Federal Constitution vis-a-vis Syariah Rule

Below is the news that Utusan Malaysia has published, and I have never trusted this publication for all the blatant spins they have made in the past (to further their bigoted propaganda). Therefore, I have my reservations as to actual context of the words spoken by the Selangor Sultan. For all I know, the whole spin is taken out of context COMPLETELY.

Having said that, Utusan is now spewing their illogical rationale that Islam being the national religion in Malaysia is enshrined in the Constitution and therefore everything that Islam uses in this country is exclusively for Moslems, above what the common law covers for the other rakyat who are not Moslems. Utusan is spouting that the Constitution, that protects ALL Malaysians, is subservient to Syariah by virtue of one section within the Federal Constitution. It is so preposterous it does not bear thinking about anymore.

On the issue of Allah, I believe in my Moslem brothers and sisters are not so easily confused by mere usage of words. I know they are of higher and greater intelligence than what UMNO, Utusan and their cohorts say they are.

Hey UMNO... the Moslems in Malaysia are highly intelligent and not easily confused. So, please stop abusing Islam in order to keep yourself in power!

Allah untuk Islam – Sultan Selangor  

BERITA/KOMENTAR

Tuesday, 12 January 2010

(Utusan Malaysia) - Sultan Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah menitahkan semua pihak di negeri ini berpegang teguh kepada pendirian mengharamkan pengunaan kalimah Allah oleh agama selain Islam.
Pengerusi Majlis Agama Islam Selangor (MAIS), Datuk Mohamad Adzib Mohd. Isa hari ini memberitahu, titah itu dinyatakan dalam pertemuan beliau dengan baginda pada 5 Januari lalu.
Katanya, turut menghadap baginda ekoran isu pengunaan kalimah Allah oleh akhbar Herald-The Catholic Weekly ialah Mufti Selangor, Datuk Mohd. Tamyes Abdul Wahid; Ahli MAIS, Datuk Salehuddin Saidin; Setiausaha MAIS, Abdul Halem Hapiz Salihin serta Penasihat Undang-undang MAIS, Nurhani Salwa Jamaluddin di Istana Mestika di sini.
Menurut beliau, baginda memaklumkan pendiriannya mengenai perkara itu bertujuan memelihara akidah umat Islam serta menjaga keharmonian beragama setiap rakyat di Selangor.
“Dalam pertemuan itu, baginda menitahkan supaya isu penggunaan kalimah Allah oleh bukan Islam dibincangkan dengan teliti oleh ahli-ahli MAIS.
“Sebagai Ketua Agama Islam negeri, baginda mahu semua peringkat berpegang teguh dengan pendirian mengharamkan penggunaan kalimah Allah oleh agama lain,” katanya.
Beliau berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas majlis taklimat dan perbincangan dengan 38 pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO) Islam di masjid negeri di sini hari ini.
Mohamad Adzib berkata, Sultan Selangor turut meminta MAIS memaklumkan kepada rakyat tentang wujudnya undang-undang menghalang pengunaan kalimah Allah dalam agama bukan Islam.
Menurutnya, larangan itu termaktub dalam Enakmen Ugama Bukan Islam (Kawalan dan Perkembangan di Kalangan Orang Islam) yang diwartakan sejak 1988.
Malah, jelas beliau, larangan juga diputuskan Jawatankuasa Fatwa negeri pada 10 Jun 2008 yang memutuskan kalimah Allah khusus untuk umat Islam dan tidak boleh digunakan atau dimasukkan dalam agama lain.
Ekoran keputusan jawatankuasa itu serta Jawatankuasa Fatwa Kebangsaan yang memutuskan larangan tersebut pada Mei 2008, beliau menegaskan, MAIS membuat 14 ketetapan berhubung isu tersebut.
Menurutnya, antara ketetapan itu ialah istilah Allah bermaksud Tuhan Yang Maha Esa dan berlainan dengan maksud God dalam agama Kristian yang berkonsepkan Triniti (tuhan bapa, tuhan anak dan roh kudus).
“Jika kalimah Allah dibenar digunakan dalam ajaran Kristian, ia mendatangkan pelbagai implikasi membahayakan umat Islam pada masa depan kerana ia mengelirukan,” katanya.
Selain itu, Mohamad Adzib berkata, MAIS berpendirian keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur pada 31 Disember lalu membenarkan Herald-The Catholic Weekly menggunakan kalimah Allah tidak selaras dengan Perlembagaan Persekutuan.
Perlembagaan menetapkan Islam agama rasmi Persekutuan dan keputusan itu juga bertentangan dengan Enakmen Ugama Bukan Islam (Kawalan dan Perkembangan di Kalangan Orang Islam) 1988 yang digubal berasaskan Perkara 11(4) Perlembagaan negara, katanya.
Beliau menegaskan, penggunaan kalimah Allah bagi merujuk agama bukan Islam tidak wajar dibicarakan di mahkamah kerana institusi itu bukan forum sesuai membincangkannya memandangkan ia perkara ‘non-justiciable’ di bawah bidang kuasa raja-raja Melayu.
Beliau turut memohon campur tangan Majlis Raja-raja selaku Ketua Agama Islam negeri-negeri selaras sumpah raja-raja Melayu untuk mempertahankan Islam pada setiap masa.
“Selain itu ialah mendesak Kerajaan Persekutuan menetapkan kes-kes berkaitan agama Islam tidak lagi dibicarakan di Mahkamah Sivil terutama melibatkan Hakim bukan Islam,” katanya.

Blowing up Malaysia!

Many people are angry now, there are alot of Malaysians who are aghast at what has happened!
Note, I say MALAYSIANS are aghast! Not chinese or indians, not buddhist or hindu. This is an attack on Malaysia, all of us has taken a hit.

It is indeed a very very sad thing to see a property destroyed to such degree. I guess, the thing to be  thankful for is that no one was actually hurt in all these attacks. 

Even the night guard (who was on duty at the Metro Tabernacle) escaped as he needed to use the toilet. It is amazing how God has protected all in this situation. The perpetrator and the victims are taken care of by God.

Having said all that, it was still sad to hear the building so badly damaged. I was thinking to myself, there must be a silver lining to this situation. There must be a reson this has happened, and how do we turn such a negative event into something positive and productive. There must be a good reason that this has happened. There must be a very good reason.., THERE HAS TO BE.

Then, the reason was revealed in the show of support from Muslims & other Malaysians alike. A nation that can rise to condemn and speak against this atrocity will unite as a people. We will no longer look at each other based on our differences, but based on our commonality. We are Malaysians and no one does something like that to our people and hear nothing from ALL of us (even if the perpetrators are amongst us).

One of our pastor friend received this wonderful text from the President of the Islamic Propagation Society International (IPSI).
"Good Evening Mr Kuilan, I Haji Kamaruddin Abdullah of IPSI strongly condemn the arson attack of the Metro Tabernacle Church in KL. We are now prepared to protect the safety of the churches in Malaysia. Please call us. OUR LOVE AND CARE TO OUR CHRISTIAN BRETHREN."

So, while the building is destroyed, I am glad to say that the spirit of unity is strengthened. And that is what we should all focus on. At this time of trouble, there is enemy in our midst hoping to tear us Malaysians apart. After they have done that, they will rape our country and pillage our people.

Let all Malaysians stand together against this act of violence and terrorism. Let us unite for our beloved country.