sarkozy has staged over the past three months.
Some figures in Mr Sarkozy’s party are also uneasy over the way that the veil question has been blended with the national debate, which has focused on the integration of the country’s five million Muslims. Mr Sarkozy has contributed to the distaste, calling on French Muslims to be discreet about practising their religion. The critics see this as a crude play for votes before the regional council elections in March.
Muslim leaders told the commission that the full veil was not supported by most Muslims but that a law would add to the feeling of rejection.
Views on the veil
The Netherlands A proposal to ban veils failed in 2006 after lawyers said that it would be unconstitutional. The Government has since said that it will try to ban face-covering veils in schools and for government employees
Italy A law passed in 1975 required people to keep their faces visible in public but it is not usually applied to Muslim women. Silvio Berlusconi’s government said in October 2009 that it would try to add a specific ban on religious garments that cover the face
Belgium Full veils were banned in the town of Maaseik in 2004 but there is no countrywide ban
Germany Some states have banned teachers from wearing headscarves in public schools
Switzerland The Justice Ministry said that it would consider a ban after November’s referendum halting the building of new minarets
Turkey Islamic-style headscarves in schools, universities and government offices are banned
Sources: Associated Press; Reuters
Burka, niqab have no place in Denmark, PM says
Agence France-Presse
January 19, 2010
COPENHAGEN - The face-covering burka and niqab veils worn by some Muslim women have no place in Denmark, Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen said Tuesday, adding his government was considering restricting them.
Rasmussen stopped short, however, of calling for a ban on the veils, noting "legal and other limits".
"The government's position is clear: the burka and the niqab have no place in Danish society. They symbolise a view of women and humanity that we totally oppose and that we want to combat in Danish society," Rasmussen told reporters.
Denmark is "an open, democratic society where we look at the person to whom we are talking, whether it's in a classroom or on the job," he said.
"That is why we don't want to see this garment in Danish society," he added.
He said his centre-right government was "discussing ways of limiting the wearing" of the veils without violating the Scandinavian country's constitution.
The prime minister's comments came a day after the publication of a report which showed that use of the burka was "extremely rare" in Denmark, though no figures were given, and that the niqab was worn by "between 100 and 200" women.
The report was commissioned by the social affairs ministry and written by researchers at the University of Copenhagen.
It follows a heated debate on the burka that has divided the two-party coalition government since the summer amid pressure from its key parliamentary ally the far-right Danish People's Party.
Some 100,000 Muslim women live in Denmark, representing about 1.9 per cent of Denmark's total population of 5.5 million. Some 0.15 per cent of the Muslim women wear the niqab, according to the report.
Hairdos now in clerics' crosshairs
The Straits Times, January 21, 2010
JAKARTA - TO STRAIGHTEN or not to straighten? Women's hair styles have become a hot topic for Indonesia's Muslims after calls from some Islamic clerics to have the procedure banned on the grounds it invites moral danger.
On Wednesday, the council's Fatwa Commission said it had received a request from a group of clerics linked to a girls boarding school in East Java to issue a fatwa banning chemical hair straightening, a type of perm treatment known in Indonesia as rebonding.
The deputy secretary of the Fatwa Commission, Aminudin Yakub, said on Wednesday that the East Java Forum Musyawarah Pondok Pesantren Putri had requested a formal edict declaring rebonding a breach of Islamic law 'except for women who are married and have the permission of their husband.'
The boarding school clerics had also asked for a fatwa banning dreadlocks, punk do's and 'funky hairstyles' he said. 'For now, we are yet to make an institutional decision on this. So far, we have not seen strong evidence to ban it,' he said. 'It could be discussed in future but right now it is not a priority.'
Hair salons in downtown Jakarta were bustling with young Muslim women, bemused by the sudden interest in their hair. Eryanti, 21, a Jakarta-based accountant who is Muslim and has had her hair straightened four times, said she had no intention of stopping. 'I like my hair to look this way and if I stop, it will go back to the way it was before,' said Eryanti, who, like many Indonesians, has only one name. 'It looks better and it is easier to brush.'
AD Kusumaningtyas, a spokeswoman from the Islamic women's rights group Rahima, said women's hairstyle preferences could be the topic of discussion but were ultimately an individual choice. 'We don't need to (proscribe) everything as haram or not. Some injustices such as polygamy and female genital mutilation are more important' than rebonding,' she said. -- REUTERS
They were voted in by a population of idiots, or appointed by a government of idiots!
JAKARTA - TO STRAIGHTEN or not to straighten? Women's hair styles have become a hot topic for Indonesia's Muslims after calls from some Islamic clerics to have the procedure banned on the grounds it invites moral danger.
On Wednesday, the council's Fatwa Commission said it had received a request from a group of clerics linked to a girls boarding school in East Java to issue a fatwa banning chemical hair straightening, a type of perm treatment known in Indonesia as rebonding.
The deputy secretary of the Fatwa Commission, Aminudin Yakub, said on Wednesday that the East Java Forum Musyawarah Pondok Pesantren Putri had requested a formal edict declaring rebonding a breach of Islamic law 'except for women who are married and have the permission of their husband.'
The boarding school clerics had also asked for a fatwa banning dreadlocks, punk do's and 'funky hairstyles' he said. 'For now, we are yet to make an institutional decision on this. So far, we have not seen strong evidence to ban it,' he said. 'It could be discussed in future but right now it is not a priority.'
Hair salons in downtown Jakarta were bustling with young Muslim women, bemused by the sudden interest in their hair. Eryanti, 21, a Jakarta-based accountant who is Muslim and has had her hair straightened four times, said she had no intention of stopping. 'I like my hair to look this way and if I stop, it will go back to the way it was before,' said Eryanti, who, like many Indonesians, has only one name. 'It looks better and it is easier to brush.'
AD Kusumaningtyas, a spokeswoman from the Islamic women's rights group Rahima, said women's hairstyle preferences could be the topic of discussion but were ultimately an individual choice. 'We don't need to (proscribe) everything as haram or not. Some injustices such as polygamy and female genital mutilation are more important' than rebonding,' she said. -- REUTERS
They were voted in by a population of idiots, or appointed by a government of idiots!
3 more attacks on Malaysian churches
by Teo Cheng Wee, Regional Correspondent
The Straits Times, January 11, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR: Amid tightened security, Christians in Malaysia attended Sunday service yesterday - the first since a recent spate of shocking assaults on local churches.
Although services proceeded uneventfully, three more attacks were reported around the country yesterday, including the first in East Malaysia.
Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein confirmed that a church in Sarawak has reported an arson attempt, making it the seventh attack on churches in Malaysia in three days.
A large number of East Malaysians are Christians who worship in Malay and have historically used the word 'Allah' to refer to God.
Churches in Malacca and Perak were struck yesterday as well, but no one was hurt.
In Perak, state police chief Zulkifli Abdullah told The Straits Times that Molotov cocktails were hurled at the All Saints Church in Taiping. The explosions left black marks on the wall.
Nearby, unexploded bottles were found at the St Louis Church and the guardhouse of an adjacent Catholic school.
The attack probably took place early yesterday morning and the police are investigating, he said.
In Malacca, the outer walls of the Malacca Baptist Church was splashed with black paint, according to The Star daily.
There were also reports that a brick was hurled at a small mosque in Klang, but officials have denied that this was a retaliatory attack.
Nonetheless, tensions in Malaysia remain high. The country saw a spate of unprecedented attacks on these places of worship last week, after the High Court ruled that Christians could use the word 'Allah' to refer to God.
The ruling had triggered unhappiness among a section of the Muslim community, culminating in the series of arson attacks. No one has claimed responsibility for them.
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin told Malaysians yesterday that the situation was 'under control'.
He also told reporters that the situation was 'exaggerated' by 'the foreign media, SMSes and the Internet', adding that the attacks were not coordinated.
Many Christians attending services yesterday did not seem too bothered. Uniformed police were present at several churches.
Reverend Peter Bretaudeau from the Church of the Risen Christ said that, other than the presence of two police cars outside during their morning service, there was nothing unusual.
'The police advised us to be careful and we assured them that we always are. We have our own security guard,' he said.
Churchgoers told The Straits Times that services proceeded normally and that sermons did not dwell on the church attacks.
At the service of the Metro Tabernacle Church, the message was one of 'love, peace and acceptance of what happened', said church lay leader Peter Yeow.
The church was the most seriously damaged among all those attacked, as its ground floor was gutted by a petrol bomb. Its 1,000-strong congregation held its service yesterday at the Malaysian Chinese Association's headquarters.
Some pastors have advised their congregations not to believe or spread rumours about potential 'attacks'. Earlier, a rumour that cars with crosses or Christian rosaries were being smashed turned out to be untrue.
Political leaders who have been meeting Christian leaders the last few days to diffuse tensions continued to do their rounds yesterday.
The Straits Times, January 11, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR: Amid tightened security, Christians in Malaysia attended Sunday service yesterday - the first since a recent spate of shocking assaults on local churches.
Although services proceeded uneventfully, three more attacks were reported around the country yesterday, including the first in East Malaysia.
Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein confirmed that a church in Sarawak has reported an arson attempt, making it the seventh attack on churches in Malaysia in three days.
A large number of East Malaysians are Christians who worship in Malay and have historically used the word 'Allah' to refer to God.
Churches in Malacca and Perak were struck yesterday as well, but no one was hurt.
In Perak, state police chief Zulkifli Abdullah told The Straits Times that Molotov cocktails were hurled at the All Saints Church in Taiping. The explosions left black marks on the wall.
Nearby, unexploded bottles were found at the St Louis Church and the guardhouse of an adjacent Catholic school.
The attack probably took place early yesterday morning and the police are investigating, he said.
In Malacca, the outer walls of the Malacca Baptist Church was splashed with black paint, according to The Star daily.
There were also reports that a brick was hurled at a small mosque in Klang, but officials have denied that this was a retaliatory attack.
Nonetheless, tensions in Malaysia remain high. The country saw a spate of unprecedented attacks on these places of worship last week, after the High Court ruled that Christians could use the word 'Allah' to refer to God.
The ruling had triggered unhappiness among a section of the Muslim community, culminating in the series of arson attacks. No one has claimed responsibility for them.
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin told Malaysians yesterday that the situation was 'under control'.
He also told reporters that the situation was 'exaggerated' by 'the foreign media, SMSes and the Internet', adding that the attacks were not coordinated.
Many Christians attending services yesterday did not seem too bothered. Uniformed police were present at several churches.
Reverend Peter Bretaudeau from the Church of the Risen Christ said that, other than the presence of two police cars outside during their morning service, there was nothing unusual.
'The police advised us to be careful and we assured them that we always are. We have our own security guard,' he said.
Churchgoers told The Straits Times that services proceeded normally and that sermons did not dwell on the church attacks.
At the service of the Metro Tabernacle Church, the message was one of 'love, peace and acceptance of what happened', said church lay leader Peter Yeow.
The church was the most seriously damaged among all those attacked, as its ground floor was gutted by a petrol bomb. Its 1,000-strong congregation held its service yesterday at the Malaysian Chinese Association's headquarters.
Some pastors have advised their congregations not to believe or spread rumours about potential 'attacks'. Earlier, a rumour that cars with crosses or Christian rosaries were being smashed turned out to be untrue.
Political leaders who have been meeting Christian leaders the last few days to diffuse tensions continued to do their rounds yesterday.
Malaysia's image takes a beating
by Leslie Lopez, Senior Regional Correspondent
The Straits Times, January 11, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR: In 1990, the Malaysian government headed by then-Premier Mahathir Mohamad quickly cooled the anti- establishment fever gripping the country by tapping a very emotive issue - religion.
Facing a serious challenge from an opposition alliance headed by former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, the government filled state-run television and newspapers with a photo of its rival wearing a native headgear with a cross-like design just days before a general election.
The not-so-subtle message was that Tengku Razaleigh, a prince from the north-eastern Kelantan state, would sell out the Muslims to the Christians if the opposition came to power.
The gambit worked, and the pro-opposition fever that gripped Malaysia died immediately and the government returned comfortably to power.
Malaysia today finds itself in a similar position with anti-government sentiments, particularly among the country's politically dominant Muslim Malay community, at their highest levels.
But if any group hoped that the 'Allah' controversy could be exploited for Umno's political gain, it may be disappointed. Instead of uniting the Malays against the country's minorities, the shocking events of the past week have put Umno on the defensive and split Muslim public opinion.
Early last week, government ministers had shrugged their shoulders and said they could not stop Muslims wanting to demonstrate at mosques after Friday prayers, to denounce a High Court ruling which declared that the Roman Catholic Church's weekly newspaper could use the word 'Allah' as a reference to God.
But hopes for massive nationwide protests at mosques did not materialise. At the Masjid Negara (national mosque) which typically has a congregation of more than 3,000 on Fridays, fewer than 300 - and they were from the organising group - stayed behind to wave fists and banners.
Tensions heightened after reports emerged that four churches were attacked in the early hours of Friday, leaving one place of worship gutted by fire. Three other churches and a convent were also targeted yesterday.
Many Malay-Muslims have quickly condemned the attacks, as has Prime Minister Najib Razak.
The Christians have not retaliated. The mood has been one of disappointment and anxiety all around, but what is certain is that no one wants to see tensions escalate and most people are seeking to calm things down.
It would appear that Malaysians, particularly the Malays, have matured politically and are able to easily spot tactless and crass political schemes.
Datuk Seri Najib has angrily rejected claims that elements within his ruling Umno party may have been involved in provoking last week's attacks.
But as Tengku Razaleigh, who has since returned to Umno, told a conference in Singapore last week, the government must take responsibility for allowing emotions to run high over the issue.
There is unhappiness among Muslims who see the court ruling as an encroachment of their religion and right to the word that has a special, evocative meaning to them.
There is also the fear that usage of the word by Christians may make it easier for them to proselytise among Muslims.
Rather than seeking to assuage or address such concerns, some have instead sought to fuel these anxieties and profit politically from them.
The controversy presents a major challenge for Mr Najib and the Umno party that he leads. It risks undercutting the major strides the Premier has made in pushing the central theme of his new administration - the 1Malaysia policy which is aimed at bringing the country's multiracial and multi- religious communities together.
There is also a longer-term political threat, particularly from the size- able Christian populations in the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, where the strong electoral support for the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition helped Mr Najib's Umno retain power in the 2008 general election.
The Arabic word 'Allah' has been used by Christians in Malaysia - particularly East Malaysia - and in Indonesia for centuries.
It is not clear whether the public debate over the reference to God in Peninsular Malaysia will influence public opinion in Sabah and Sarawak towards the government.
What is clear is that predominantly Muslim Malaysia, which is struggling to find its economic footing, is taking multiple blows to its image of being a truly multi-religious and inclusive country.
First, it was the planned caning of a Muslim mother of two for drinking beer.
That was quickly followed by the parading of a cow's head by elements linked to Umno over protests against the construction of a Hindu temple.
Last week, the 'Allah' controversy and the church attacks became major news for international broadcast and print news networks.
That is not Malaysia. The country deserves better.
Mr Najib's challenge will be to show that he is the Prime Minister for all Malaysians and will not be held ransom by the narrow vested interests who seek to undermine his 1Malaysia vision.
The Straits Times, January 11, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR: In 1990, the Malaysian government headed by then-Premier Mahathir Mohamad quickly cooled the anti- establishment fever gripping the country by tapping a very emotive issue - religion.
Facing a serious challenge from an opposition alliance headed by former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, the government filled state-run television and newspapers with a photo of its rival wearing a native headgear with a cross-like design just days before a general election.
The not-so-subtle message was that Tengku Razaleigh, a prince from the north-eastern Kelantan state, would sell out the Muslims to the Christians if the opposition came to power.
The gambit worked, and the pro-opposition fever that gripped Malaysia died immediately and the government returned comfortably to power.
Malaysia today finds itself in a similar position with anti-government sentiments, particularly among the country's politically dominant Muslim Malay community, at their highest levels.
But if any group hoped that the 'Allah' controversy could be exploited for Umno's political gain, it may be disappointed. Instead of uniting the Malays against the country's minorities, the shocking events of the past week have put Umno on the defensive and split Muslim public opinion.
Early last week, government ministers had shrugged their shoulders and said they could not stop Muslims wanting to demonstrate at mosques after Friday prayers, to denounce a High Court ruling which declared that the Roman Catholic Church's weekly newspaper could use the word 'Allah' as a reference to God.
But hopes for massive nationwide protests at mosques did not materialise. At the Masjid Negara (national mosque) which typically has a congregation of more than 3,000 on Fridays, fewer than 300 - and they were from the organising group - stayed behind to wave fists and banners.
Tensions heightened after reports emerged that four churches were attacked in the early hours of Friday, leaving one place of worship gutted by fire. Three other churches and a convent were also targeted yesterday.
Many Malay-Muslims have quickly condemned the attacks, as has Prime Minister Najib Razak.
The Christians have not retaliated. The mood has been one of disappointment and anxiety all around, but what is certain is that no one wants to see tensions escalate and most people are seeking to calm things down.
It would appear that Malaysians, particularly the Malays, have matured politically and are able to easily spot tactless and crass political schemes.
Datuk Seri Najib has angrily rejected claims that elements within his ruling Umno party may have been involved in provoking last week's attacks.
But as Tengku Razaleigh, who has since returned to Umno, told a conference in Singapore last week, the government must take responsibility for allowing emotions to run high over the issue.
There is unhappiness among Muslims who see the court ruling as an encroachment of their religion and right to the word that has a special, evocative meaning to them.
There is also the fear that usage of the word by Christians may make it easier for them to proselytise among Muslims.
Rather than seeking to assuage or address such concerns, some have instead sought to fuel these anxieties and profit politically from them.
The controversy presents a major challenge for Mr Najib and the Umno party that he leads. It risks undercutting the major strides the Premier has made in pushing the central theme of his new administration - the 1Malaysia policy which is aimed at bringing the country's multiracial and multi- religious communities together.
There is also a longer-term political threat, particularly from the size- able Christian populations in the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, where the strong electoral support for the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition helped Mr Najib's Umno retain power in the 2008 general election.
The Arabic word 'Allah' has been used by Christians in Malaysia - particularly East Malaysia - and in Indonesia for centuries.
It is not clear whether the public debate over the reference to God in Peninsular Malaysia will influence public opinion in Sabah and Sarawak towards the government.
What is clear is that predominantly Muslim Malaysia, which is struggling to find its economic footing, is taking multiple blows to its image of being a truly multi-religious and inclusive country.
First, it was the planned caning of a Muslim mother of two for drinking beer.
That was quickly followed by the parading of a cow's head by elements linked to Umno over protests against the construction of a Hindu temple.
Last week, the 'Allah' controversy and the church attacks became major news for international broadcast and print news networks.
That is not Malaysia. The country deserves better.
Mr Najib's challenge will be to show that he is the Prime Minister for all Malaysians and will not be held ransom by the narrow vested interests who seek to undermine his 1Malaysia vision.
Swift response sets country on right path
by Elizabeth Looi, Malaysia Correspondent
The Sunday Times, January 10, 2010
Kuala Lumpur: The swift conciliatory response by Malaysia's leaders and some Muslims has helped to pull the country back from the brink following an unprecedented attack on several churches last Friday, analysts said.
Three firebomb attacks were reported last Friday, with a fourth case - in Petaling Jaya - surfacing yesterday.
The attacks followed a court ruling on Dec 31 that Catholics have the right to use the word 'Allah' to refer to God, a decision that angered many Muslims who say the term is exclusive to Islam.
Shortly after the attacks, it appeared uncertain how Malaysia would pivot at such a turning point. But yesterday saw many political leaders coming out to condemn the violence.
Prime Minister Najib Razak, Umno Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin and social activist Marina Mahathir, the daughter of former premier Mahathir Mohamad, all visited the Metro Tabernacle Church, the worst hit of the targets.
Ms Marina also started a petition with her friends urging Muslims to unite against violence towards non-Muslims.
Political analyst Ooi Kee Beng from the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies said it was a positive sign that moderate Muslims were coming forward to help.
'I'm glad that so many Muslims are coming out, and I hope the number will escalate to show that the hooligans are not even a minority, they are just a few people,' he told The Sunday Times.
In a surprise twist, the same group of Muslims who had rallied on Friday against the court decision offered yesterday to protect Christians and their churches against further violence.
The 15-group coalition, believed to be taking the cue from top leaders, issued a statement to put on record their opposition to the arson attacks and their intention to foster better communal relations.
Another group, the Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association, offered to work with the authorities to protect churches.
Law lecturer Azmi Sharom, who is pro-opposition, believes that more could be done. He hopes to see a greater response from the silent majority of moderate Muslims.
Serious change would not be possible if it was left to politicians and well-known personalities to denounce religious violence, he said.
The Sunday Times, January 10, 2010
Kuala Lumpur: The swift conciliatory response by Malaysia's leaders and some Muslims has helped to pull the country back from the brink following an unprecedented attack on several churches last Friday, analysts said.
Three firebomb attacks were reported last Friday, with a fourth case - in Petaling Jaya - surfacing yesterday.
The attacks followed a court ruling on Dec 31 that Catholics have the right to use the word 'Allah' to refer to God, a decision that angered many Muslims who say the term is exclusive to Islam.
Shortly after the attacks, it appeared uncertain how Malaysia would pivot at such a turning point. But yesterday saw many political leaders coming out to condemn the violence.
Prime Minister Najib Razak, Umno Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin and social activist Marina Mahathir, the daughter of former premier Mahathir Mohamad, all visited the Metro Tabernacle Church, the worst hit of the targets.
Ms Marina also started a petition with her friends urging Muslims to unite against violence towards non-Muslims.
Political analyst Ooi Kee Beng from the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies said it was a positive sign that moderate Muslims were coming forward to help.
'I'm glad that so many Muslims are coming out, and I hope the number will escalate to show that the hooligans are not even a minority, they are just a few people,' he told The Sunday Times.
In a surprise twist, the same group of Muslims who had rallied on Friday against the court decision offered yesterday to protect Christians and their churches against further violence.
The 15-group coalition, believed to be taking the cue from top leaders, issued a statement to put on record their opposition to the arson attacks and their intention to foster better communal relations.
Another group, the Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association, offered to work with the authorities to protect churches.
Law lecturer Azmi Sharom, who is pro-opposition, believes that more could be done. He hopes to see a greater response from the silent majority of moderate Muslims.
Serious change would not be possible if it was left to politicians and well-known personalities to denounce religious violence, he said.
Heinous, Najib says of hits on churches
by Elizabeth Looi, Malaysia Correspondent
The Sunday Times, January 10, 2010
PM Najib speaking to the press outside the gutted administrative block of a Catholic church in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. He has rejected charges that his party was to blame for fanning emotions after the court ruling on the use of the word 'Allah'. -- PHOTO: AFP
Kuala Lumpur: Prime Minister Najib Razak yesterday moved swiftly to calm religious tensions as news emerged that a fourth church had been targeted by arsonists.
The church attacks - following a recent High Court ruling that allowed Christians to use the word 'Allah' to refer to God - has stunned Malaysians unused to such violence.
'Acts such as the burning of the house of worship of other religions are a heinous act,' said Datuk Seri Najib who, along with several Cabinet ministers and their deputies, visited the Metro Tabernacle church here.
Exhorting all parties not to act emotionally, he also announced a RM500,000 (S$206,000) relocation fund for the church, the ground floor of which was gutted by the fire.
'This is a sincere contribution from the government,' he told reporters. 'The government is deeply committed to maintain harmony and cordial relations between the various races and religions in our country.'
Emotions have been running high since the High Court ruling on Dec 31 allowing the Catholic church's newspaper to use the word 'Allah'.
The church had argued that 'Allah' was a pre-Islamic Arabic word but many Muslims objected on the grounds that it was exclusive to Islam and that its use by Christians would sow confusion.
The government has appealed against the decision, which is currently suspended. Last Friday, Muslim groups held rallies in 10 mosques in several states.
But the rallies were overshadowed by the attacks, which badly damaged the Metro Tabernacle church. Three other churches in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, were also targeted.
Yesterday, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim blamed the violence on the ruling Umno party and accused the Umno-controlled Utusan daily of inciting hatred.
At a public forum in Petaling Jaya, Datuk Seri Anwar called for calm and said that the reactions to the 'Allah' controversy were an 'insult not only to Malaysians, but Muslims and Islam' as well.
The opposition alliance Pakatan Rakyat backs the court decision. Datuk Hadi Awang, president of Parti Islam SeMalaysia, a member of the opposition alliance, condemned the attack on the Metro Tabernacle church as unIslamic during his visit to the church.
'Even in war, Muslims are forbidden from desecrating places of worships, what more now when we are living in peace,' he said.
Mr Najib yesterday rejected charges that his party was to blame for fanning emotions following the court ruling.
Police said yesterday that they received news of a fourth attack - on the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Petaling Jaya - in addition to the three last Friday.
The church suffered minor damage after unidentified attackers flung a homemade petrol bomb at it. It was unclear when the attack took place.
A pastor was also reportedly manhandled by several people in his church in Kuala Lumpur late last Friday.
The Council of Churches of Malaysia yesterday urged the government to ensure the safety of Christians to worship freely.
There have been no arrests so far, but Home Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said the government would not hesitate to use the Internal Security Act against the culprits.
The Sunday Times, January 10, 2010
PM Najib speaking to the press outside the gutted administrative block of a Catholic church in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. He has rejected charges that his party was to blame for fanning emotions after the court ruling on the use of the word 'Allah'. -- PHOTO: AFP
Kuala Lumpur: Prime Minister Najib Razak yesterday moved swiftly to calm religious tensions as news emerged that a fourth church had been targeted by arsonists.
The church attacks - following a recent High Court ruling that allowed Christians to use the word 'Allah' to refer to God - has stunned Malaysians unused to such violence.
'Acts such as the burning of the house of worship of other religions are a heinous act,' said Datuk Seri Najib who, along with several Cabinet ministers and their deputies, visited the Metro Tabernacle church here.
Exhorting all parties not to act emotionally, he also announced a RM500,000 (S$206,000) relocation fund for the church, the ground floor of which was gutted by the fire.
'This is a sincere contribution from the government,' he told reporters. 'The government is deeply committed to maintain harmony and cordial relations between the various races and religions in our country.'
Emotions have been running high since the High Court ruling on Dec 31 allowing the Catholic church's newspaper to use the word 'Allah'.
The church had argued that 'Allah' was a pre-Islamic Arabic word but many Muslims objected on the grounds that it was exclusive to Islam and that its use by Christians would sow confusion.
The government has appealed against the decision, which is currently suspended. Last Friday, Muslim groups held rallies in 10 mosques in several states.
But the rallies were overshadowed by the attacks, which badly damaged the Metro Tabernacle church. Three other churches in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, were also targeted.
Yesterday, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim blamed the violence on the ruling Umno party and accused the Umno-controlled Utusan daily of inciting hatred.
At a public forum in Petaling Jaya, Datuk Seri Anwar called for calm and said that the reactions to the 'Allah' controversy were an 'insult not only to Malaysians, but Muslims and Islam' as well.
The opposition alliance Pakatan Rakyat backs the court decision. Datuk Hadi Awang, president of Parti Islam SeMalaysia, a member of the opposition alliance, condemned the attack on the Metro Tabernacle church as unIslamic during his visit to the church.
'Even in war, Muslims are forbidden from desecrating places of worships, what more now when we are living in peace,' he said.
Mr Najib yesterday rejected charges that his party was to blame for fanning emotions following the court ruling.
Police said yesterday that they received news of a fourth attack - on the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Petaling Jaya - in addition to the three last Friday.
The church suffered minor damage after unidentified attackers flung a homemade petrol bomb at it. It was unclear when the attack took place.
A pastor was also reportedly manhandled by several people in his church in Kuala Lumpur late last Friday.
The Council of Churches of Malaysia yesterday urged the government to ensure the safety of Christians to worship freely.
There have been no arrests so far, but Home Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said the government would not hesitate to use the Internal Security Act against the culprits.
Muslims in France may be fined for wearing full veil
The Straits Times, January 2, 2010
A woman wearing a niqab shopping at a supermarket in France. According to the Interior Ministry, there are only 1,900 women in the nation who wear the full veil. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
PARIS: Muslim women who wear the full Islamic veil in France will face a possible €750 (S$1,500) fine, according to a draft Bill unveiled by the leader of the parliamentary majority.
Mr Jean-Francois Cope, head of the governing UMP party in the National Assembly, told Le Figaro newspaper's weekly magazine that men who force their wives to wear the burqa or niqab could face an even heavier fine.
'The law will address an issue of security,' Mr Cope told the magazine on Thursday. 'The proposed measure would prohibit the covering of the face in public places and on the streets, with the exception of special cultural events or carnivals.'
The draft legislation will be presented in the next two weeks and should come up for debate in Parliament after the March regional elections, he said. Once passed, the law could be held in abeyance for six months to allow 'discussions' with the Muslim community in France.
The majority leader, who is also openly campaigning to succeed President Nicolas Sarkozy as the right-wing candidate for the presidency in 2017, said the burqa must be banned to defend women's rights.
France's political establishment is divided on whether to ban the burqa, with the opposition Socialists this week saying it opposed a law even though Muslim women must be discouraged from wearing the full veil.
The burqa debate has heated up ahead of the release at the end of the month of a report by a parliamentary panel that has conducted six months of hearings on the issue. Politicians from the left and right have cautioned that a draconian law banning the head-to-toe veil would be difficult to enforce and probably face a challenge in the European rights court.
Mr Sarkozy has said that the burqa is not welcome in France but has not stated publicly whether legislation should be enacted. Critics argue that a specific law enacted to ban the full veil would be like using a sledgehammer to swat a fly. Only 1,900 women wear the full veil in France, according to the Interior Ministry.
In the interview, Mr Cope argued that a law would act as a deterrent by sending a 'clear message' that France will not allow women to fully cover themselves. Most moderate Islamic leaders have sharply criticised the burqa but suggested that it was such a limited phenomenon in France that legislation was unnecessary and might alienate moderate Muslims.
A study by the French internal security services last year suggested the total number of women wearing burqas and niqabs in France was around 2,000 - out of a population of about 1.5 million adult Muslim women.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
A woman wearing a niqab shopping at a supermarket in France. According to the Interior Ministry, there are only 1,900 women in the nation who wear the full veil. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
PARIS: Muslim women who wear the full Islamic veil in France will face a possible €750 (S$1,500) fine, according to a draft Bill unveiled by the leader of the parliamentary majority.
Mr Jean-Francois Cope, head of the governing UMP party in the National Assembly, told Le Figaro newspaper's weekly magazine that men who force their wives to wear the burqa or niqab could face an even heavier fine.
'The law will address an issue of security,' Mr Cope told the magazine on Thursday. 'The proposed measure would prohibit the covering of the face in public places and on the streets, with the exception of special cultural events or carnivals.'
The draft legislation will be presented in the next two weeks and should come up for debate in Parliament after the March regional elections, he said. Once passed, the law could be held in abeyance for six months to allow 'discussions' with the Muslim community in France.
The majority leader, who is also openly campaigning to succeed President Nicolas Sarkozy as the right-wing candidate for the presidency in 2017, said the burqa must be banned to defend women's rights.
France's political establishment is divided on whether to ban the burqa, with the opposition Socialists this week saying it opposed a law even though Muslim women must be discouraged from wearing the full veil.
The burqa debate has heated up ahead of the release at the end of the month of a report by a parliamentary panel that has conducted six months of hearings on the issue. Politicians from the left and right have cautioned that a draconian law banning the head-to-toe veil would be difficult to enforce and probably face a challenge in the European rights court.
Mr Sarkozy has said that the burqa is not welcome in France but has not stated publicly whether legislation should be enacted. Critics argue that a specific law enacted to ban the full veil would be like using a sledgehammer to swat a fly. Only 1,900 women wear the full veil in France, according to the Interior Ministry.
In the interview, Mr Cope argued that a law would act as a deterrent by sending a 'clear message' that France will not allow women to fully cover themselves. Most moderate Islamic leaders have sharply criticised the burqa but suggested that it was such a limited phenomenon in France that legislation was unnecessary and might alienate moderate Muslims.
A study by the French internal security services last year suggested the total number of women wearing burqas and niqabs in France was around 2,000 - out of a population of about 1.5 million adult Muslim women.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Malay angst over pro-Malay policy
by Carolyn Hong, Malaysia Bureau Chief
The Straits Times, January 9, 2010
Mr Nik Nazmi believes any lasting change must be led by the Malays themselves. -- PHOTO: THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
MR NIK Nazmi Ahmad is 27 and a product of Malaysia's controversial pro-Malay economic policies. He is also a promising politician with the opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), which wants to overhaul these policies.
A contradiction? Not to Mr Nik Nazmi, who sees both as fundamentally intertwined. And they are.
The graduate of King's College in London could perhaps be said to be the ideal outcome of the New Economic Policy (NEP).
The affirmative action policy, which came about after the race riots of 1969, sought to create opportunities for the majority community which had been shut out of the colonial economy of then-Malaya.
Mr Nik Nazmi benefited in that he got to attend the elite Malay College Kuala Kangsar and later received a government scholarship to study law in London.
He believes such an education helped shape his strong ideals and enabled him to develop a robust intellect. Moreover, it led him to see how outmoded or 'twisted from their original objectives' the policy had become.
'Some quarters might dismiss my views as being typical of a middle-class Malay youth who has reaped the benefits of the NEP and is now biting the hand that fed him.
'I cannot deny that I am a beneficiary of the NEP. Yet, it is a testimony of how far the NEP has succeeded that its beneficiaries are now arguing for change,' he wrote in his newly launched book, Moving Forward: Malays For The 21st Century.
The slim volume consists of essays on topics ranging from education to religion.
In the book, Mr Nik Nazmi writes about how the pro-Malay policy never intended for its beneficiaries' children to become yet another generation of beneficiaries.
He points to the irony that while NEP proponents insist the policy should continue because it has failed to uplift the Malays, those who point to its successes are denounced.
Along the way, he offers his thoughts on the Malay identity, which has become inextricably tied to the NEP, and the stigma and insecurity that the policy has created.
In this respect, the author sticks close to the PKR line, which calls for the current race-based economic policy to be replaced with a policy based on needs.
While these are not novel thoughts, it is significant that they have found their way into the mainstream political arena.
Mr Nik Nazmi's book is also available in Malay because he believes that any lasting change must be led by the Malays themselves.
'I wanted to speak to the Malays, as well as be a voice from the Malays. That's why I wrote it in English and Malay,' he told The Straits Times.
As political commentator Bakri Musa says in his review of the book: 'I am especially nervous when calls for eliminating the NEP come from non-Malays, and wrapped in a barely concealed sense of racial or cultural superiority.
'The political reality is that the constitutional provisions for NEP can only be amended with the consent of the super-majority, and that means with most Malays agreeing to it.'
Mr Nik Nazmi, who became an aide to opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim in 2005, won a state seat in Selangor in the 2008 general election. He was the country's youngest candidate, along with Datuk Seri Anwar's daughter Nurul Izzah, who won a parliamentary seat.
Ms Nurul Izzah herself stirred debate last year with an essay in which she sought new bearings for the Malay identity.
'I sense the need for Malays to embrace a new paradigm on what it means to be Malay. Many indeed are doing so and this is heartening,' she wrote.
'Malay need no longer carry connotations of dependency on the state, insecurity or the crippling feeling of alienation and the lack of self-worth,' she added.
Lawyer and former Cabinet minister Zaid Ibrahim, 55, also explored the Malay identity in his book Saya Pun Melayu, or I Am Also Malay, which is published in Malay and English.
To Mr Nik Nazmi, this phenomenon reflects the success of the NEP.
'It created the Malay middle class whose outlook has changed because of education and exposure,' he said.
He noted that many Malays are now working in global cities such as London, Tokyo and Dubai, thus shattering the myth that they are unable to compete or are held back culturally.
Mr Wan Firdaus Mohd Fuaad, 27, a young Umno member who belongs to a small think-tank with a libertarian agenda, agreed that more Malay voices are speaking up on the Malay identity.
'Nik Nazmi's views are shared by many young Malays who have become successful because their fathers' generation was helped by the NEP. Many of them also have friends of different races because of their wider exposure,' he said.
But he disagreed that such a view is limited to opposition parties or to young people. He noted that many conservative Muslim-Malays also believe it is time for the country to move on. But this does not mean that race is no longer a consideration for them.
As Mr Nik Nazmi put it, people will always be conscious of their heritage, but it has been shown that it is possible to move beyond the obsession with race.
The Straits Times, January 9, 2010
Mr Nik Nazmi believes any lasting change must be led by the Malays themselves. -- PHOTO: THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
MR NIK Nazmi Ahmad is 27 and a product of Malaysia's controversial pro-Malay economic policies. He is also a promising politician with the opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), which wants to overhaul these policies.
A contradiction? Not to Mr Nik Nazmi, who sees both as fundamentally intertwined. And they are.
The graduate of King's College in London could perhaps be said to be the ideal outcome of the New Economic Policy (NEP).
The affirmative action policy, which came about after the race riots of 1969, sought to create opportunities for the majority community which had been shut out of the colonial economy of then-Malaya.
Mr Nik Nazmi benefited in that he got to attend the elite Malay College Kuala Kangsar and later received a government scholarship to study law in London.
He believes such an education helped shape his strong ideals and enabled him to develop a robust intellect. Moreover, it led him to see how outmoded or 'twisted from their original objectives' the policy had become.
'Some quarters might dismiss my views as being typical of a middle-class Malay youth who has reaped the benefits of the NEP and is now biting the hand that fed him.
'I cannot deny that I am a beneficiary of the NEP. Yet, it is a testimony of how far the NEP has succeeded that its beneficiaries are now arguing for change,' he wrote in his newly launched book, Moving Forward: Malays For The 21st Century.
The slim volume consists of essays on topics ranging from education to religion.
In the book, Mr Nik Nazmi writes about how the pro-Malay policy never intended for its beneficiaries' children to become yet another generation of beneficiaries.
He points to the irony that while NEP proponents insist the policy should continue because it has failed to uplift the Malays, those who point to its successes are denounced.
Along the way, he offers his thoughts on the Malay identity, which has become inextricably tied to the NEP, and the stigma and insecurity that the policy has created.
In this respect, the author sticks close to the PKR line, which calls for the current race-based economic policy to be replaced with a policy based on needs.
While these are not novel thoughts, it is significant that they have found their way into the mainstream political arena.
Mr Nik Nazmi's book is also available in Malay because he believes that any lasting change must be led by the Malays themselves.
'I wanted to speak to the Malays, as well as be a voice from the Malays. That's why I wrote it in English and Malay,' he told The Straits Times.
As political commentator Bakri Musa says in his review of the book: 'I am especially nervous when calls for eliminating the NEP come from non-Malays, and wrapped in a barely concealed sense of racial or cultural superiority.
'The political reality is that the constitutional provisions for NEP can only be amended with the consent of the super-majority, and that means with most Malays agreeing to it.'
Mr Nik Nazmi, who became an aide to opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim in 2005, won a state seat in Selangor in the 2008 general election. He was the country's youngest candidate, along with Datuk Seri Anwar's daughter Nurul Izzah, who won a parliamentary seat.
Ms Nurul Izzah herself stirred debate last year with an essay in which she sought new bearings for the Malay identity.
'I sense the need for Malays to embrace a new paradigm on what it means to be Malay. Many indeed are doing so and this is heartening,' she wrote.
'Malay need no longer carry connotations of dependency on the state, insecurity or the crippling feeling of alienation and the lack of self-worth,' she added.
Lawyer and former Cabinet minister Zaid Ibrahim, 55, also explored the Malay identity in his book Saya Pun Melayu, or I Am Also Malay, which is published in Malay and English.
To Mr Nik Nazmi, this phenomenon reflects the success of the NEP.
'It created the Malay middle class whose outlook has changed because of education and exposure,' he said.
He noted that many Malays are now working in global cities such as London, Tokyo and Dubai, thus shattering the myth that they are unable to compete or are held back culturally.
Mr Wan Firdaus Mohd Fuaad, 27, a young Umno member who belongs to a small think-tank with a libertarian agenda, agreed that more Malay voices are speaking up on the Malay identity.
'Nik Nazmi's views are shared by many young Malays who have become successful because their fathers' generation was helped by the NEP. Many of them also have friends of different races because of their wider exposure,' he said.
But he disagreed that such a view is limited to opposition parties or to young people. He noted that many conservative Muslim-Malays also believe it is time for the country to move on. But this does not mean that race is no longer a consideration for them.
As Mr Nik Nazmi put it, people will always be conscious of their heritage, but it has been shown that it is possible to move beyond the obsession with race.
Deep wound that will take long time to heal
by Carolyn Hong, Malaysia Bureau Chief
The Straits Times, January 9, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR: When Malaysians woke up yesterday to the news that a church had been fire-bombed as they slept, they found themselves in a country they had not seen before.
This is not their Malaysia, and their confusion was poured out on websites which buzzed all day with disbelief - from Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
The most common refrain: 'What has happened to my Malaysia?'
No one can remember a church ever being attacked in Malaysia. Yesterday, it was not one church but three, while a fourth church reported receiving threats.
The Metro Tabernacle Church's ground floor was gutted in a fire-bomb attack, and the Life Chapel's porch suffered minor damage from a Molotov cocktail.
Homemade explosives were also thrown into the compound of the Assumption Catholic Church but did not go off. The St Francis Xavier Catholic church reported threats of an attack.
Police have yet to find those responsible, and it is not clear who is behind such violence. But the attacks are devastating as they come at a time when mutual suspicion is high.
Emotions have been running high since the High Court allowed Christians to use 'Allah' to refer to the Christian God in their publications.
The church had argued that 'Allah' was an Arabic word that predated Islam, but many Muslims saw it as being exclusive to the Muslim God.
Muslim anger grew, with Malay newspapers running page after page attacking the court decision. Demonstrations were held by Muslim groups after Friday prayers at several mosques yesterday.
No matter who is responsible, the attacks have driven a wedge into Malaysian society that will take a long time to heal. It crossed a line that some Malaysians had flirted with but never breached.
Malaysians were shocked last August when a group of Muslims stomped on a cow's head to protest against the building of a Hindu temple in their neighbourhood.
But an arson attack on a place of worship takes belligerence much further. Despite their disagreements, Malaysians have always held a tacit respect for places of worship, realising that they are places of peace.
That a place of worship is desecrated speaks ill of any society, more so Malaysian society which has lived together for three decades with only occasional verbal squabbles to mar communal ties.
A country that is built on the rule of law is deeply wounded when its sense of restraint, tolerance and civility fails as spectacularly as it did yesterday.
Many Malaysian Muslims have condemned the attacks. The Muslim Professionals Forum called it a 'cowardly and utterly senseless act of a group of misguided, chauvinistic bigots'.
'This act of arson, committed presumably in the name of Islam, desecrates the very religion it purports to protect. The Holy Quran unequivocally prohibits destroying the houses of worship of all religions,' it said in a statement.
Prominent personalities like Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, daughter of former premier Mahathir Mohamad, and Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin rushed to the site of the burnt church. Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim visited the affected churches as well.
But it was distressing that the Muslim groups' protests against the court ruling went ahead yesterday, hours after the attacks on the churches. The protests were relatively small and ended quickly, but they sent a wrong message.
Umno must also speak up louder than it has so far, because it must surely be aware that its reaction pales in comparison to that of its rival Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS).
Since the 'Allah' controversy begun, the opposition PAS and Parti Keadilan Rakyat have urged restraint - a stance reflecting confidence in their ability to hold the middle ground in Malaysia.
Umno must also be aware that its leaders are being blamed for fanning the flames. Former Cabinet minister Zaid Ibrahim, now in the opposition, said Umno has to take full responsibility for its handling of the use of the word 'Allah'.
'The irresponsible conduct of fanning the emotions by Umno leaders has brought about this dangerous situation,' he said in a statement.
Prime Minister Najib Razak yesterday strongly denied that Umno had been irresponsible. 'Don't point the fingers at Umno or anyone else. We have always been very responsible. Don't say this attack is motivated by Umno,' he said.
Even so, the credibility of his 1Malaysia slogan - a unifying theme aimed at healing the rifts in a country divided by race and religion - is under strain.
The Straits Times, January 9, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR: When Malaysians woke up yesterday to the news that a church had been fire-bombed as they slept, they found themselves in a country they had not seen before.
This is not their Malaysia, and their confusion was poured out on websites which buzzed all day with disbelief - from Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
The most common refrain: 'What has happened to my Malaysia?'
No one can remember a church ever being attacked in Malaysia. Yesterday, it was not one church but three, while a fourth church reported receiving threats.
The Metro Tabernacle Church's ground floor was gutted in a fire-bomb attack, and the Life Chapel's porch suffered minor damage from a Molotov cocktail.
Homemade explosives were also thrown into the compound of the Assumption Catholic Church but did not go off. The St Francis Xavier Catholic church reported threats of an attack.
Police have yet to find those responsible, and it is not clear who is behind such violence. But the attacks are devastating as they come at a time when mutual suspicion is high.
Emotions have been running high since the High Court allowed Christians to use 'Allah' to refer to the Christian God in their publications.
The church had argued that 'Allah' was an Arabic word that predated Islam, but many Muslims saw it as being exclusive to the Muslim God.
Muslim anger grew, with Malay newspapers running page after page attacking the court decision. Demonstrations were held by Muslim groups after Friday prayers at several mosques yesterday.
No matter who is responsible, the attacks have driven a wedge into Malaysian society that will take a long time to heal. It crossed a line that some Malaysians had flirted with but never breached.
Malaysians were shocked last August when a group of Muslims stomped on a cow's head to protest against the building of a Hindu temple in their neighbourhood.
But an arson attack on a place of worship takes belligerence much further. Despite their disagreements, Malaysians have always held a tacit respect for places of worship, realising that they are places of peace.
That a place of worship is desecrated speaks ill of any society, more so Malaysian society which has lived together for three decades with only occasional verbal squabbles to mar communal ties.
A country that is built on the rule of law is deeply wounded when its sense of restraint, tolerance and civility fails as spectacularly as it did yesterday.
Many Malaysian Muslims have condemned the attacks. The Muslim Professionals Forum called it a 'cowardly and utterly senseless act of a group of misguided, chauvinistic bigots'.
'This act of arson, committed presumably in the name of Islam, desecrates the very religion it purports to protect. The Holy Quran unequivocally prohibits destroying the houses of worship of all religions,' it said in a statement.
Prominent personalities like Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, daughter of former premier Mahathir Mohamad, and Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin rushed to the site of the burnt church. Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim visited the affected churches as well.
But it was distressing that the Muslim groups' protests against the court ruling went ahead yesterday, hours after the attacks on the churches. The protests were relatively small and ended quickly, but they sent a wrong message.
Umno must also speak up louder than it has so far, because it must surely be aware that its reaction pales in comparison to that of its rival Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS).
Since the 'Allah' controversy begun, the opposition PAS and Parti Keadilan Rakyat have urged restraint - a stance reflecting confidence in their ability to hold the middle ground in Malaysia.
Umno must also be aware that its leaders are being blamed for fanning the flames. Former Cabinet minister Zaid Ibrahim, now in the opposition, said Umno has to take full responsibility for its handling of the use of the word 'Allah'.
'The irresponsible conduct of fanning the emotions by Umno leaders has brought about this dangerous situation,' he said in a statement.
Prime Minister Najib Razak yesterday strongly denied that Umno had been irresponsible. 'Don't point the fingers at Umno or anyone else. We have always been very responsible. Don't say this attack is motivated by Umno,' he said.
Even so, the credibility of his 1Malaysia slogan - a unifying theme aimed at healing the rifts in a country divided by race and religion - is under strain.
Dark incidents from the past
August 2009: Some 50 Malays used the severed head of a cow to protest against the building of a Hindu temple in Shah Alam. Twelve people were charged in court. No further news about what developed.
March 2001: Five people killed in Kampung Medan near Kuala Lumpur in an Indian-Malay fight arising from a dispute between a wedding and a funeral.
March 1998: Tensions arose in Penang over close siting of a mosque and a Hindu temple in Kampung Rawa. The authorities required the temple to be moved to a site close to Malay residential area. The temple had to be re-sited again by the local authorities.
1978: Muslims went around desecrating Hindu temples in Kerling, Selangor. Five of them were killed in a fight and eight young Indian men were arrested.
May 1969: Police recorded 196 deaths in the racial riots between Malays and Chinese. The clash started after the general election when the opposition held a victory parade and the Malays reacted.
March 2001: Five people killed in Kampung Medan near Kuala Lumpur in an Indian-Malay fight arising from a dispute between a wedding and a funeral.
March 1998: Tensions arose in Penang over close siting of a mosque and a Hindu temple in Kampung Rawa. The authorities required the temple to be moved to a site close to Malay residential area. The temple had to be re-sited again by the local authorities.
1978: Muslims went around desecrating Hindu temples in Kerling, Selangor. Five of them were killed in a fight and eight young Indian men were arrested.
May 1969: Police recorded 196 deaths in the racial riots between Malays and Chinese. The clash started after the general election when the opposition held a victory parade and the Malays reacted.
Arsonists hit 3 churches in Malaysia
by Carolyn Hong, Malaysia Bureau Chief
The Sunday Times, January 9, 2010
Policemen at the Metro Tabernacle Church, which was fire-bombed yesterday. The ground floor of the church in the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Desa Melawati was gutted in the attack, which happened shortly after midnight. Two other churches were also hit. -- PHOTO: ASSOCIATED PRESS
KUALA LUMPUR: Three churches were hit by arson attacks early yesterday, with one badly damaged, amid a raging row over the use of the word 'Allah' to refer to the Christian God.
The attacks came hours before a planned rally by several Muslim groups to protest against the use of 'Allah' by the Christians. The rallies went on later after Friday prayers at 10 mosques nationwide.
No one was injured in the attacks, and police have yet to determine the parties responsible.
Prime Minister Najib Razak ordered security to be stepped up at churches and other places of worship nationwide.
'I condemn these actions because they will destroy our country's harmony,' he said at a press conference yesterday.
He commented in his blog later: 'This incident that tried to split us, and others like them, do not represent Malaysia or Islam. They do not represent our families, our society, or efforts to strengthen the 1Malaysia concept.'
Tension has been high since the High Court's ruling on Dec 31 permitting the Catholic church's newspaper to use 'Allah' to refer to the Christian God. The church had argued that the word was a generic Arabic term for God, while many Malaysian Muslims believe it should be exclusive to Islam.
The government has appealed against the decision, which is currently suspended.
Malaysia's King, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, in a statement yesterday evening called on everyone to have mutual respect for places of worship and to safeguard the spirit of unity.
'To ensure peace and harmony between adherents of the different religions, the meaning and general reference to the word 'Allah' should be in accordance with attributes that have been decided by Islam as the practice has for so long been accepted well by people of other faiths in Malaysia,' the King said.
The worst damage was sustained by the Metro Tabernacle Church in Kuala Lumpur. Its ground floor was gutted.
According to a church lay leader Peter Yeow, witnesses saw a group of youths on motorcycles smashing the glass panels on the ground floor and hurling the explosives inside.
The Assumption Catholic church in Petaling Jaya reported that a homemade explosive was thrown into its compound at about 4am but it did not go off.
At the third church, the Life Chapel in Petaling Jaya, a Molotov cocktail was found in the compound, and its porch suffered minor damage. Church elder Wong Sai Weng told The Straits Times that he discovered the attack at about 8.30am.
But rumours continued to circulate all day about more church attacks and even attacks on vehicles with Christian symbols. The police said these were untrue, and that there were only three attacks.
There were no interruptions to daily activities in Kuala Lumpur, and the situation remains calm.
Police chief Musa Hassan said they had identified a suspect in the Metro Tabernacle attack, and were looking for him. He also said the attacks were 'not well-planned'.
'It was people who were emotional, who got on a motorbike and threw the bottle with petrol into the church,' he said.
The attacks on the church have been roundly condemned by Malaysians.
Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, who visited the Metro Tabernacle Church, said the act of destroying places of worship cannot be defended.
'If there are Muslims responsible for this incident, they should feel ashamed and repent because Islam clearly demands that its followers respect the religious freedom of non-Muslims,' he said.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said such acts were not accepted by the Quran. Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) president Hadi Awang also said attacks on places of worship were against Islam, and could only have been carried out by those who did not know the religion.
Other Muslims who visited the affected churches included Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, daughter of former premier Mahathir Mohamad, and several Pakatan Rakyat leaders such as Selangor chief minister Khalid Ibrahim.
However, the planned protest rallies over the 'Allah' issue went on at 10 mosques nationwide. Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said there were four protests in Selangor, three in Kuala Lumpur, two in Pahang and one in Terengganu.
The protesters brought banners with slogans such as 'Don't pawn Malay pride for personal political gain' and 'Heresy arises from words wrongly used'. They listened to speeches by speakers of various Malay non-governmental organisations. There were no arrests.
Meanwhile, several Malaysians have moved to organise 'goodwill' activities to calm things down.
Ms Marina said a group of Muslims planned to help clean up the Metro Tabernacle Church once the police allows it.
The Sunday Times, January 9, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR: Three churches were hit by arson attacks early yesterday, with one badly damaged, amid a raging row over the use of the word 'Allah' to refer to the Christian God.
The attacks came hours before a planned rally by several Muslim groups to protest against the use of 'Allah' by the Christians. The rallies went on later after Friday prayers at 10 mosques nationwide.
No one was injured in the attacks, and police have yet to determine the parties responsible.
Prime Minister Najib Razak ordered security to be stepped up at churches and other places of worship nationwide.
'I condemn these actions because they will destroy our country's harmony,' he said at a press conference yesterday.
He commented in his blog later: 'This incident that tried to split us, and others like them, do not represent Malaysia or Islam. They do not represent our families, our society, or efforts to strengthen the 1Malaysia concept.'
Tension has been high since the High Court's ruling on Dec 31 permitting the Catholic church's newspaper to use 'Allah' to refer to the Christian God. The church had argued that the word was a generic Arabic term for God, while many Malaysian Muslims believe it should be exclusive to Islam.
The government has appealed against the decision, which is currently suspended.
Malaysia's King, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, in a statement yesterday evening called on everyone to have mutual respect for places of worship and to safeguard the spirit of unity.
'To ensure peace and harmony between adherents of the different religions, the meaning and general reference to the word 'Allah' should be in accordance with attributes that have been decided by Islam as the practice has for so long been accepted well by people of other faiths in Malaysia,' the King said.
The worst damage was sustained by the Metro Tabernacle Church in Kuala Lumpur. Its ground floor was gutted.
According to a church lay leader Peter Yeow, witnesses saw a group of youths on motorcycles smashing the glass panels on the ground floor and hurling the explosives inside.
The Assumption Catholic church in Petaling Jaya reported that a homemade explosive was thrown into its compound at about 4am but it did not go off.
At the third church, the Life Chapel in Petaling Jaya, a Molotov cocktail was found in the compound, and its porch suffered minor damage. Church elder Wong Sai Weng told The Straits Times that he discovered the attack at about 8.30am.
But rumours continued to circulate all day about more church attacks and even attacks on vehicles with Christian symbols. The police said these were untrue, and that there were only three attacks.
There were no interruptions to daily activities in Kuala Lumpur, and the situation remains calm.
Police chief Musa Hassan said they had identified a suspect in the Metro Tabernacle attack, and were looking for him. He also said the attacks were 'not well-planned'.
'It was people who were emotional, who got on a motorbike and threw the bottle with petrol into the church,' he said.
The attacks on the church have been roundly condemned by Malaysians.
Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, who visited the Metro Tabernacle Church, said the act of destroying places of worship cannot be defended.
'If there are Muslims responsible for this incident, they should feel ashamed and repent because Islam clearly demands that its followers respect the religious freedom of non-Muslims,' he said.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said such acts were not accepted by the Quran. Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) president Hadi Awang also said attacks on places of worship were against Islam, and could only have been carried out by those who did not know the religion.
Other Muslims who visited the affected churches included Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, daughter of former premier Mahathir Mohamad, and several Pakatan Rakyat leaders such as Selangor chief minister Khalid Ibrahim.
However, the planned protest rallies over the 'Allah' issue went on at 10 mosques nationwide. Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said there were four protests in Selangor, three in Kuala Lumpur, two in Pahang and one in Terengganu.
The protesters brought banners with slogans such as 'Don't pawn Malay pride for personal political gain' and 'Heresy arises from words wrongly used'. They listened to speeches by speakers of various Malay non-governmental organisations. There were no arrests.
Meanwhile, several Malaysians have moved to organise 'goodwill' activities to calm things down.
Ms Marina said a group of Muslims planned to help clean up the Metro Tabernacle Church once the police allows it.
FTA worries some Jakarta businesses
by Lynn Lee
The Straits Times, January 9, 2010
JAKARTA: A free trade area (FTA) set to boost the flow of goods and investment between Asean and China has triggered calls from Indonesia's businesses for protection from their Chinese competitors, even as consumers cheer its potential to offer more choices and lower prices.
Some businesses in Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines have also expressed reservations about wide-ranging tariff cuts on Chinese imports under the FTA.
Under pressure from the business community, the Indonesian government is seeking to re-negotiate the deal, which was signed in 2002 and kicked in last Friday.
Under the FTA, China and the six founding Asean countries - Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei - must cut tariffs on 90 per cent of imported goods across 7,000 product categories. The group's newest members - Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar - will gradually reduce tariffs and must eliminate them entirely by 2015.
China is now Asean's third-largest commercial partner after Japan and the European Union, with a trade volume of US$230 billion (S$320 billion) in 2008.
In the run-up to Jan 1, Indonesian trade associations - particularly those in the steel and textile businesses - had voiced concern that the FTA would lead to a surge of cheap China imports and put them out of business.
Last month, the Indonesian Association of Iron and Steel Industries pointed out that they were already being overtaken by Chinese steel imports, even though these products were slapped with a 5 per cent import tax. Chinese steel imports have surged to 1.3 million tonnes a year in 2008 from 500,000 tonnes in 2004, said the group.
Last week, Indonesia's customs and excise unit said state coffers would shrink by 15 trillion rupiah (S$2.25 billion) this year with the removal of import tariffs.
Some observers say Indonesian businessmen had been complacent about the deal, despite earlier warnings from experts that the country's domestic production could take a hit.
In recent years, Chinese products have made considerable inroads into the Indonesian market. Indonesia, which used to enjoy a trade surplus with China, registered a trade deficit of US$3.6 billion with Beijing in 2008.
Acting on the concerns of businesses, Indonesia said it had notified the Asean council of its plan to ask for tariff cuts on 228 product categories - such as steel, textiles and petrochemicals - to be delayed.
In return, Jakarta would cut tariffs for 153 product categories - such as toys and footwear - sooner than planned.
But Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu stressed yesterday that Indonesia is still committed to implementing the FTA. The government has set up a team to look into ways to help local industries, she said.
Some observers say the government should focus on removing obstacles for businesses - such as improving infrastructure - so they can be leaner and more competitive.
'If the basic problems are not fixed, delaying the tariff cuts will just delay the pain,' Bahana Securities analyst Andry Asmoro told The Straits Times.
ORANGES grown in Medan in North Sumatra and Pontianak in West Kalimantan are sweet and juicy.
But they cost more in Jakarta supermarkets than the poorer-quality imported oranges from China.
This is due to a host of costs, including transportation and taxes, that different districts can levy on goods that pass through their area. Thus in Jakarta supermarkets, Chinese oranges could sell for 10,000 rupiah (S$1.50) a kg, while Medan oranges will go for between 14,000 rupiah and 16,000 rupiah.
A clothing wholesaler told the PosKota newspaper last week that even when he sold a dozen pairs of children's jeans for a low price of 460,000 rupiah a dozen, he was undercut by China-made jeans.
China printed batik cost between 10,000 rupiah and 100,000 rupiah per piece, about half the price of hand-made local batik, the Jakarta Post said.
Trade groups in Malaysia and Thailand - which have smaller trade deficits with China - have also called for a delay in tariff cuts, even as policymakers hail the FTA as a vehicle for helping Asean countries to increase exports to resource-hungry China.
Tan Sri William Cheng, president of the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia, told the local media: 'Apart from the automotive industry, which is protected by the government, industries find it difficult to compete with products imported from China under the zero import tariffs policy.'
In the Philippines, prominent economist Walden Bello said: 'Asean has not yet managed to consolidate itself as an economic bloc yet here we are launching a free trade area with China that will mean eventually bringing our tariffs down to zero.
'Asean is already non-competitive with China across a whole range of manufactured goods and agricultural products.'
Despite the doom and gloom predictions, consumers like Indonesian retiree Angkola Harahap, 67, say they welcome more cheap Chinese products.
Mr Angkola, who regularly buys China-made toys for his four grandchildren, said he would avoid items like China- made plastic plates, citing concerns over their quality.
'But toys, staplers, hair clips and even sejadah (Muslim prayer mats) are okay,' he said.
The Straits Times, January 9, 2010
JAKARTA: A free trade area (FTA) set to boost the flow of goods and investment between Asean and China has triggered calls from Indonesia's businesses for protection from their Chinese competitors, even as consumers cheer its potential to offer more choices and lower prices.
Some businesses in Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines have also expressed reservations about wide-ranging tariff cuts on Chinese imports under the FTA.
Under pressure from the business community, the Indonesian government is seeking to re-negotiate the deal, which was signed in 2002 and kicked in last Friday.
Under the FTA, China and the six founding Asean countries - Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei - must cut tariffs on 90 per cent of imported goods across 7,000 product categories. The group's newest members - Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar - will gradually reduce tariffs and must eliminate them entirely by 2015.
China is now Asean's third-largest commercial partner after Japan and the European Union, with a trade volume of US$230 billion (S$320 billion) in 2008.
In the run-up to Jan 1, Indonesian trade associations - particularly those in the steel and textile businesses - had voiced concern that the FTA would lead to a surge of cheap China imports and put them out of business.
Last month, the Indonesian Association of Iron and Steel Industries pointed out that they were already being overtaken by Chinese steel imports, even though these products were slapped with a 5 per cent import tax. Chinese steel imports have surged to 1.3 million tonnes a year in 2008 from 500,000 tonnes in 2004, said the group.
Last week, Indonesia's customs and excise unit said state coffers would shrink by 15 trillion rupiah (S$2.25 billion) this year with the removal of import tariffs.
Some observers say Indonesian businessmen had been complacent about the deal, despite earlier warnings from experts that the country's domestic production could take a hit.
In recent years, Chinese products have made considerable inroads into the Indonesian market. Indonesia, which used to enjoy a trade surplus with China, registered a trade deficit of US$3.6 billion with Beijing in 2008.
Acting on the concerns of businesses, Indonesia said it had notified the Asean council of its plan to ask for tariff cuts on 228 product categories - such as steel, textiles and petrochemicals - to be delayed.
In return, Jakarta would cut tariffs for 153 product categories - such as toys and footwear - sooner than planned.
But Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu stressed yesterday that Indonesia is still committed to implementing the FTA. The government has set up a team to look into ways to help local industries, she said.
Some observers say the government should focus on removing obstacles for businesses - such as improving infrastructure - so they can be leaner and more competitive.
'If the basic problems are not fixed, delaying the tariff cuts will just delay the pain,' Bahana Securities analyst Andry Asmoro told The Straits Times.
ORANGES grown in Medan in North Sumatra and Pontianak in West Kalimantan are sweet and juicy.
But they cost more in Jakarta supermarkets than the poorer-quality imported oranges from China.
This is due to a host of costs, including transportation and taxes, that different districts can levy on goods that pass through their area. Thus in Jakarta supermarkets, Chinese oranges could sell for 10,000 rupiah (S$1.50) a kg, while Medan oranges will go for between 14,000 rupiah and 16,000 rupiah.
A clothing wholesaler told the PosKota newspaper last week that even when he sold a dozen pairs of children's jeans for a low price of 460,000 rupiah a dozen, he was undercut by China-made jeans.
China printed batik cost between 10,000 rupiah and 100,000 rupiah per piece, about half the price of hand-made local batik, the Jakarta Post said.
Trade groups in Malaysia and Thailand - which have smaller trade deficits with China - have also called for a delay in tariff cuts, even as policymakers hail the FTA as a vehicle for helping Asean countries to increase exports to resource-hungry China.
Tan Sri William Cheng, president of the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia, told the local media: 'Apart from the automotive industry, which is protected by the government, industries find it difficult to compete with products imported from China under the zero import tariffs policy.'
In the Philippines, prominent economist Walden Bello said: 'Asean has not yet managed to consolidate itself as an economic bloc yet here we are launching a free trade area with China that will mean eventually bringing our tariffs down to zero.
'Asean is already non-competitive with China across a whole range of manufactured goods and agricultural products.'
Despite the doom and gloom predictions, consumers like Indonesian retiree Angkola Harahap, 67, say they welcome more cheap Chinese products.
Mr Angkola, who regularly buys China-made toys for his four grandchildren, said he would avoid items like China- made plastic plates, citing concerns over their quality.
'But toys, staplers, hair clips and even sejadah (Muslim prayer mats) are okay,' he said.
M'sian churches attacked
The Straits Times, January 8, 2010
The ground floor of the three-storey Metro Tabernacle church, part of the Assemblies of God movement, was badly burnt.
KUALA LUMPUR - THREE Malaysian churches have been targeted with firebombs, leaving one badly damaged, in an escalating dispute over the use of the word 'Allah' by non-Muslims.
Muslim groups held protests outside 10 mosques across the nation on Friday, enraged by a court ruling last week that gave permission for 'Allah' to be used as a translation for the Christian God.
Police deployed officers to patrol churches and mosques after a church in suburban Kuala Lumpur was set ablaze in a midnight attack that gutted its ground floor. Molotov cocktails were thrown into the compounds of two other churches in pre-dawn raids, but did not cause serious damage.
Prime Minister Najib Razak condemned the attacks which he said could destroy racial harmony in Malaysia, a Muslim-majority country with ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities which has seen racial conflict in the past. 'As a multiracial community we must practice respect for one another... it cannot come under threat from anybody,' he told state media, pledging action to prevent any further incidents.
Police chief Musa Hassan quashed reports of further attacks on churches and cars displaying Christian symbols, saying they were false and that action would be taken against rumour-mongers. 'The situation is under control... please do not politicise a sensitive issue, you are playing with people's emotions,' he said.
In the capital, a few dozen demonstrators gathered outside the national mosque and another in the Malay enclave of Kampung Baru, chanting 'God is Great' and 'We will defend the dignity and rights of Muslims.' 'We have lived in peace with all religions but we want other religions to respect us and the use of the word Allah, which is exclusive to Muslims,' said organiser Arman Azha Abu Hanifah.
KUALA LUMPUR - THREE Malaysian churches have been targeted with firebombs, leaving one badly damaged, in an escalating dispute over the use of the word 'Allah' by non-Muslims.
Muslim groups held protests outside 10 mosques across the nation on Friday, enraged by a court ruling last week that gave permission for 'Allah' to be used as a translation for the Christian God.
Police deployed officers to patrol churches and mosques after a church in suburban Kuala Lumpur was set ablaze in a midnight attack that gutted its ground floor. Molotov cocktails were thrown into the compounds of two other churches in pre-dawn raids, but did not cause serious damage.
Prime Minister Najib Razak condemned the attacks which he said could destroy racial harmony in Malaysia, a Muslim-majority country with ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities which has seen racial conflict in the past. 'As a multiracial community we must practice respect for one another... it cannot come under threat from anybody,' he told state media, pledging action to prevent any further incidents.
Police chief Musa Hassan quashed reports of further attacks on churches and cars displaying Christian symbols, saying they were false and that action would be taken against rumour-mongers. 'The situation is under control... please do not politicise a sensitive issue, you are playing with people's emotions,' he said.
In the capital, a few dozen demonstrators gathered outside the national mosque and another in the Malay enclave of Kampung Baru, chanting 'God is Great' and 'We will defend the dignity and rights of Muslims.' 'We have lived in peace with all religions but we want other religions to respect us and the use of the word Allah, which is exclusive to Muslims,' said organiser Arman Azha Abu Hanifah.
Umno veteran slams party for 'Allah' stance
The Straits Times, January 8, 2010
'PAS is holding onto the more plural and moderate position while Umno is digging itself into an intolerant hardline position that has no parallel that I know of in the Muslim world,' he said.
Tengku Razaleigh's strongly worded speech was delivered at the luncheon address at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies' Regional Outlook Forum in Singapore.
In it, he highlighted the reversal of roles for Umno and PAS through their reactions to the 'Allah' controversy.
Umno had for years claimed to be the voice of moderate Malays, while PAS more often made the news for wanting to impose strict Islamic laws.
But when Malaysia's High Court recently ruled that Catholics could refer to God as 'Allah' in the Malay edition of the Herald, a weekly publication, it was PAS which said the usage was acceptable, as long as the word was not 'misused or abused'.
On the other hand, the Home Ministry filed an appeal against the ruling. It also won a stay of execution.
The court ruling had angered some in the Malay community. They believe that 'Allah' cannot be used to refer to any other religion's God, and that this ruling would confuse Muslims.
Tengku Razaleigh hit out at his own party for stoking racial and religious differences in Malaysia, for the sake of shoring up its Malay support base. Such moves would only alienate the party more from ordinary voters, he warned.
He also criticised the government for taking positions based on 'vague sensitivities' rather than principles.
The notion of 'sensitivities' is 'the favoured resort of the gutter politician', he noted. 'With it, he raises a mob, fans its resentment and helps it discover a growing list of other sensitivities. This is a road to ruin.'
The government, he feels, should be discussing the right thing to do - not talking about managing sentiments.
'It is about doing what is right rather than protecting arbitrary feelings. If feelings diverge from what is right and just, then it's time to show some leadership,' he said.
That includes not having double standards in handling demonstrations for different groups, such as allowing mass protests to be held in mosques today, he told The Straits Times in an interview after his speech.
Going forward, he feels the issue should be referred to the Council of Malay Rulers. Under the Constitution, all issues involving religion come under the council's purview.
THE 'Allah' controversy has produced a 'milestone moment' in Malaysian politics, as ruling party Umno took a stance more extreme than even Islamist party Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), said Umno party veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah yesterday.
'PAS is holding onto the more plural and moderate position while Umno is digging itself into an intolerant hardline position that has no parallel that I know of in the Muslim world,' he said.
Tengku Razaleigh's strongly worded speech was delivered at the luncheon address at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies' Regional Outlook Forum in Singapore.
In it, he highlighted the reversal of roles for Umno and PAS through their reactions to the 'Allah' controversy.
Umno had for years claimed to be the voice of moderate Malays, while PAS more often made the news for wanting to impose strict Islamic laws.
But when Malaysia's High Court recently ruled that Catholics could refer to God as 'Allah' in the Malay edition of the Herald, a weekly publication, it was PAS which said the usage was acceptable, as long as the word was not 'misused or abused'.
On the other hand, the Home Ministry filed an appeal against the ruling. It also won a stay of execution.
The court ruling had angered some in the Malay community. They believe that 'Allah' cannot be used to refer to any other religion's God, and that this ruling would confuse Muslims.
Tengku Razaleigh hit out at his own party for stoking racial and religious differences in Malaysia, for the sake of shoring up its Malay support base. Such moves would only alienate the party more from ordinary voters, he warned.
He also criticised the government for taking positions based on 'vague sensitivities' rather than principles.
The notion of 'sensitivities' is 'the favoured resort of the gutter politician', he noted. 'With it, he raises a mob, fans its resentment and helps it discover a growing list of other sensitivities. This is a road to ruin.'
The government, he feels, should be discussing the right thing to do - not talking about managing sentiments.
'It is about doing what is right rather than protecting arbitrary feelings. If feelings diverge from what is right and just, then it's time to show some leadership,' he said.
That includes not having double standards in handling demonstrations for different groups, such as allowing mass protests to be held in mosques today, he told The Straits Times in an interview after his speech.
Going forward, he feels the issue should be referred to the Council of Malay Rulers. Under the Constitution, all issues involving religion come under the council's purview.
'Allah' debate exposes KL's fault lines
by Leslie Lopez, Senior Regional Correspondent
The Straits Times, January 7, 2010
The word 'Allah' published in a January 2007 edition of the Catholic Church's weekly Herald newsletter. Muslim-based organisations and student bodies have denounced a High Court decision lifting a ban on the Church using 'Allah' in its newsletter. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
KUALA LUMPUR: The public debate over the use of the word 'Allah' is exposing the widening religious fault lines racking multiracial Malaysia.
Demonstrations are being planned by Muslim-based political parties, non-governmental organisations and student bodies to denounce a High Court ruling which declared that the Roman Catholic Church's weekly newsletter could use 'Allah' to refer to God.
Amid this din, SMSes are being circulated, quietly cautioning Christians to be careful.
But trouble is unlikely.
The country's Court of Appeal will very likely convene soon and is widely expected to overturn the lower court's decision.
And political temperatures will subside with warnings from right-wing political and religious groups that Muslim Malay pride should never again be challenged.
The High Court yesterday granted a stay on its own ruling that the Catholic Church's weekly Herald can publish the word 'Allah' to refer to God in the Bahasa Malaysia section.
But the political and economic costs for Prime Minister Najib Razak's administration will linger for much longer.
The controversy also presents challenges for the country's opposition, which staged an impressive performance in the 2008 general election because of strong support from the country's Malay Muslim community.
For starters, analysts and diplomats said the episode is likely to reinforce the notion among the country's sizeable non-Muslim population that their religious rights are slowly being chipped away in the face of growing Islamisation promoted by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government.
That is sure to complicate Datuk Seri Najib's uphill battle to woo back the country's non-Malays, who voted against the government in droves in the last general election.
It will also represent a significant setback to the central theme of his new administration - the '1Malaysia' policy which is designed to bring the country's multiracial and multi-religious communities together.
Issues of race and religion are central to Malaysian politics, but public controversies over these sensitive matters have increased in frequency in recent years as parties turn more to the country's courts to defend their rights.
The seeds of the 'Allah' controversy were sown in 2007 when the then Home Affairs Minister Syed Hamid Albar ordered the Catholic Church to stop using the word in its weekly newsletter.
The Catholic Church challenged the ban and on New Year's Eve, High Court Judge Lau Bee Lan ruled that Christians 'have a constitutional right to use 'Allah''.
The ruling ignited a storm of criticism among many Muslims, including ultra elements within Umno - which is desperately trying to regain its political dominance after suffering its worst electoral setback in history in 2008.
The Umno-led BN lost its customary two-thirds majority in Parliament because the coalition was rejected by large sections of the non-Malay population and the country's majority Malays who voted in favour of an opposition alliance.
The alliance comprises the fundamentalist Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), the Malay- dominated but multiracial Parti Keadilan Rakyat headed by former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim and the Chinese- dominated Democratic Action Party.
Many analysts and diplomats believe that this controversy over the use of the word 'Allah' forces the country's Malay- based opposition leaders into an awkward corner.
Backing Umno's demands for Muslim exclusivity in the use of the word would risk alienating the non-Malay ground, while failure to support the campaign could offend the country's Muslim Malay majority.
For the moment, the country's main Islamic opposition party has spurned Umno.
After a three-hour meeting on Monday, PAS president Hadi Awang declared that the party would back the use of the word 'Allah' by the country's Christians, arguing that it was consistent with the Constitution and Islamic principles.
'PAS would like to state that based on Islamic principles, the use of the word 'Allah' by the people of the Abrahamic faiths such as Christianity and Judaism, is acceptable,' Datuk Hadi said in a written statement.
PAS officials concede that the decision by the leadership may not go down well with the party's rank-and-file and the wider Muslim community.
At the end of the day, it seems everyone is caught in a pickle, none more so than Mr Najib as Umno appears to be having problems embracing the Premier's 1Malaysia concept.
ljlopez@sph.com.sg
See Editorial, Review
The Straits Times, January 7, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR: The public debate over the use of the word 'Allah' is exposing the widening religious fault lines racking multiracial Malaysia.
Demonstrations are being planned by Muslim-based political parties, non-governmental organisations and student bodies to denounce a High Court ruling which declared that the Roman Catholic Church's weekly newsletter could use 'Allah' to refer to God.
Amid this din, SMSes are being circulated, quietly cautioning Christians to be careful.
But trouble is unlikely.
The country's Court of Appeal will very likely convene soon and is widely expected to overturn the lower court's decision.
And political temperatures will subside with warnings from right-wing political and religious groups that Muslim Malay pride should never again be challenged.
The High Court yesterday granted a stay on its own ruling that the Catholic Church's weekly Herald can publish the word 'Allah' to refer to God in the Bahasa Malaysia section.
But the political and economic costs for Prime Minister Najib Razak's administration will linger for much longer.
The controversy also presents challenges for the country's opposition, which staged an impressive performance in the 2008 general election because of strong support from the country's Malay Muslim community.
For starters, analysts and diplomats said the episode is likely to reinforce the notion among the country's sizeable non-Muslim population that their religious rights are slowly being chipped away in the face of growing Islamisation promoted by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government.
That is sure to complicate Datuk Seri Najib's uphill battle to woo back the country's non-Malays, who voted against the government in droves in the last general election.
It will also represent a significant setback to the central theme of his new administration - the '1Malaysia' policy which is designed to bring the country's multiracial and multi-religious communities together.
Issues of race and religion are central to Malaysian politics, but public controversies over these sensitive matters have increased in frequency in recent years as parties turn more to the country's courts to defend their rights.
The seeds of the 'Allah' controversy were sown in 2007 when the then Home Affairs Minister Syed Hamid Albar ordered the Catholic Church to stop using the word in its weekly newsletter.
The Catholic Church challenged the ban and on New Year's Eve, High Court Judge Lau Bee Lan ruled that Christians 'have a constitutional right to use 'Allah''.
The ruling ignited a storm of criticism among many Muslims, including ultra elements within Umno - which is desperately trying to regain its political dominance after suffering its worst electoral setback in history in 2008.
The Umno-led BN lost its customary two-thirds majority in Parliament because the coalition was rejected by large sections of the non-Malay population and the country's majority Malays who voted in favour of an opposition alliance.
The alliance comprises the fundamentalist Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), the Malay- dominated but multiracial Parti Keadilan Rakyat headed by former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim and the Chinese- dominated Democratic Action Party.
Many analysts and diplomats believe that this controversy over the use of the word 'Allah' forces the country's Malay- based opposition leaders into an awkward corner.
Backing Umno's demands for Muslim exclusivity in the use of the word would risk alienating the non-Malay ground, while failure to support the campaign could offend the country's Muslim Malay majority.
For the moment, the country's main Islamic opposition party has spurned Umno.
After a three-hour meeting on Monday, PAS president Hadi Awang declared that the party would back the use of the word 'Allah' by the country's Christians, arguing that it was consistent with the Constitution and Islamic principles.
'PAS would like to state that based on Islamic principles, the use of the word 'Allah' by the people of the Abrahamic faiths such as Christianity and Judaism, is acceptable,' Datuk Hadi said in a written statement.
PAS officials concede that the decision by the leadership may not go down well with the party's rank-and-file and the wider Muslim community.
At the end of the day, it seems everyone is caught in a pickle, none more so than Mr Najib as Umno appears to be having problems embracing the Premier's 1Malaysia concept.
ljlopez@sph.com.sg
See Editorial, Review
Teen dumps newborn in washing machine
The Straits Times, January 7, 2010
A 17-YEAR-OLD here managed to keep her pregnancy a secret, despite living with her mother and two siblings.
The truth came out with the baby, who was born in the toilet of the family's flat in Aljunied on Dec 29.
In a daze post-delivery and afraid her mother would find out, the teenager put her newborn son in the washing machine, under a pile of clothes.
Her 43-year-old mother, who became suspicious upon seeing bloodstains on the toilet floor and on her daughter's blouse, followed her instincts and opened the lid of the washing machine.
There, the infant lay, quiet but bloody.
She immediately called the ambulance, which took her daughter and the baby to KK Women's and Children's Hospital.
A Singapore Civil Defence Force spokesman said that when its officers went to the scene, the infant was wrapped in a towel on the kitchen floor, and had deep cuts on his neck and chest.
The baby is now in a stable condition in hospital; the teenager was discharged on Monday.
A Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports spokesman said that its Child Protection Services has taken charge of the child's welfare.
She added: ' In the course of investigation, the child may be placed in alternative safe care, such as under a relative's care or a foster home.'
The young mother, a second-year Institute of Technical Education student, is now staying temporarily at a girls' home. She is also assisting police in investigations.
Her bewildered mother - a single mum herself - told The Straits Times on Tuesday that she never once suspected her daughter, the youngest of her three children, was pregnant.
'She is naturally plump and she still wore her regular jeans, T-shirts...' said the factory worker of her 67kg, 1.62cm-tall daughter.
Thinking that her daughter had gained weight, she even bought her diet pills.
Recalling the morning the baby was found, she said her daughter spent a long time in the toilet, claiming she had a stomach ache because of her period. She also asked her mother for a sanitary pad.
The older woman said when she saw the blood and later found the baby, she was shocked.
'I screamed. My daughter was just standing there in a daze. There were some injuries on the baby,' she said, declining to elaborate.
She and her other daughter described the teenager as having many friends, although they said they did not know whether she has a boyfriend.
She said of her daughter: 'She's physically okay, but still in a daze and I can't face her now without thinking about what happened. I can't explain how I did not know my own daughter was pregnant.'
Under the Children and Young Persons Act, anyone found guilty of ill-treating a child or young person can be jailed up to four years or fined up to $4,000, or both.
A 17-YEAR-OLD here managed to keep her pregnancy a secret, despite living with her mother and two siblings.
The truth came out with the baby, who was born in the toilet of the family's flat in Aljunied on Dec 29.
In a daze post-delivery and afraid her mother would find out, the teenager put her newborn son in the washing machine, under a pile of clothes.
Her 43-year-old mother, who became suspicious upon seeing bloodstains on the toilet floor and on her daughter's blouse, followed her instincts and opened the lid of the washing machine.
There, the infant lay, quiet but bloody.
She immediately called the ambulance, which took her daughter and the baby to KK Women's and Children's Hospital.
A Singapore Civil Defence Force spokesman said that when its officers went to the scene, the infant was wrapped in a towel on the kitchen floor, and had deep cuts on his neck and chest.
The baby is now in a stable condition in hospital; the teenager was discharged on Monday.
A Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports spokesman said that its Child Protection Services has taken charge of the child's welfare.
She added: ' In the course of investigation, the child may be placed in alternative safe care, such as under a relative's care or a foster home.'
The young mother, a second-year Institute of Technical Education student, is now staying temporarily at a girls' home. She is also assisting police in investigations.
Her bewildered mother - a single mum herself - told The Straits Times on Tuesday that she never once suspected her daughter, the youngest of her three children, was pregnant.
'She is naturally plump and she still wore her regular jeans, T-shirts...' said the factory worker of her 67kg, 1.62cm-tall daughter.
Thinking that her daughter had gained weight, she even bought her diet pills.
Recalling the morning the baby was found, she said her daughter spent a long time in the toilet, claiming she had a stomach ache because of her period. She also asked her mother for a sanitary pad.
The older woman said when she saw the blood and later found the baby, she was shocked.
'I screamed. My daughter was just standing there in a daze. There were some injuries on the baby,' she said, declining to elaborate.
She and her other daughter described the teenager as having many friends, although they said they did not know whether she has a boyfriend.
She said of her daughter: 'She's physically okay, but still in a daze and I can't face her now without thinking about what happened. I can't explain how I did not know my own daughter was pregnant.'
Under the Children and Young Persons Act, anyone found guilty of ill-treating a child or young person can be jailed up to four years or fined up to $4,000, or both.
Mosque wins award for using Japanese guides
The Straits Times, January 7, 2010
AS A major tourist attraction, the Sultan Mosque receives about 100 Japanese tourists a day. But for years, its staff were unable to communicate effectively and tell them about its history and Islam.
Concerned that the tourists would leave without a clear understanding of the religion, mosque officials looked for Japanese Muslims here who could serve as volunteer guides.
With help from the Muslim Converts' Association of Singapore, they found two - Japanese women who converted when they married Muslim Singaporeans.
And since 2007, they have provided free guided tours to Japanese tourists arriving at the mosque and answered their questions about Islam.
For such efforts to reach out to tourists, the Sultan Mosque received a merit award in the community-friendly category last night at the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore's (Muis) biennial Mosque Awards ceremony.
Thirty-five other mosques received awards which recognised their programmes and initiatives to reach out to youth, family and the community.
These included Al-Khair Mosque for its fund-raising efforts for needy students of all religions; Assyakirin Mosque for the parenting and financial workshops it held for housewives; and eight other mosques which organised sports events as a way to bring youth together.
Speaking at the ceremony at the Singapore Islamic Hub, Muis president Alami Musa said the move to help mosques reach out to the community started in 2005 after a convention where leaders discussed how to keep mosques relevant in the changing times: 'Mosque leaders promised to change their mindsets and make our mosques more attractive to everyone, regardless of race or religion.'
The awards were introduced as a way of evaluating and rewarding the efforts of the 69 mosques here.
'Today, many of our mosques have become youth-, family- and community-friendly. Even smaller mosques are making efforts to improve themselves,' said Mr Alami.
The manager of Sultan Mosque, Ustaz Mohamed Khair Rahmat, said it pays to engage the community.
Today, the mosque has 16 volunteer guides who engage tourists in English and Japanese.
One volunteer even travelled to Bahrain for two weeks to learn how best to explain Islam to non-Muslims. He then trained other volunteers here.
Today, tourists to the mosque find the visits more enjoyable, said a volunteer, Madam Ei'shah Aoyama Abdullah, 33.
The Kobe native converted to Islam when she married her husband here in 2003. She is now a housewife.
'Japanese tourists at the mosque are very happy to have a Japanese Muslim as their guide at the mosque. They are able to ask many questions about Islam in Japanese. They like that very much,' she said.
AS A major tourist attraction, the Sultan Mosque receives about 100 Japanese tourists a day. But for years, its staff were unable to communicate effectively and tell them about its history and Islam.
Concerned that the tourists would leave without a clear understanding of the religion, mosque officials looked for Japanese Muslims here who could serve as volunteer guides.
With help from the Muslim Converts' Association of Singapore, they found two - Japanese women who converted when they married Muslim Singaporeans.
And since 2007, they have provided free guided tours to Japanese tourists arriving at the mosque and answered their questions about Islam.
For such efforts to reach out to tourists, the Sultan Mosque received a merit award in the community-friendly category last night at the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore's (Muis) biennial Mosque Awards ceremony.
Thirty-five other mosques received awards which recognised their programmes and initiatives to reach out to youth, family and the community.
These included Al-Khair Mosque for its fund-raising efforts for needy students of all religions; Assyakirin Mosque for the parenting and financial workshops it held for housewives; and eight other mosques which organised sports events as a way to bring youth together.
Speaking at the ceremony at the Singapore Islamic Hub, Muis president Alami Musa said the move to help mosques reach out to the community started in 2005 after a convention where leaders discussed how to keep mosques relevant in the changing times: 'Mosque leaders promised to change their mindsets and make our mosques more attractive to everyone, regardless of race or religion.'
The awards were introduced as a way of evaluating and rewarding the efforts of the 69 mosques here.
'Today, many of our mosques have become youth-, family- and community-friendly. Even smaller mosques are making efforts to improve themselves,' said Mr Alami.
The manager of Sultan Mosque, Ustaz Mohamed Khair Rahmat, said it pays to engage the community.
Today, the mosque has 16 volunteer guides who engage tourists in English and Japanese.
One volunteer even travelled to Bahrain for two weeks to learn how best to explain Islam to non-Muslims. He then trained other volunteers here.
Today, tourists to the mosque find the visits more enjoyable, said a volunteer, Madam Ei'shah Aoyama Abdullah, 33.
The Kobe native converted to Islam when she married her husband here in 2003. She is now a housewife.
'Japanese tourists at the mosque are very happy to have a Japanese Muslim as their guide at the mosque. They are able to ask many questions about Islam in Japanese. They like that very much,' she said.
6 arrested for 'sexy dance' in Indonesia
The Straits Times, January 7, 2010
BANDUNG: Indonesian police arrested six people for allegedly performing a 'sexy dance' at a cafe in the early hours of New Year's Day, a police official said yesterday.
Police arrested four female dancers, the dance group's leader and the cafe owner, local police chief detective Arman Achdiat told news agency Agence France-Presse. 'We're charging them for preparing the dance and performing it in public, which is against morality,' he said.
He did not give any details about the dance but said the dancers, who had performed at a live music cafe in Bandung, south of Jakarta, were in skimpy clothing, which could 'stir desires'.
Under the country's anti-pornography law, the dancers could face up to 15 years in jail if convicted, he added. The controversial law, passed in October last year, criminalises all works and bodily movements deemed obscene and capable of violating public morality.
The law has prompted protests across Indonesia, with critics saying it could threaten traditional cultures from temple statues on Hindu Bali island to penis sheaths on tribesmen in Christian and animist Papua province.
The law has been championed by Indonesia's Islamic parties and is being backed by the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Muslims make up roughly 90 per cent of Indonesia's 234 million population, and there are sizeable Christian, Hindu, Buddhist and Confucian minorities.
BANDUNG: Indonesian police arrested six people for allegedly performing a 'sexy dance' at a cafe in the early hours of New Year's Day, a police official said yesterday.
Police arrested four female dancers, the dance group's leader and the cafe owner, local police chief detective Arman Achdiat told news agency Agence France-Presse. 'We're charging them for preparing the dance and performing it in public, which is against morality,' he said.
He did not give any details about the dance but said the dancers, who had performed at a live music cafe in Bandung, south of Jakarta, were in skimpy clothing, which could 'stir desires'.
Under the country's anti-pornography law, the dancers could face up to 15 years in jail if convicted, he added. The controversial law, passed in October last year, criminalises all works and bodily movements deemed obscene and capable of violating public morality.
The law has prompted protests across Indonesia, with critics saying it could threaten traditional cultures from temple statues on Hindu Bali island to penis sheaths on tribesmen in Christian and animist Papua province.
The law has been championed by Indonesia's Islamic parties and is being backed by the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Muslims make up roughly 90 per cent of Indonesia's 234 million population, and there are sizeable Christian, Hindu, Buddhist and Confucian minorities.
Govt to allow protest at KL mosque
The Straits Times, January 7, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein raised eyebrows yesterday when he said he would allow a demonstration by Muslims after Friday prayers at a mosque in the city centre.
He said the planned peaceful protest by Muslim groups could proceed and police will take action only if 'things get out of hand', according to the Malaysian Insider news website.
Several Muslim non-governmental organisations have said they plan to hold demonstrations in several mosques around the country tomorrow to protest against a court ruling allowing the Catholic Church's Herald newspaper to use the word 'Allah'.
The High Court yesterday granted a stay of execution on the matter pending a government appeal against the ruling.
Prime Minister Najib Razak yesterday called on the public to remain calm and allow the legal process to take its course.
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin said the demonstration at the the Kampung Baru mosque would allow Muslims to vent their frustration. 'There is a balance that needs to be addressed. We (the Home Ministry) have faced this situation before. Right now, if you do not allow the protest, it will cause a lot of emotional reaction.
'But if you also allow it, it might turn into a security threat,' he told reporters.
He said the key issue was the safety of the country and that the groups had been advised against the protest.
'Everyone's been appealing to them. No one, from the government to the opposition, wants this whole thing to get out of hand.
'As long as it does not affect national security, we will not stop it yet. We plan to get closer to the would-be demonstrators and try to talk to them first,' he was quoted by Malaysian Insider as saying.
The comments are sure to anger opposition ranks as the government frowns on demonstrations by the opposition parties and NGOs, and police have often intervened to stop these.
In the group on social networking site Facebook that is campaigning against the use of the word 'Allah' by non-Muslims, four demonstrations are being planned for tomorrow - one each in big mosques in Kuala Lumpur and the capitals of Selangor, Terengganu and Kedah states. The organisers are hitherto-unknown Muslim NGOs.
The mosque in Kampung Baru was listed as a venue, and it is unclear if police would allow demonstrations at the other mosques.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein raised eyebrows yesterday when he said he would allow a demonstration by Muslims after Friday prayers at a mosque in the city centre.
He said the planned peaceful protest by Muslim groups could proceed and police will take action only if 'things get out of hand', according to the Malaysian Insider news website.
Several Muslim non-governmental organisations have said they plan to hold demonstrations in several mosques around the country tomorrow to protest against a court ruling allowing the Catholic Church's Herald newspaper to use the word 'Allah'.
The High Court yesterday granted a stay of execution on the matter pending a government appeal against the ruling.
Prime Minister Najib Razak yesterday called on the public to remain calm and allow the legal process to take its course.
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin said the demonstration at the the Kampung Baru mosque would allow Muslims to vent their frustration. 'There is a balance that needs to be addressed. We (the Home Ministry) have faced this situation before. Right now, if you do not allow the protest, it will cause a lot of emotional reaction.
'But if you also allow it, it might turn into a security threat,' he told reporters.
He said the key issue was the safety of the country and that the groups had been advised against the protest.
'Everyone's been appealing to them. No one, from the government to the opposition, wants this whole thing to get out of hand.
'As long as it does not affect national security, we will not stop it yet. We plan to get closer to the would-be demonstrators and try to talk to them first,' he was quoted by Malaysian Insider as saying.
The comments are sure to anger opposition ranks as the government frowns on demonstrations by the opposition parties and NGOs, and police have often intervened to stop these.
In the group on social networking site Facebook that is campaigning against the use of the word 'Allah' by non-Muslims, four demonstrations are being planned for tomorrow - one each in big mosques in Kuala Lumpur and the capitals of Selangor, Terengganu and Kedah states. The organisers are hitherto-unknown Muslim NGOs.
The mosque in Kampung Baru was listed as a venue, and it is unclear if police would allow demonstrations at the other mosques.
How not to widen the 'Allah' dispute
Review, Editorial, The Straits Times, January 7, 2010
THE furore in Malaysia over the use of the word 'Allah' by non-Muslims should be kept within its judicial confines, if reason has sway. The government had, in an administrative act, proscribed its use in a newsletter of the Catholic Church. The Church brought a challenge before the High Court, which ruled the ban was illegal. The government has appealed. If the appeal is allowed, whether at Court of Appeal level or in the Federal Court, the final arbiter, Christians and other non-Muslims should acknowledge that the final bar to what they contend are historical antecedents in the use of the word, is immovable. They should concede graciously.
If the judgment stands, which Malaysian opinion thinks is not likely, it would be a reasonable supposition of non-Muslims that the bumiputera-Muslim majority should accept the verdict just as graciously. In either case, respect for the primacy of the law should override partisanship. Malaysia needs this understanding like little else. If the holding line is breached thoughtlessly, there will be a price to pay.
Prime Minister Najib Razak and his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin, and Pakatan Rakyat opposition figures as well, have acted to calm feelings and asked interested parties to await the outcome of the appeal. This is being rational, a well-timed caution. It takes little for a very public dispute of a visceral nature to take a nasty turn. Mosque elders should urge restraint in their Friday sermons, and Christian services need not dwell on the issue. Each side has a duty to keep the matter off the streets. All things considered, it is sensible to acknowledge that bumiputera Malaysians have never felt more exposed despite the considerable privileges they have enjoyed after 1970, when race-based allotments were formalised as a matter of policy.
Political control and the unchallenged position of Islam form a duality that defines, for good or ill, what it is to be bumiputera. The Malays felt their political mastery was dangerously eroded in the 2008 federal and state elections, in which the Barisan Nasional took a drubbing. Now, they see in the Allah challenge an assault on their faith, as it has been framed.
There are thankfully Muslim quarters which dispute the rendering as unprogressive and insular. But they remain a voice in the wilderness. A case can be made too that Malaysia would progress even faster if the bumiputeras would let the politics-religion duality be gradually worked out of their psyche. But the Allah controversy shows the day is some way off. However, the squabbling, though heated at times, has in the main been conducted in a civilised tone. This is one hopeful sign.
THE furore in Malaysia over the use of the word 'Allah' by non-Muslims should be kept within its judicial confines, if reason has sway. The government had, in an administrative act, proscribed its use in a newsletter of the Catholic Church. The Church brought a challenge before the High Court, which ruled the ban was illegal. The government has appealed. If the appeal is allowed, whether at Court of Appeal level or in the Federal Court, the final arbiter, Christians and other non-Muslims should acknowledge that the final bar to what they contend are historical antecedents in the use of the word, is immovable. They should concede graciously.
If the judgment stands, which Malaysian opinion thinks is not likely, it would be a reasonable supposition of non-Muslims that the bumiputera-Muslim majority should accept the verdict just as graciously. In either case, respect for the primacy of the law should override partisanship. Malaysia needs this understanding like little else. If the holding line is breached thoughtlessly, there will be a price to pay.
Prime Minister Najib Razak and his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin, and Pakatan Rakyat opposition figures as well, have acted to calm feelings and asked interested parties to await the outcome of the appeal. This is being rational, a well-timed caution. It takes little for a very public dispute of a visceral nature to take a nasty turn. Mosque elders should urge restraint in their Friday sermons, and Christian services need not dwell on the issue. Each side has a duty to keep the matter off the streets. All things considered, it is sensible to acknowledge that bumiputera Malaysians have never felt more exposed despite the considerable privileges they have enjoyed after 1970, when race-based allotments were formalised as a matter of policy.
Political control and the unchallenged position of Islam form a duality that defines, for good or ill, what it is to be bumiputera. The Malays felt their political mastery was dangerously eroded in the 2008 federal and state elections, in which the Barisan Nasional took a drubbing. Now, they see in the Allah challenge an assault on their faith, as it has been framed.
There are thankfully Muslim quarters which dispute the rendering as unprogressive and insular. But they remain a voice in the wilderness. A case can be made too that Malaysia would progress even faster if the bumiputeras would let the politics-religion duality be gradually worked out of their psyche. But the Allah controversy shows the day is some way off. However, the squabbling, though heated at times, has in the main been conducted in a civilised tone. This is one hopeful sign.
Allah issue by Marina Mahathir
JAN 4 — I found by chance this article the other day: “Prophet Muhammad’s Promise to Christians”.
The document is not a modern human rights treaty but even thought it was penned in 628 AD it clearly protects the right to property, freedom of religion, freedom of work, and security of the person, says Muqtedar Khan.
Muslims and Christians together constitute over 50 per cent of the world and if they lived in peace, we will be half way to world peace. One small step that we can take towards fostering Muslim-Christian harmony is to tell and retell positive stories and abstain from mutual demonisation.
In this article I propose to remind both Muslims and Christians about a promise that Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) made to Christians. The knowledge of this promise can have enormous impact on Muslim conduct towards Christians. Muslims generally respect the precedent of their Prophet and try to practise it in their lives.
In 628 AD, a delegation from St Catherine’s Monastery came to Prophet Muhammed and requested his protection. He responded by granting them a charter of rights, which I reproduce below in its entirety. St Catherine’s Monastery is located at the foot of Mt Sinai and is the world’s oldest monastery. It possesses a huge collection of Christian manuscripts, second only to the Vatican, and is a world heritage site. It also boasts the oldest collection of Christian icons. It is a treasure house of Christian history that has remained safe for 1,400 years under Muslim protection.
The Promise to St Catherine:
“This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them.
“Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by God! I hold out against anything that displeases them.
“No compulsion is to be on them. Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries. No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims' houses.
“Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God's covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate.
“No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight. The Muslims are to fight for them. If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray. Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants.
“No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).”
The first and the final sentence of the charter are critical. They make the promise eternal and universal. Muhammed asserts that Muslims are with Christians near and far, straight away rejecting any future attempts to limit the promise to St Catherine alone. By ordering Muslims to obey it until the Day of Judgment the charter again undermines any future attempts to revoke the privileges. These rights are inalienable. Muhammed declared Christians, all of them, as his allies and he equated ill treatment of Christians with violating God’s covenant.
A remarkable aspect of the charter is that it imposes no conditions on Christians for enjoying its privileges. It is enough that they are Christians. They are not required to alter their beliefs, they do not have to make any payments and they do not have any obligations. This is a charter of rights without any duties!
The document is not a modern human rights treaty but even thought it was penned in 628 AD it clearly protects the right to property, freedom of religion, freedom of work, and security of the person.
I know most readers must be thinking so what? Well the answer is simple. Those who seek to foster discord among Muslims and Christians focus on issues that divide and emphasise areas of conflict. But when resources such as Muhammad’s promise to Christians are invoked and highlighted it builds bridges. It inspires Muslims to rise above communal intolerance and engenders goodwill in Christians who might be nursing fear of Islam or Muslims.
When I look at Islamic sources, I find in them unprecedented examples of religious tolerance and inclusiveness. They make me want to become a better person. I think the capacity to seek good and do good inheres in all of us. When we subdue this predisposition towards the good, we deny our fundamental humanity. In this holiday season, I hope all of us can find time to look for something positive and worthy of appreciation in the values, cultures and histories of other peoples.
(Dr Muqtedar Khan is director of Islamic Studies at the University of Delaware and a fellow of the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding.)
Now, when that delegation from St Catherine's monastery came to meet with Prophet Mohamad (pbuh), I suppose it's fair to assume that they spoke Arabic to one another. And when they were conversing, surely the word “God” must have come up. As in "May God Be With You" and such like. What word did the Prophet (pbuh) use for “God” I wonder? And what did the St Catherinians use in return? For monotheists like them, was there a “your God” and “my God” type of situation, or did they understand that they were both talking about the same One?
While some idiots are mourning over the “loss” of the word “Allah” and therefore basically telling the world that they are people easily confused by nomenclature, and others are predicting riots over what is basically a “copyright” issue, let me define what I think a confident Muslim should be:
1. A confident Muslim is unfazed by the issue of God's name. God speaks to all of humankind in the Quran and never said that only Muslims could call him by the name Allah.
2. A confident Muslim has 99 names to choose from to describe that One God. My favourites are Ar-Rahman (The All-Compassionate) and Ar-Rahim (The All-Merciful).
3. A confident Muslim never gets confused over which is his/her religion and which is other people's. For instance, a confident Muslim knows exactly what the first chapter of the Quran is. And it's not the Lord's Prayer.
4. A confident Muslim will not walk into a church, hear a liturgy in Malay or Arabic where they use the word “Allah” and then think that he or she is in a mosque. A confident Muslim knows the difference.
5. A confident Muslim is generous, inclusive and doesn't think that his or her brethren is made exclusive through the use of a single language. The confident Muslim is well aware that in the Middle East, all services of ANY religion are in Arabic because that's what they all speak.
6. A confident Muslim knows the basis of his/her faith are the five pillars of Islam and will not be shaken just because other people call God by the same name.
7. A Muslim believes in only One God. Therefore it makes sense that other people should call God by the same name because there is no other God.
ART THOU NOT aware that it is God whose limitless glory all [creatures] that are in the heavens and on earth extol, even the birds as they spread out their wings? Each [of them] knows indeed how to pray unto Him and to glorify Him; and God has full knowledge of all that they do: (Surah Nour, Verse 41) (Asad).
So I would ask those people demonstrating against the court decision, have you no pride? Are you saying you're easily confused?
And before anyone says I have no qualifications to say these things, read what Dr Asri Zainal Abidin (who does have qualifications no matter what JAIS says) has written about this very subject here.
And here's something interesting. In 2007, the Majlis Agama Negeri Perlis, which is a large majlis filled with people very learned in Islamic religious knowledge, discussed the question of the use of “Allah” by non-Muslims. Their unanimous decision? They issued a fatwa to say that there is absolutely nothing wrong with non-Muslims using the word at all. (This was told to me by Asri but I cannot find the fatwa anywhere online because all the religious departments' websites are so useless.) Rantings byMM
The document is not a modern human rights treaty but even thought it was penned in 628 AD it clearly protects the right to property, freedom of religion, freedom of work, and security of the person, says Muqtedar Khan.
Muslims and Christians together constitute over 50 per cent of the world and if they lived in peace, we will be half way to world peace. One small step that we can take towards fostering Muslim-Christian harmony is to tell and retell positive stories and abstain from mutual demonisation.
In this article I propose to remind both Muslims and Christians about a promise that Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) made to Christians. The knowledge of this promise can have enormous impact on Muslim conduct towards Christians. Muslims generally respect the precedent of their Prophet and try to practise it in their lives.
In 628 AD, a delegation from St Catherine’s Monastery came to Prophet Muhammed and requested his protection. He responded by granting them a charter of rights, which I reproduce below in its entirety. St Catherine’s Monastery is located at the foot of Mt Sinai and is the world’s oldest monastery. It possesses a huge collection of Christian manuscripts, second only to the Vatican, and is a world heritage site. It also boasts the oldest collection of Christian icons. It is a treasure house of Christian history that has remained safe for 1,400 years under Muslim protection.
The Promise to St Catherine:
“This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them.
“Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by God! I hold out against anything that displeases them.
“No compulsion is to be on them. Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries. No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims' houses.
“Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God's covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate.
“No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight. The Muslims are to fight for them. If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray. Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants.
“No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).”
The first and the final sentence of the charter are critical. They make the promise eternal and universal. Muhammed asserts that Muslims are with Christians near and far, straight away rejecting any future attempts to limit the promise to St Catherine alone. By ordering Muslims to obey it until the Day of Judgment the charter again undermines any future attempts to revoke the privileges. These rights are inalienable. Muhammed declared Christians, all of them, as his allies and he equated ill treatment of Christians with violating God’s covenant.
A remarkable aspect of the charter is that it imposes no conditions on Christians for enjoying its privileges. It is enough that they are Christians. They are not required to alter their beliefs, they do not have to make any payments and they do not have any obligations. This is a charter of rights without any duties!
The document is not a modern human rights treaty but even thought it was penned in 628 AD it clearly protects the right to property, freedom of religion, freedom of work, and security of the person.
I know most readers must be thinking so what? Well the answer is simple. Those who seek to foster discord among Muslims and Christians focus on issues that divide and emphasise areas of conflict. But when resources such as Muhammad’s promise to Christians are invoked and highlighted it builds bridges. It inspires Muslims to rise above communal intolerance and engenders goodwill in Christians who might be nursing fear of Islam or Muslims.
When I look at Islamic sources, I find in them unprecedented examples of religious tolerance and inclusiveness. They make me want to become a better person. I think the capacity to seek good and do good inheres in all of us. When we subdue this predisposition towards the good, we deny our fundamental humanity. In this holiday season, I hope all of us can find time to look for something positive and worthy of appreciation in the values, cultures and histories of other peoples.
(Dr Muqtedar Khan is director of Islamic Studies at the University of Delaware and a fellow of the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding.)
Now, when that delegation from St Catherine's monastery came to meet with Prophet Mohamad (pbuh), I suppose it's fair to assume that they spoke Arabic to one another. And when they were conversing, surely the word “God” must have come up. As in "May God Be With You" and such like. What word did the Prophet (pbuh) use for “God” I wonder? And what did the St Catherinians use in return? For monotheists like them, was there a “your God” and “my God” type of situation, or did they understand that they were both talking about the same One?
While some idiots are mourning over the “loss” of the word “Allah” and therefore basically telling the world that they are people easily confused by nomenclature, and others are predicting riots over what is basically a “copyright” issue, let me define what I think a confident Muslim should be:
1. A confident Muslim is unfazed by the issue of God's name. God speaks to all of humankind in the Quran and never said that only Muslims could call him by the name Allah.
2. A confident Muslim has 99 names to choose from to describe that One God. My favourites are Ar-Rahman (The All-Compassionate) and Ar-Rahim (The All-Merciful).
3. A confident Muslim never gets confused over which is his/her religion and which is other people's. For instance, a confident Muslim knows exactly what the first chapter of the Quran is. And it's not the Lord's Prayer.
4. A confident Muslim will not walk into a church, hear a liturgy in Malay or Arabic where they use the word “Allah” and then think that he or she is in a mosque. A confident Muslim knows the difference.
5. A confident Muslim is generous, inclusive and doesn't think that his or her brethren is made exclusive through the use of a single language. The confident Muslim is well aware that in the Middle East, all services of ANY religion are in Arabic because that's what they all speak.
6. A confident Muslim knows the basis of his/her faith are the five pillars of Islam and will not be shaken just because other people call God by the same name.
7. A Muslim believes in only One God. Therefore it makes sense that other people should call God by the same name because there is no other God.
ART THOU NOT aware that it is God whose limitless glory all [creatures] that are in the heavens and on earth extol, even the birds as they spread out their wings? Each [of them] knows indeed how to pray unto Him and to glorify Him; and God has full knowledge of all that they do: (Surah Nour, Verse 41) (Asad).
So I would ask those people demonstrating against the court decision, have you no pride? Are you saying you're easily confused?
And before anyone says I have no qualifications to say these things, read what Dr Asri Zainal Abidin (who does have qualifications no matter what JAIS says) has written about this very subject here.
And here's something interesting. In 2007, the Majlis Agama Negeri Perlis, which is a large majlis filled with people very learned in Islamic religious knowledge, discussed the question of the use of “Allah” by non-Muslims. Their unanimous decision? They issued a fatwa to say that there is absolutely nothing wrong with non-Muslims using the word at all. (This was told to me by Asri but I cannot find the fatwa anywhere online because all the religious departments' websites are so useless.) Rantings byMM
NO. Growing number of Muslims vent fury online
The Straits Times, January 6, 2010
Malaysia's High Court verdict last week allowing the Catholic Church's weekly newspaper, The Herald, to use the word 'Allah' has provoked strong reactions in a country where politics is closely entwined with race and religion. They fall largely into three categories:
A GROUP on a social networking site - formed to campaign against the High Court ruling allowing a Catholic publication to use the word 'Allah' to denote God - has been inundated with members, reflecting the anger among many Muslims with the decision.
Now 66,000 strong, nearly double the number on Sunday when figures were first released, the group wants to ban non-Muslims from using the word.
The members feel that Christians are encroaching on Islam's turf in Malaysia with the court's ruling, as 'Allah' has been exclusively used by Muslims in Peninsular Malaysia all along.
Members of the Facebook group - Protesting the use of the name Allah by non-Muslims -
include many lecturers from various universities in Malaysia and politicians such as Deputy Trade Minister Mukhriz Mahathir.
There is another newly formed group in cyberspace - Bloggers Against Blasphemies - on a similar campaign.
Reaction has been vitriolic in some instances.
Many of those angered by the court decision have said it could lead to potential confusion for younger Muslims and would encourage conversions.
One blogger described it as an 'insult'.
'The ordinary Malays, the pasar malam crowd, the kampung mindset are not going to tolerate this insult.
'And the insult, growing in volume and intensity each day, will translate into civil unrest. So at what cost is the ruling obtained?' asked popular blogger and former assemblyman Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz, who said the government must win its appeal against the court ruling.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz was quoted by the Malaysian Insider website as saying the uproar over the issue was similar to that over cow-head protest last year.
In August last year, Muslim protesters stomped on a cow's head to protest against plans to build a Hindu temple in their neighbourhood in Shah Alam.
'I see the usage of the word 'Allah' and the cow-head incident as the same. If you can take action against the cow-head protesters, why not over the usage of 'Allah' among non-Muslims? We have to be fair in the matter,' he said.
Mr Nazri also reportedly questioned the purpose of the Catholic church's insistence on using the word, saying it was 'irresponsible' and 'looking for trouble'.
'If you do want to use the word God in Bahasa Malaysia, God is Tuhan. I don't understand why you want to use Allah,' he said.
Malaysia's High Court verdict last week allowing the Catholic Church's weekly newspaper, The Herald, to use the word 'Allah' has provoked strong reactions in a country where politics is closely entwined with race and religion. They fall largely into three categories:
A GROUP on a social networking site - formed to campaign against the High Court ruling allowing a Catholic publication to use the word 'Allah' to denote God - has been inundated with members, reflecting the anger among many Muslims with the decision.
Now 66,000 strong, nearly double the number on Sunday when figures were first released, the group wants to ban non-Muslims from using the word.
The members feel that Christians are encroaching on Islam's turf in Malaysia with the court's ruling, as 'Allah' has been exclusively used by Muslims in Peninsular Malaysia all along.
Members of the Facebook group - Protesting the use of the name Allah by non-Muslims -
include many lecturers from various universities in Malaysia and politicians such as Deputy Trade Minister Mukhriz Mahathir.
There is another newly formed group in cyberspace - Bloggers Against Blasphemies - on a similar campaign.
Reaction has been vitriolic in some instances.
Many of those angered by the court decision have said it could lead to potential confusion for younger Muslims and would encourage conversions.
One blogger described it as an 'insult'.
'The ordinary Malays, the pasar malam crowd, the kampung mindset are not going to tolerate this insult.
'And the insult, growing in volume and intensity each day, will translate into civil unrest. So at what cost is the ruling obtained?' asked popular blogger and former assemblyman Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz, who said the government must win its appeal against the court ruling.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz was quoted by the Malaysian Insider website as saying the uproar over the issue was similar to that over cow-head protest last year.
In August last year, Muslim protesters stomped on a cow's head to protest against plans to build a Hindu temple in their neighbourhood in Shah Alam.
'I see the usage of the word 'Allah' and the cow-head incident as the same. If you can take action against the cow-head protesters, why not over the usage of 'Allah' among non-Muslims? We have to be fair in the matter,' he said.
Mr Nazri also reportedly questioned the purpose of the Catholic church's insistence on using the word, saying it was 'irresponsible' and 'looking for trouble'.
'If you do want to use the word God in Bahasa Malaysia, God is Tuhan. I don't understand why you want to use Allah,' he said.
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