KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today expressed his disappointment over the government's decision to withdraw the appeal over the High Court's ruling which allows non-Muslims to use the word Allah.
Muhyiddin said the case involved Muslim sensitivity and should be decided through a legal process in the court.
He added that it was only appropriate for the government to amend the law to ensure the purpose is enforced if the court decision after the appeal was still not in favour of the government.
"I am disappointed with the decision made by the Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional government. By right, the case should have been decided based on the legal process in the court before any decision is made by the government.
"It is only appropriate for the government to amend the law to ensure the purpose is enforced if the court decision after the appeal was still not in favour of the government.
"This is to guarantee that harmonious relations between multi-religious communities and public order in this country can be maintained," he said in a statement, today.
On April 18, a senior federal counsel representing the Home Ministry and the government filed the termination notice over the appeal against a High Court ruling on Jill Ireland, a Christian woman from Sarawak to use the word Allah and three other words for teaching purposes.
The other words are kaabah, solat and baitullah.
On March 21, 2021, Court of Appeal judge Datuk Nor Bee Ariffin, sitting as a High Court judge, made the ruling after a 13-year-long legal battle between the government and Ireland.
Meanwhile, Muhyiddin who is also the former Home Ministry said it was also PH's view that the case must be decided by the courts through the legal process when it was in administration.
He added that the ministry's main justification during the time was that the spreading of the word Allah in Christians flyers could cause anxiety among the Muslim community, adding that it could threaten national security and public order in the country.
The Perikatan Nasional chairman also said the decision to file the appeal was in accordance with the Selangor and Johor Sultans' wishes.
"We need to remember that the King is the head of Islam in the federal territories while the Malay rulers are the head in their respective states. Hence, the government must respect the order of the Malay Kings in this regard."
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