NON-Muslim Sarawak and Sabah members of parliament, state assemblymen and senators from both sides of the political divide have called on Putrajaya to withdraw its appeal against the High Court ruling that Christians can use the word “Allah” in their religious education and books

In an unprecedented joint statement, lawmakers from the 10 major parties in the two Borneo states said it’s time to put an end to the 35-year-old polemic and the “pain felt by so many Sabahans, Sarawakians and Orang Asli.”

The 10 parties are Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), PKR, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB), Democratic Action Party (DAP), Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan), and Pertubuhan Kinabalu Progresif Bersatu (UPKO).

They stated that putting an end to it would also be a positive legacy for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

They also gave eight reasons why Putrajaya and the people of Malaysia should accept and not appeal against the high court’s ruling.

“Christians who use ‘Allah’ and other common religious words shared with Muslims are predominantly Borneans and Orang Asli, who speak Bahasa Malaysia as their second or first language, just like Christian Bataks, Dayaks, Ambonese, and Timorese in Indonesia who speak Bahasa Indonesia as their second or first language.

“In Sarawak, Bahasa Iban uses ‘Allah Taala’, Bahasa Bidayuh uses ‘Tuhan Alla’ while the Lun Bawangs, Lun Dayehs and Kelabits use the term ‘Tuhan Allah’ for God,” they said.

The lawmakers added Muslims in the two Borneo states Sabah are “supportive of and never feel threatened” by their Christian siblings, cousins, and friends praying to Allah, the one God in all Abrahamic faiths.

“Borneans genuinely believe that humans are made differently to know and love each other, not to disparage and discriminate against each other, and that the presence of diverse religious communities is Allah’s will for He who is almighty could have made all humans in one faith.”

They also stated that having both Muslims and Christians praying to Allah in mosques and churches will not cause apostasy among Muslims.

The best evidence, they stated, could be seen in Arab countries, where Muslims constitute near or more than 90% of the population, and in our near neighbour Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation.

“Muslims and Christians (have shared) ‘Allah’ and other religious terms for 1,442 years (Arab countries) and 476 years (Indonesia).”

The lawmakers also stated the 1986 federal cabinet decision to deny non-Muslims the right to pray to Allah was “an oversight caused by political pressure by some insecure Malayans who were both ignorant of Sabah and Sarawak and arrogant that Malayans could decide how Sabahans and Sarawakians, both at home and in the Peninsula, should live their life”.

“These self-centric Malayans refuse to accept that Malaysia is an equal partnership of Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak.”

The high court decision, they said, was merely “correcting an injustice suffered by Sabahans, Sarawakians and Orang Asli caused by some Malayans’ insecurity, ignorance and arrogance”.

“It will not cause proselytization and apostasy of Muslims, a false fear some Malayans try to monger.”

The high court decision, they added, is a victory for Malaysia “which will make our union stronger”.

“It will enable Sabahan, Sarawakian and Orang Asli Christians to pray freely as their Dayak brothers and sisters across the border in Kalimantan do.

They said the decision is also a victory for Bahasa Malaysia as the national language and all its speakers, and a respect for the speakers of Bahasa Iban, Bidayuh, Lun Bawang, Lun Dayeh and Kelabit, languages of heritage in the land of Borneo.

The 18 MPs, four senators, eight Sabah and 23 Sarawak assemblymen also called on all political parties to not exploit the court decision for narrow political millage.

“Let this be a closure for all and a step forwards in national reconciliation so that we meet Allah’s plan that makes us different for us to know and love each other.”

The government yesterday filed the appeal against the March 10 Kuala Lumpur High Court decision that the government directive, via a December 5, 1986 circular issued by the Home Ministry’s publications control division, was unlawful and unconstitutional.

The court had also ruled that Christians nationwide can use three other Arabic words – Baitullah, Kaabah and solat – in their religious publications for educational purposes. – March 16, 2021.