Let this issue go through the courts, says Muhyiddin

PETALING JAYA: The issue about the use of the word “Allah” involves Muslim sensitivities and should have been decided in court, says Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

The former prime minister said he was disappointed with Putrajaya’s decision to withdraw its appeal against the High Court ruling that allows non-Muslims to use the word.

“This case should have been decided according to the legal process in the courts before the government makes any decision on it.

“If the court’s decision is not in favour of the government after the appeal process concludes, then it is appropriate for the government to amend the law to ensure its objectives are enforced, which is to preserve harmony in a religiously diverse society and public peace,” he said in a statement.

He said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of Islam in the Federal Territories, while the Malay rulers are the heads of Islam in their respective states.

“Therefore, the decree of the Malay rulers on this matter must be respected by the government,” he added.

Muhyiddin claimed that when he was home minister under the former Pakatan Harapan government, a DAP minister, whom he did not name, had requested that the case involving Jill Ireland be settled out of court.

“I disagreed with this request because what was meant by ‘out-of-court settlement’ was that the Home Ministry should withdraw the confiscation order of CDs of Christian religious pamphlets containing the word Allah.

“The Home Ministry’s stand at the time was that the case must be decided by the courts according to the legal process,” he added.

He argued that among the main points brought up by the Home Ministry was that the dissemination of Christian pamphlets containing the word Allah would cause unease among Muslims and threaten public order and national security.

“When the High Court ruled in favour of Jill Ireland in 2021, the Perikatan Nasional government then was of the opinion that the case must be appealed.

“It is a common practice in any court case that the party dissatisfied with the court’s decision can appeal to a higher court.

“The decision to appeal to the Court of Appeal was also in line with the decree by Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar and Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah,” he added.