POLITICIANS should not exploit the issues surrounding the use of the word “Allah” for political gain, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said. 

He urged all politicians to be more responsible when dealing with such matters and to stick to the facts. 

“I don’t want to comment. My job is to provide the facts on this case. I urge all politicians to have more responsibility when it comes to this issue (as) it is an emotive issue… they all know this.

“But even though they want to make political gains, don’t hide the facts. The court has never brought up the question of religion,” he said in Putrajaya today.

Saifuddin also did not want to comment on whether the matter would be played up in the state polls. 

He added that it was a court’s decision involving a Melanau Christian woman and did not touch on religious aspects. 

“It is merely an aspect of incongruity regarding the contradiction of the cabinet’s decision with the administrative directives, that’s all,” he said.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the cabinet would present proposals to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on protecting the use of the word “Allah” and strengthening racial and religious unity in the country.

He said this following the fallout from the federal government’s decision to withdraw its appeal against the court’s verdict in the “Allah” case.  

Anwar had tried to pacify people by saying the ban on “Allah” was only limited to Sarawak. This was rebutted by legal experts.

He, however, said the cabinet had decided that the ban would stay despite the withdrawal of the appeal.

Putrajaya first filed an appeal over a High Court ruling that allowed non-Muslims to use the word “Allah” and three other words in a religious context on March 12, 2021.  

The Attorney-General’s Chambers, representing the Home Ministry, notified the Court of Appeal on April 18 that it did not wish to pursue the appeal.

On Tuesday, Saifuddin had confirmed that Putrajaya had withdrawn the appeal, resulting in major criticism from Muslim groups. 

On March 21, 2021, Judge Nor Bee Ariffin said the Home Ministry’s directive in 1986 to ban the use of the word that meant “God” was unlawful and unconstitutional.  

The judge said Sarawak resident Christian Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill had been deprived of her rights to practise her religion. – May 18, 2023.