Allah in bible not misprint, Christians tell minister

5:33PM Jul 20, 2013 The occurrence of the word Allah in the Malay bible is not an error, and a ministers claim that it was alright to call for its burning as such was offensive and unacceptable, said a Christian group. It is offensive and unacceptable for the honourable minister to attempt to justify the call by Ibrahim Ali to burn our holy scripture by saying that our holy scripture contains errors in printing. The use of the word Allah in the Al-Kitab is not and has never been an error of printing as claimed by the minister. Such a suggestion is insensitive, insulting and inflammatory. We reiterate that it is the express right of the Christian community to use the word, said reverend Eu Hong Seng, chairperson of the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM). He was responding to Minister of Urban Well-being, Housing and Local GovernmentAbdul Rahman Dahlan saying Ibrahims call to burn the bible could not be compared with the acts of the blogger couple Alvivi in allegedly insulting Islam.

Burning bibles more dignified than throwing them, minister explains

BY CLARA CHOOI ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR July 20, 2013

PETALING JAYA, July 20 Islam prescribes burning as a more dignified way to dispose of a holy item, Umno minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said today as he clarified his defence of Datuk Ibrahim Alis suggestion to torch bibles earlier this year. Abdul Rahman pointed out here that simply chucking the books into a dustbin was akin to desecrating the holy scriptures unlike a private burning, which he described as more respectful. But absolutely... if any Muslim or any person goes around forcefully confiscating bibles from Christians, piling them up in the middle of town and then burning it... then he should of course be served a jail sentence. There is no question about that, he told The Malay Mail Online. Abdul Rahman found himself the target of criticisms from opposition leaders today over his recent defence of Ibrahim, the Malay rights leader who created a storm of controversy earlier this year when he suggested burning Malay-language bibles using the word Allah.

The Kota Belud MP allegedly defended Ibrahims call on Thursday when he was asked to comment on criticisms against the swift prosecution of sex blogger duo Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee and the authorities alleged refusal to charge other prominent leaders like Ibrahim for similarly racist actions. In his response, Abdul Rahman had said both cases were like comparing apples and oranges, despite their racial nature. He explained that Perkasa chief Ibrahim had only suggested burning the holy books as they were misprinted to include Allah, the word in the centre of a protracted legal dispute between Muslims and Christians here. Ibrahim Ali had said if the book contains the word Allah, then it is a misprint. So he said people would have two choices if they were given the book, either to throw it away or to burn it. Burning it your backyard in a dignified manner... Muslims do that all the time. It is prescribed in our religion that the most dignified way of disposing old or misprinted Qurans is not by throwing them into the dustbin or a dumpsite. You burn them... because apart from that misprint, the rest of the book still has holy verses, he told The Malay Mail Online this afternoon. On Twitter yesterday and this afternoon, Abdul Rahman came under heavy attack from critics of his statement, particularly DAP lawmaker Tony Pua. The two lawmakers went at each others throats in a series of angry postings on the microblogging site, with Pua insisting that Abdul Rahmans remarks meant that he was defending the act of burning bibles. @mpkotabelud are all the bibles in KotaBelud misprinted sir? Are u calling your voters to burn all of them?, the Petaling Jaya Utara MP asked Abdul Rahman. @tonypua Your twisted mind implies that I ask Muslims go look for bibles and burn them indiscriminately. Wow, can you go any lower? the minister tweeted to Pua. Abdul Rahman told Pua to read his statement on the matter again, insisting that he had never condoned the arbitrary burning of bibles but had only explained Ibrahims reason for saying so and the context of the situation at the time. @mpkotabelud I read many times. You were being an apologist and making excuses on behalf of Ibrahim Ali, Pua replied. In a statement here, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng even labelled Abdul Rahman a closet racist for defending Ibrahim.

Bloggers Tan and Lee courted trouble for themselves again recently when they posted a mock Selamat Berbuka Puasa (breaking of fast) greeting on their Facebook page that showed them eating bak kut teh, and describing the soupy pork dish as wangi, enak, menyelerakan (fragrant, delicious, appetising). The picture also included a Halal logo, although the consumption of pork is forbidden to Muslims. They were charged with sedition in court on Thursday for the offensive act and were sent to jail pending the start of their trial after bail was denied. Despite agreeing that the duo should be punished for their actions, opposition lawmakers have been using the case as proof of bias by Putrajaya in failing to admonish other leaders for similarly racist actions. Earlier this year, Ibrahim reportedly suggested that Muslims burn the Malay-language Bibles containing the word Allah following reports that the holy books were being distributed to Muslims students at a school in Penang.

Guan Eng: Umno minister insulted Najib Cabinet by defending bible-burning call
BY SYED JAYMAL ZAHIID JULY 20, 2013

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng gesture during his speech. Picture by K.E. OoiKUALA LUMPUR, July 20 An Umno ministers defence of Datuk Ibrahim Alis extremist threat to burn Malay language bibles was an insult to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razaks Cabinet which also comprises non-Muslim members, DAP secretary general Lim Guan Eng said today. The Penang chief minister (picture) had also labeled Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan, the Urban Wellbeing, Housing And Local Government Minister, a closet racist for defending Putrajayas refusal to charge the president of right-wing Perkasa for making the threat.

Abdul Rahman was reported to have defended the Attorney Generals Chambers against accusations of bias when it failed to act against Ibrahim and fellow Perkasa member Zulkifli Noordin when he insulted the Hindu religion on the popular video sharing site YouTube, but was quick to punish sex bloggers Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee, collectively known as Alvivi, for their offensive Ramadan greetings. According to news portal Malaysiakini, Abdul Rahman had said it was wrong to compare the Alvivi issue to Ibrahims bible torching threat, arguing that it was the right thing to do and normal for Muslims to burn any texts with misprint, including the Quran. Firstly, Abdul Rahman has let Cabinet down by challenging his non-Muslim Cabinet colleagues to either resign or accept Abdul Rahmans open disrespect of their faiths by continuing to work with him, Lim said in a statement. The Penang Chief Minister also described Abdul Rahmans statement as a letdown to Malaysians and the non-Muslim voters who voted for him in Kota Belud in the last national polls. Secondly, he has let Malaysia down by showing that he wants to be a Minister only for Muslims and that he is not afraid of offending non-Muslims. Thirdly, letting down his non-Muslim supporters in Kota Belud who voted for him in the last general elections and hiding so well his disrespect for non-Muslims, he said. Tan and Lee, aged 25 and 24 respectively, had stirred up a hornets nest last week when they posted a mock Selamat Berbuka Puasa (breaking of fast) greeting on their Facebook page that showed them eating bak kut teh, and describing the soupy pork dish as wangi, enak, menyelerakan (fragrant, delicious, appetising). The picture also included a Halal logo, although the consumption of pork is forbidden to Muslims. They were hauled in for questioning by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) last week, released and picked up again by the police for displaying the picture deemed offensive to Muslims. But the swift action of the authorities towards the couples post barely a week ago drew Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers yesterday to note the contrasting lack of action towards Ibrahim and Zulkifli for videos in which he appeared to mock Hindus. Lim said while DAP supported action against the couple, the opposition party demands the same punishment be accorded to hardliners like Ibrahim and Zulkifli. There is no doubt that BN practices selective prosecution by only punishing anti-Muslim statements but not anti non-Muslim statements, he said. The Najib government has denied allegations that it accords special treatment to groups like Perkasa to avoid a backlash from its Malay powerbase.

However, the Penang chief minister said to prove its detractors wrong, Najibs non-Muslim Cabinet members must openly censure Rahman for his statement. - See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/guan-eng-umnominister-insulted-najib-cabinet-by-defending-bible-burningca#sthash.bVrl7w7V.dpuf

Appalled by Umno leaders stand on Allah issue, Christians ask Cabinet to enforce 10-point solution
BY V. ANBALAGAN, ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR July 20, 2013 Latest Update: July 20, 2013 05:26 pm Malaysia's largest Christian group wants Putrajaya to enforce an agreed 10-point solution on the usage of the Arabic word "Allah" by the community, saying today it was appalled by statements made by two Umno leaders on the matter. Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) chairman Rev Dr Eu Hong Seng said statements by Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir and Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan "were untenable and in flagrant disregard of the 10-point solution decided by the Cabinet in April 2011". "The use of the word Allah in the Al-Kitab is NOT and has NEVER been an error of printing as claimed by the Honourable Minister. Such a suggestion is insensitive, insulting and inflammatory. "We reiterate that it is the express right of the Christian community to use the word 'Allah'," Eu said in a statement today. "It is offensive and unacceptable for the Honourable Minister to attempt to justify the call by Ibrahim Ali to burn our Holy Scripture by saying that our Holy Scripture contains errors in printing," he added. Eu pointed out that the 10 points were specifically communicated to the CFM in a letter dated 11 April 2011 from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. The letter was enclosed in the statement. "It is offensive and unacceptable for the Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan to attempt to justify Ibrahim Ali's call to burn our Holy Scripture by saying that our Holy Scripture contains errors in printing," Eu said.

He said Mukhriz was reported to have forbidden non-Muslims from using the word Allah in his state as it is unconstitutional. "The Federal Constitution gives the right to every individual to profess and practise his religion and also gives every religious group the right to manage its own religious affairs," he added. Eu said the cabinet must honour and enforce all aspects of the 10-point solution and ensure it is followed all levels of government and authorities. "The rights guaranteed to all religious communities under the Federal Constitution must be respected in all states in our beloved country, including Kedah," he said. In the 10-point resolution, the cabinet, through its minister Datuk Seri Idris Jala, assured the sizeable Bumiputera Christian population in Sabah and Sarawak that they were free to bring in and use their bibles in Malay as well as in indigenous languages. The Court of Appeal will hear on August 22 the government's appeal to a High Court decision in 2009 that allowed the Catholic Church to use the word in its Bahasa Malaysia publications. The controversy was reignited this past week when Vatican City's first Apostolic Nuncio or ambassador to Malaysia, Archbishop Joseph Marino, voiced his support for the CFMs stand. He has since offered his apologies if his support to use the word had offended Malaysians. Several right-wing Malay Muslim groups have asked Putrajaya to expel the envoy for his remarks despite the apology. July 20, 2013.

Christians appalled by statements of MB, minister Rev. Dr Eu Hong Seng

July 20, 2013 The Christian community is appalled by the recent statements reportedly made by the Mentri Besar of Kedah and the Minister of Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government on the issue of the use of the word Allah in the Al-Kitab. Both statements are untenable and in flagrant disregard of the 10-point solution decided by the Federal Cabinet in April 2011. These 10 points were specifically communicated to the Christian Federation of Malaysia in a letter dated 11 April 2011 from the Prime Minister himself.

It is offensive and unacceptable for the honorable minister to attempt to justify the call by Ibrahim Ali to burn our Holy Scripture by saying that our Holy Scripture contains errors in printing. The use of the word Allah in the Al-Kitab is NOT and has NEVER been an error of printing as claimed by the minister. Such a suggestion is insensitive, insulting and inflammatory. We reiterate that it is the express right of the Christian community to use the word Allah. The Mentri Besar of Kedahs recent statement to forbid the nonMuslims from using the word Allah in his state is unconstitutional. The Federal Constitution in Article 11 (1) and (3) (a) gives the right to every individual to profess and practice his religion and at the same time it also gives every religious group the right to manage its own religious affairs. We call on the Federal Cabinet to honour and enforce all aspects of the 10-point solution; in particular, the Federal Government must ensure that the 10-point solution is abided by all levels of government and all relevant authorities. The rights guaranteed to all religious communities under the Federal Constitution must be respected in all states in our beloved country, including Kedah. July 20, 2013. Rev. Dr. Eu Hong Seng is the Chairman of the Christian Federation of Malaysia.

The Al-Kitab, Gods Word in Malay

Posted on July 20, 2013by weehingthong

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In the 10-point resolution, the cabinet, through its minister Datuk Seri Idris Jala, assured the sizeable Bumiputera Christian population in Sabah and Sarawak that they were free to bring in and use their bibles in Malay as well as in indigenous languages. The Court of Appeal will hear on August 22 the governments appeal to a High Court decision in 2009 that allowed the Catholic Church to use the word in its Bahasa Malaysia publications. NGOs allege BIAS on part of Attorney-General aka Mr No Further Action.. BIBLE BURNING: THREAT WITHDRAWN BY PERKASA Being Christian in Malaysia: ALWAYS Under Attack!

Rahman launches broadside against DAP MP

G Vinod | July 20, 2013

Housing and Local Government Minister takes to Twitter to explain defending Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali's call to burn Malay language bibles

PETALING JAYA: Housing and Local Government Minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan went on Twitter tirade against DAP MP Tony Pua today over reports that the former had defended Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali on the Malay bible-burning remark. YB ( Pua) , your ignorance of the issue is understandable but I must say your daily ritual to please your boss Lim Guan Eng is legendary, said Rahman in his tweet. Recently, Rahman had defended Ibrahims calls last year to burn Malay-language Bibles that contained the word Allah in it. Rahman said that Ibrahim made the statement just to correct the error of printing of the said Bibles. Burning them is the proper thing to do, just as Muslims burn copies of the Quran that have misprints in it, said the Kota Belud MP. Earlier today, Pua also defended Penang chief minister Lim Guan Engs move to offer houses to Kampung Buah Pala residents. However, Rahman said the state government made the offer only after public pressure, to which Pua replied: That is rich coming from someone who tried to justify Bible-burning. At this juncture, Rahman launched a broadside against the Petaling Jaya Utara MP, saying the latter was ignorant of the whole matter. Your twisted mind implies that I asked Muslims go look for bibles and burn them indiscriminately. Wow, can you go any lower? asked the Umno leader. Even Muslim burn the Quran But Pua defended his argument and accused Rahman of trying to justify the Bible-burning calls by calling others racist. The DAP MP even challenged Rahman to tell his constituents that Bibles with alleged printing error should be be burnt. Rahman told Pua that even Muslims burn the al-Quran under special circumstances.

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What does one do if he finds a holy book containing misprints? Throw it in the garbage bin where it will end up in dumpsite? Or do you perform dignified ritual of burning of it in private and spread the ashes into the sea? Burning of holy books in private shows respect and dignity because some of the pages may contain holy verses, he said. Pua then queried Rahman if the Bibles in Kota Belud are misprinted,would he then call on his voters to burn them all. Rahman replied: Enough with your moronic innuendoes!

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Al-Kitab 'printing error' only in the peninsula?

YOURSAY 'A book that is wrongly printed in peninsular Malaysia is at the same time considered correctly printed in East Malaysia. Umnoboleh.' Can't compare Ibrahim Ali with Alvivi, says minister Survivor: Get the facts right, Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government Minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan. The error in the Bible is the perception of Malays like Ibrahim Ali. By threatening the burning of the Bible is an insult to the Christians, especially those worshipping God in the Malay language. Your argument is lopsided. We are not defending the Alvivi couple. Neither should you be defending Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali. The act of both, whether it is Alvivi (bloggers Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee) or Ibrahim, hurts the feeling and offended the respective communities. What irks the public is the selective persecution, which is more heinous than the offence committed by Ibrahim Ali or Alvivi. Geronimo: Okay, Abdul Rahman, what about Perak mufti Harussani Zakaria for sending false text messages saying that a mass baptism of Muslims was taking place at the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes in Silibin, Perak. As a result a mob gathered outside the church. The event was actually 100 children receiving their first Holy Communion and not a baptism ceremony involving Muslims. Had it not for the timely intervention of the police, the mob could have gotten out of hand and people killed in the melee. The whole incident had traumatised everyone, especially the children, when the crowd started to act menacingly. Did the mufti apologise? No. All he did was to see the sultan, and he came out saying that the sultan was happy with his explanation. So Abdul Rahman, I look forward to you twisting this fact into something else. You people are sick, real sick and urgently need treatment. Ann: Since when was Ibrahim Ali appointed the authority on whether the Bibles are correctly printed? Who is he to correct "printing errors" in the Bible? FellowMalaysian: If Alvivi's actions are as inflammatory as to "cause friction among religions" as enthused by Rahman Dahlan, is he claiming that Ibrahim Ali's exhortation for the burning of the Al-Kitab will not incite religious animosity? Abdul Rahman's claim that Ibrahim Ali urged the burning of the Al-Kitab as there were printing errors. If it were true, shouldn't it be the duty of the Christian order to perform such sacred acts? What business does a non-Christian like Ibrahim Ali got to do with misprinted Al-Kitab? Invariably, without a doubt, it is regrettable to infer that Abdul Rahman's concern

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and attention is focused on the well-being of a distinct half of the population while leaving the other half frustrated, indignant and aghast wondering how a minister entrusted with duties of looking after their well-being has now just snarled at them. Anonymous #02382443: All Malaysian irrespective of race, religion or creek should have no sympathy for idiots who are a disgrace to themselves and all associated with them. They deserve the highest punishment prescribed. Don't compare them with others. Two wrong do not make a right. Anonymous #44199885: Would the minister sing the same tune if a person were to call for the burning of the Sikh, Hindu, Islam or other religious holy books and scriptures because they were wrongly printed? Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee did commit a wrong and should face the consequences of their action. It should be the same for Ibrahim Ali. Failing to take action against Ibrahim Ali sends the message that those connected to the ruling party need never worry about the consequences of committing crimes against the people and our country. This double standards undermines public confidence in BN and is a travesty of justice and violates the right of every Malaysian to be treated equally before the law. It is a good thing that Malaysians of all races, and in particular the Malays, see through this. SpongeBob: Today in Malaysia, arresting, charging and prosecuting is very much politically motivated and highly influenced by emotions of race and religion. Some are making much more seditious statement but no action has been taken, whereas for the one making a lesser degree of seditious statement, the process of prosecution is fast and immediate and with a heavy penalty. What kind of precedent are we setting? What has happened to all those who took the oath to enforce and administer the law fairly? Is the oath a farce? 2zzzxxx: Tell me, Abdul Rahman, what will happen if someone were to suggest the burning the Quran in public? Don't try sugarcoating Ibrahim Ali's call for the burning of bibles. Your government practises selective prosecution base on the person's race, religion and political leaning. Gods Messenger: I hope the authorities will realise that the fault was when no action was taken against Perkasa vice-president Zulkifli Noordin over his racist remarks on the Hindu gods, hence others took it for granted that no action would be taken subsequently. So do you now understand where the fault lies? Selective prosecution must end. Lim Chong Leong: A book that is wrongly printed in peninsular Malaysia is at the same time considered correctly printed in East Malaysia. Umno boleh.

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And the printing is done is Indonesia, the most populous Muslim country in the world. There, too, it is correctly printed. The minister of well-being is clearly only interested in Umno's well-being.

Yet another 'foot in the mouth' minister

YOURSAY 'Abdul Rahman Dahlan has accused that Christians have wrongly printed the Al-Kitab, thus has to be burned by Muslims. What an insulting statement.' Joker: Of course, we cannot compare Alvivi (Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee) with Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali. Alvivi insult and call people names. Ibrahim threatens and urges physical violence. Alvivi did it on Facebook, then apologised. Ibrahim did it through the mass media and blamed the same media for twisting his words. Alvivi are ordinary nobodies. Ibrahim was an elected representative and Umno pet attack goon. Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Abdul Rahman Dahlan, please remember Ramadan is a holy month for all Muslims. Pahala' (heavenly reward) is magnified whereas sins such as maligning and lying are severely frowned upon. We all know that the Bibles were not misprints. We all know what Ibrahim actually said and we all know you all are in it together as Umno is Perkasa and Perkasa is Umno. Your paramount leader Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is Perkasa patron, has decreed it as such. Changeagent: Abdul Rahman, you surely are loose with your facts. When was there ever "errors" of printing in the Bibles that Ibrahim Ali asked to burn? Just because Umno disapproves the use of certain words by other religions does not mean they are errors. Article 11(3) of the federal constitution does emphasise that every religious group has the right to manage their own religious affairs. On this basis, Ibrahim Ali is just as guilty as Alvivi in attacking other religions and threatening interfaith harmony. Bystander: Abdul Rahman, you came across to me now as a typical imbecile and yet could still be a minister. Who is Ibrahim Ali to decide that the Bible with the word Allah' be considered wrongly printed in the first place? He could foretell that the judges will decide based on his stupid acumen? Please stop defending Ibrahim Ali and try to vindicate the sin he has committed. Malaysia ABU: This really offended me as a Christian. The minister has accused that we Christians have wrongly printed our Al-Kitab (the Bible), thus has to be burned by Muslims. What an insulting statement. Toffeesturn: If Perkasa vice-president Zulkifli Nordin did no wrong, then Alvivi cannot have done wrong. The truth is both of them committed a wrong of equal magnitude, so when you

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arrest one to be charged, you must arrest the other. But the irony is that Zulkifli committed his wrong earlier, he should have been arrested much earlier. Is the police force Umno's puppets? Ablastine: The sad truth is that Ibrahim Ali and gang can do and say anything they like. No matter how offensive it is to everyone, nothing will happen to them. This is because they are part and parcel of the same mafia which is now occupying the seat of power in this country. There is one set of law for gang members and another set of law for the population in general. Obviously Malaysia will die a slow death with these parasites at the helm. Fair Play: Dear Minister, if you have read the comments of the rakyat (mostly nonMuslims), you would have noted that they condemned what Alvivi did. No right-thinking Malaysian would want to hurt the feelings of another Malaysian, especially from another community in matters connected with race and religion. So, you are merely comparing apples with oranges to justify the harsh action taken. All right-thinking Malaysians believe that Ibrahim Ali, as a politician, is a racist of the worst kind. If BN or more specifically Umno want to unite the rakyat, you should start first by according a more equitable treatment to all Malaysians, regardless of race and religion. Otherwise, the national reconciliation propounded by the PM is just one of many slogans that bear no real meaning to the rakyat, and national unity is but a pipe dream after more than 50 years as a nation. Ace: Sometimes it's strange how things turn out. Initially many of us were full of scorn and contempt for this Avivi couple because of their stupidity and clamour for publicity. But after learning of the great injustice that they faced in not being granted bail and after comparing the swift severe action taken against them vis-a-vis the deliberate inaction against some who had done far more severe provocation, our contempt has actually turned to pity. Double standards is the most contemptuous, evil and despicable thing that any government or organisation can practise. Joker: Although I do think Alvivi have been selectively punished, I do believe in Malaysia's context and from the duo's antics, Alvivi deserve to be punished. They were clearly seeking for attention. This is the month of Ramadan for crying out loud. Pious Muslims, like all religious followers, take their faith seriously and Ramadan is as serious as it gets to a Muslim. Even hypocritical Muslims would do their damnest to adhere to Islamic teachings during this month when it comes to fasting and praying. So for Alvivi's stupidity and tendency to play with fire, they deserved to be burnt'. What Malaysians generally object to is that other much bigger fire starters' were let off the hook with nothing but a wink and a wave.

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Jessy43: Poor logic, Abdul Rahman. It is not a typo error. It is not wrong facts. It is just a word that has been used by several cultures for a quite a long time and is still accepted by those in other countries.

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