Penang Chief Minister’s Allah remark draws Malay groups’ ire
GEORGE TOWN — Anger from Malay groups continued to build in Penang over Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s comments that non-Muslims could use the word Allah for God.
GEORGE TOWN — Anger from Malay groups continued to build in Penang over Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s comments that non-Muslims could use the word Allah for God.
Crying “Allhuakhbar”, a small but vocal group of men from Malay activist group Perkasa turned heads outside the state administrative offices in George Town yesterday, as they called on the authorities to jail Mr Lim for his comments.
Numbering about 20 people, the group arrived at Komtar at about 2.30pm just after Friday prayers, brandishing placards and banners proclaiming the Arabic word for God to be exclusive to Muslims.
They attempted to make their way to the third floor of the multistorey building, where the main entrance to the state government administrative offices is located.
However, the entrance to the offices had been sealed off earlier in anticipation of the demonstration.
Penang Perkasa youth chief Mohd Rizuad Mohd Azudin, who led the group, demanded to be let in to meet state Islamic religious affairs committee chairman Abdul Malik Abul Kassim. The police had formed a barricade outside and ordered the group to disperse.
The group refused and demanded to be let in to hand over a memorandum. After several minutes, it was allowed into the state administrative office and handed its memorandum to Mr Abdul Malik’s aide Ziezul Hakim Zainol.
After submitting the memorandum, Mr Mohd Rizuad gave a short speech in which he called Mr Lim “babi hutan” (wild boar) and demanded that the Air Putih state lawmaker be kicked out of Penang. The Perkasa leader urged the authorities to book the Democratic Action Party secretary-general for sedition.
“Allah belongs to Muslims; non-Muslims have no right to use the word Allah,” he told a crowd that had formed outside.
Former Penang Parti Islam Se-Malaysia youth chief Hafiz Nordin, who was also present, made similar remarks, saying the word Allah could be used only by Muslims.
Mr Lim courted controversy with his statement last week that there is no ban on non-Muslims in Penang using the word Allah, adding that fatwas and the Administration of Religion of Islam (Penang) Enactment 2004 do not apply to non-Muslims.
His statement followed a call from Malaysian Chinese Association central committee member Ti Lian Ker, who demanded that the Pakatan Rakyat Selangor and Penang governments repeal their respective state Islamic religious administration enactments to lift the ban on the use of words such as Allah by non-Muslims.
This prompted criticism of Mr Lim by United Malays National Organisation leaders, leading to police reports being lodged against him over the past week and the police opening investigations on the case.
Earlier in the day, Mr Mohd Rizuad and other Perkasa members also lodged police reports against Mr Lim, demanding that the Chief Minister be charged under the Sedition Act 1948. The Malay Mail understands that more than 40 police reports have been lodged against him. THE MALAY MAIL