KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 — Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was defying the Malay Rulers by using the “Allah” issue to campaign for the state elections happening on August 12, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said today.
According to Free Malaysia Today, Saifuddin, who is the PKR secretary-general, said the former prime minister’s open disregard for the royalty would diminish the public view of the institution.
“If a Malay-Muslim political leader cannot respect the Malay Rulers’ advice, they (Rulers) will not be respected by the rakyat,” he was quoted as saying.
During a political rally in Kapar on Sunday, Muhyiddin reportedly claimed the “Allah” issue to be an example of the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government being run by non-Malays.
The “Allah” issue re-entered the public sphere in May when the federal government withdrew its appeal against Sarawak native Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill’s case.
In March 2021, the High Court in Jill Ireland’s case quashed the Home Ministry’s December 1986 ban on the use of the word “Allah” in all Christian publications in Malaysia, declaring the December 1986 directive as unconstitutional and unlawful.
The Muhyiddin administration had appealed the decision in 2021, and the former PM said the decision to withdraw this indicated Anwar’s agreement with the High Court decision.
He also alleged that the decision was because of pressure from DAP.
Anwar previously said the Cabinet would submit its recommendations on the “Allah” issue to the Conference of Rulers.
Selangor’s Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah later urged against politicising or debating the “Allah” issue pending the Conference of Rulers’ final decision on the matter.
Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah also expressed concern over the politicisation of the issue due to its possible effects to national unity.
