KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 4 — Amid public backlash, Selangor Umno chief Datuk Seri Noh Omar has cancelled a planned demonstration outside a Klang church tomorrow but warned that other Muslim groups are likely to hold gatherings to protest the Christian use of the word “Allah”.

On the heels of the politician's announcement, a group affiliated to the political party, the Klang Muslims Solidarity Secretariat, confirmed they will proceed with their rally against Christians.

“We do not support anyone who take part in protests in front places of worships as we, Selangor Umno, is only dissatisfied with Father Lawrence Andrew,” Noh was quoted by The Star Online news portal today, referring to priest and editor of Catholic weekly, Herald.

On January 1, Selangor Umno threatened to stage protests outside churches in the state unless Andrew apologised for purportedly insisting Christians have a right to also call their God by the Arabic word, which many Malaysian Muslims have been taught to be exclusive to their religion.

The move was supported by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who said that the local chapter of the political party was acting in accordance with a royal decree banning the word “Allah” to non-Muslims.

The day after, a coalition of Malay-Muslim groups announced that a rally will be held at the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes in Klang on Sunday morning over the insistence of Christians in the state to use the word ‘Allah’.

The coalition calling themselves the Klang Muslims Solidarity Secretariat blamed church leaders for sparking the current row over the Arabic word and threatened an “uprising” if their demand for non-Muslims to cease using “Allah” was not met.

Its chairman Mohd Khairi claimed today that the coalition had never planned to demonstrate on the church's compound, and had all along planned to gather at another nearby location.

“We are looking at another venue for the gathering. We have been advised that the original venue was too close to the church,” Mohd Khairi, who is also the Kapar Umno religious bureau chief, told The Malay Mail Online when contacted.

The rally is expected to draw Muslims from around the Klang area, and participants were originally planned to gather at 9am before marching towards the 85-year-old Catholic church to deliver a memorandum expressing their dissatisfaction.

The Klang church announced on Thursday that it will continue its services on Sunday.

Parish priest Father Michael Chua asked parishioners to remain calm and avoid any confrontation with the protesters.

The South Klang police had since assured the public that it will be providing protection towards the church and patrol the area surrounding it on Sunday.

The Malay-Muslim coalition had previously suggested that another protest organised by Gombak Umno will be happening simultaneously at the Metro Tabernacle Church in Taman Samudera, Gombak on Sunday, followed by similar protests around Selangor in the days after.

Among the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the coalition are Jalur Tiga Malaysia (Jati), Selangor Perkasa, Klang Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma), and Pertubuhan Ikatan Kebajikan dan Dakwah Selangor (IKDDAS).