Muhyiddin when delivering a speech in a conjunction of Christmas Day. — Bernama photo
KUCHING (April 2): The federal government will leave it to the appellate court to decide on its appeal against a High Court decision that allowed the use of the word ‘Allah’ by non-Muslims, said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
“The appeal is on, so let’s wait for whatever the result. I wouldn’t want to express my personal feelings because it would be sub judice. The Attorney-General has appealed against that, and we leave it entirely to the court to decide,” he told reporters here after visiting a new building at the Sarawak General Hospital.
Muhyiddin asked to comment on calls by various quarters in Sarawak for the federal government to withdraw its appeal against the High Court ruling.
The High Court on March 10 ruled in the Jill Ireland case that the government’s ban in 1986 on the use of the word ‘Allah’ in Christian publications is unconstitutional and invalid.
On March 15, the Federal Government gave a notice that it would appeal against that High Court ruling.
On March 16, 53 parliamentarians, assemblymen and members of the Dewan Negara from both Sarawak and Sabah had in a joint statement urged the Federal Government to withdraw its appeal against the High Court’s ruling.
A majority of the elected representatives who signed the statement were from Sarawak at 23. They included members of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) and Democratic Action Party (DAP).
Asked to comment on Perikatan Nasional party PAS’s move to urge Islamic groups to support the federal government in the appeal, Muhyiddin said the party had done it to gain support from the Malays and Islamic parties.
“We need the support from all communities no matter who they are. The (PN) coalition represents all races and religions in the country, not just the Malays,” he said.
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