Oppsss....they did it again!

Well, they can't stop doing tat can they?

I have another new inductees to the Hall of Shame of our nation's messy political stage. The timing can't be bettwe than days before Christmas is celebrated.

So, here to introduce the new inductee (drum rolls.....................), Datuk Johari Baharum, Deputy Internal Security Minister for his stunning display of his linguistic and religious ignorance in saying the following :

"Only Muslims can use the word Allah"

"Allah" is a Muslim word"

"It’s from Arabic (language)"

"We cannot let other religions use it because it will confuse people"

"We cannot allow this use of Allah in non-Muslim publications, nobody except Muslims"

"The word Allah’ is published by the Catholics. It’s not right."

"The word ‘Allah’ can only be used in the context of Islam and not any other religion"

Our Datuk Johari said those during the debacle surrounding the usage of Allah in the BM version of The Herald, a publication of the Catholic Church in Malaysia now risking its licence to be revoked by the KDN.

Points to ponder:

1. Arabic language was used in the middle east region before Islam widespread as the religion.

2. Arabian (Arab people) does not mean Muslim as Muslim does not mean Arabian as there are Chinese Muslims, Indian Muslims etc. Equating religion to a race or cultural root is never done anywhere in the world except in Malaysia.

3. Allah means God in Arabic language where Arabian Christians (if you are confused, relook point no. 2 above) used in their Arabic version of the Bible.

read more about it here.

also read an enlightening piece by Farish A. Noor, "Do Malaysian Muslims understand what 'Allah' means?"

More points to ponder:

1. I am sure now some of my readers (well..the one-hand countable lot....), especially those younger generations like me, churned out by the politicised education systems of our country will be surprised to learn some of the revelations above. What this shows us? How "enlightening" and "effective" the system are!!!

2. How desperate some of the politicians now trying to make an impact to their rakyat to remember them as the election (or erection as Zam said it.....I'm sorry as I can't stop making reference to this silliness of our politicians) is getting nearer and nearer.

3. This is formulaic as it happened before when the Bible in Iban language was banned a few years back due to the same usage of the word though the ban was lifted after objections from the Christian community.