Malaysia does not welcome foreign interference in 'Allah' issue - Anifah

Malaysia does not welcome foreign interference or influence on the usage of the word 'Allah', said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman.
In a statement today, Anifah said as a sovereign country, such interference would only stoke religious sentiments in the country and would not help in contributing towards ensuring racial and religious stability and harmony in the country.

"The matter (word Allah issue) case is currently being heard at the Court of Appeal and all parties should let the case be determined according to the rule of law of the country," he said.

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Respect Muslim feelings, Vatican envoy told

Nasharudin Mat Isa (center) with Muslim NGOs. He is urging the Foreign Affairs Ministry to reprimand Holy See Ambassador Archbishop Joseph Marino.

Vatican City ambassador to Malaysia Archbishop Joseph Marino has been asked to retract his support for the controversial use of the word "Allah" among Christians, as it can threaten unity among Malaysians.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said the statement by Marino should not be made by any quarters, out of respect to the sensitivities of Muslims in the country.

Marino had on Thursday expressed his support to the Christian Federation of Malaysia's stand to allow the use of the word "Allah" among Christians.

In 2009, the High Court ruled that the word was not the exclusive right of Muslims.

The Home Ministry had since appealed to reverse the decision.

"The religious tolerance in this country should be taken into account when issuing statements that could be interpreted as disrupting racial harmony in Malaysia," Jamil said in a statement yesterday.

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Bishop calls for Najib to take stand against Perkasa, Jati

Christians have had enough of the bashing from the likes of Perkasa and other Malay rights groups. They expect Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to intervene and “do the right thing” by rejecting such extremism.

This was the stand of the president of the Council of Churches Malaysia, Bishop Philip Lok. He was speaking to The Malaysian Insider in the wake of the demands by Perkasa and Jati that the Vatican’s envoy Archbishop Joseph Marino withdraw his support for the local church’s campaign to use the word Allah and that he must apologise within seven days.

The vocal rights groups have demanded that the government shut down the Vatican’s embassy and banish Marino if he does not apologise.

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Church right to say Allah describes God, says Vatican’s first envoy to Malaysia

In his first interview with the Malaysian media, the first resident diplomat sent by the Vatican to live and work in this country spoke on the controversial issue of the use of the Arabic word "Allah" to describe God in any religion.

Archbishop Joseph Marino said he supports the stand of the Catholic Church in Malaysia.

He applauded the arguments made by the Christian Federation of Malaysia to use "Allah" in its texts to refer to God as very well done.

Archbishop Marino is the Apostolic Nuncio to Malaysia. This position, also often known as a papal nuncio, is the Vatican equivalent to an ambassador.