GEORGE TOWN, June 24 — The narrow Federal Court majority rejecting a Christian paper’s bid to challenge a lower court decision banning it from using the word ‘Allah’ indicates that a serious issue has gone unheard, according to a Christian lawyers group.
Catholic Lawyers’ Society Kuala Lumpur president Viola De Cruz said there are serious issues in the six-year-long case that the Federal Court should have taken up at a full hearing.
“By not granting leave, the Federal Court missed an opportunity to interpret Article 11 (1) and (3) of the Federal Constitution with respect to the rights of non-Muslim communities in Malaysia to practice their religion,” De Cruz said.
In a 4-to-3 majority, the Federal Court’s decided yesterday that Catholic paper, Herald, has no grounds to appeal a lower court decision preventing it from using the word “Allah” to refer to God.
The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) president Jagir Singh also echoed disappointment over the decision, especially when there are many legal issues pertaining to the case that should be heard in Federal Court.
“By dismissing this application, they are effectively shutting out all avenues for the Herald and possibly for other similar cases too,” he added.
He said MCCBCHST would have to set a meeting to discuss the decision and consider the next course of action.
“We need to see if we have any other options to take after this disappointing decision,” he said.
