KUCHING, March 11 — Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri James Masing today criticised Umno and PAS for urging the government to appeal the decision by the High Court to allow a judicial review by a Sarawakian Christian to use “Allah” in her religious education.

Masing branded the demand as ridiculous, especially by any political party in a multi-religious and multi-racial country like Malaysia.

“It is my hope that we should allow men of religion and court to decide on religious issues and not politicians,” Masing who is also Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president told Malay Mail said when asked to respond to the statement issued by Muafakat Nasional (MN). 

He reminded the two parties that demanding the federal government to go against the court’s judgment is tantamount to seeking a review of Article 11 of the Federal Constitution that allows for freedom of religion in the country.

Meanwhile, Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) president Bobby William said the use of the word “Allah” by Christians in Malaysia should not be made a big issue.

“Instead of focusing on the use of the word Allah, Malaysia should focus on other big issues, such as the economy,” he said.

Bobby said the word is an Arabic term referring to god and its usage does not confine to any single religion.

Bobby said such inference was made by the High Court in its judgment in the case of a review application by Christian Melanau Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill.

The Muafakat Nasional (MN) Consultative Committee meeting last night urged that the High Court’s ruling on the use of the Islamic words be referred to the Court of Appeal.

MN said it viewed seriously the High Court's decision in allowing non-Muslims to use Islamic words in their publications.

The meeting also urged the federal government to take the initiative to expedite the implementation of a more harmonised legal system within the Federal Constitution framework. 

Yesterday, Court of Appeal Judge Datuk Nor Bee Ariffin, sitting as High Court judge, allowed a judicial review application by Jill Ireland.

The judge ruled that the Malaysian government’s directive issued in 1986 with a total ban on the use of the word “Allah” in Christian publications is unconstitutional and invalid.

It also declared orders to affirm Jill Ireland’s right to not be discriminated against and practice her faith.

The judge granted three of the specific constitutional reliefs sought by the Sarawakian native of the Melanau tribe.

The three orders granted by the judge include a declaration that it is Jill Ireland’s constitutional right under the Federal Constitution’s Article 3, 8, 11 and 12 to import the publications in the exercise of her rights to practise religion and right to education.

The other two declarations granted by the judge today see Jill Ireland being guaranteed equality of all persons before the law and protected from discrimination against citizens on the grounds of religion in the administration of the law ― specifically the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 and Customs Act 1967) while declaring that the government directive issued by the Home Ministry’s publication control’s division via a circular dated December 5, 1986 as unlawful and unconstitutional.