A NEW government directive will be issued soon for non-Muslims on the use of the word “Allah”, said Hamzah Zainudin.

The home minister said this following his meeting with representatives from non-Muslim communities on the matter today.

“Today, I held a round-table discussion with Christian groups from the peninsula and a group from Sarawak. A Hindu group, a Sikh group, academics, lawyers and Suhakam were also among the panellists,” he said.

“We were looking to find common ground over the ‘Allah’ issue and all parties agreed that we need to preserve the country’s peace and harmony.

“A directive will be issued soon on the use of the word ‘Allah’.”

Hamzah said he has met with Muslim groups before his meeting with the non-Muslim groups.

The “Allah” issue became a hot topic recently after the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled on March 10 that Sarawakian Christian Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill can use the word “Allah” in the course of practising her religion.

Judge Nor Bee Ariffin also said a 1986 Home Ministry directive banning Christians from using the word, which means “God” in Arabic, as well as other words was unlawful and unconstitutional.

The decision caused an uproar among peninsula-based Muslim political parties and civil society groups.

The Home Ministry has also filed an appeal against the court ruling.

On the other hand, non-Muslim groups were happy with the court decision, saying that Christians in Sabah and Sarawak have been using the word “Allah” to refer to God for a long time.

Hamzah, however, said the new directive to be issued by Putrajaya on the use of the word “Allah” has nothing to do with the court’s decision.

“We do not want this directive to be sub judice to the ongoing appeal involving the word. It is not related,” he added. – April 15, 2021.