‘Pakatan must make stand on Allah issue’

PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Rakyat’s failure to address the Allah issue in relation to the recent raid conducted by Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) at the office of Bible Society of Malaysia on Jan 2 has received a grim reaction from former law minister Zaid Ibrahim.

In his latest blog posting, the former Umno man condemned PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim for failing to show leadership quality while it was urgently required.

On the other hand he congratulated two Selangor state assemblymen Yeo Bee Yin and Lau Weng San for “courageously” suggesting the repealing of Selangor Non-Islamic Religious Enactment 1988.

“I am disappointed that Anwar has once again failed to show leadership and if the Barisan Nasional’s head honcho is unwilling to offer a solution, then the people expect the leader of the Opposition to show he is made of sterner stuff. It’s disappointing that both Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Anwar are the only choices we have,” he said.

“But I hope it’s still not too late for me to offer my congratulations to the Selangor state assemblymen. Both made a sensible and courageous suggestion to resolve the Allah issue,” Zaid said.

The former Kita president then suggested that Pakatan could only lead the country if it was brave enough to offer solutions on sensitive issues and to take on Umno on these issues if they wish to grow stronger.

“It’s time Pakatan showed their resolve and conviction by presenting to the country ways of resolving the Allah issue in a practical manner. It’s time they show they are made differently from Umno.”

“Pakatan can only lead if it is brave enough to offer solutions to the difficult religious and ethnic issues that Umno seems adept at creating.”

Get Dr Asri to speak

The 62-year-old politician then proposed the opposition coalition to invite outspoken religious scholar Dr Asri Zainal Abidin to join the alliance as he described the former Perlis mufti as a person who has no difficulty in countering Umno’s propaganda.

“Anyone reading the writings of Dr Asri and other progressive writers would realise that Islam’s teachings are much wider and deeper in meaning than those dished out by the ethno-religious department of Umno.

“But unless PAS and Anwar are prepared to climb the mountain of faith and present the pristine Islam to the Muslims of this country, then we have no hope for democracy and the rule of law,” he added.

In the Jais raid, the religious department’s officers, accompanied by policemen, seized more than 300 copies of Malay and Iban translations of the bible. They also detained BSM president Lee Min Choon and office manager Sinclair Wong.

Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said last week that he would direct Jais to return the bibles to BSM if they fulfill conditions set in the 10-point solution to the controversy over Malay translations of the bible.

The solution also allows Malay bibles to be printed or brought into Peninsular Malaysia as long as they bear the symbol of the cross and the words “Christian publication” on the cover.