KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 — Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said the government was taking steps to address the issue of the word “Allah”, Arabic for God, being used in Christian publications.
He was responding to questions about the Royal Malaysia Police’s (PDRM) role in the matter that has disquieted Muslims in the country.
“We leave it to the government to solve this matter because I believe there will be a briefing to the Conference of Rulers on this matter,” he told the reporters after a hi-tea event at the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman, here.
On Monday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s government confirmed it had withdrawn its appeal against the 2021 High Court ruling in favour of the Sarawakian Christian from the native Melanau tribe, Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill.
The move put an end to the 15-year-long legal saga that began when the government seized the Sarawak Bumiputera’s eight educational compact discs (CDs) containing the word “Allah”, which were for her own use.
After controversy emerged over the decision, the PM said the Cabinet would seek an audience with the Conference of Rulers over the use of “Allah” in a non-Muslim context, “to resolve this issue holistically and cohesively.”
On a separate matter, the IGP said PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang would be called in for investigations if necessary.
He said this when asked about reports against the PAS leader over allegedly inflammatory remarks on race and religion.
“Those who are believed to be involved will be called in. That is our standard operating procedure in investigating cases,” he said.
