your say'As a Roman Catholic Christian, I am totally against acts of vandalism or violence related to the use of ‘Allah' on places of worship, which are sacred grounds. For the alleged attack on the mosque, I strongly condemn it.'


Bottles thrown at Sarawak mosque

SRR: Like in all races and religions, there are the educated and not-so-educated, the intelligent and not-so-intelligent, the civilised and uncivilised. It's part of being human.

This act of throwing bottles at a mosque could be the work of some uneducated, unintelligent and uncivilised Christians, just like some uneducated, unintelligent and uncivilised Muslims went around burning churches.

Human beings need to think critically and embrace progress so that such acts do not occur... We also need to break the emotional attachments and strong sentiments to tradition and religion if peace is going to be attained any time soon.

Ruben Antony Soosay: As a Roman Catholic Christian, I am totally against acts of vandalism or violence related to the use of ‘Allah' on places of worship, which are sacred grounds. For the alleged attack on the mosque, I strongly condemn it and have been praying for all these unnecessary acts to stop.

I am a proud Christian and a patriotic Malaysian. I love my country and, despite what is happening, will continue to live and die in this beautiful country of ours. I blame it all on the people of our ruling government, who puts their own agenda over that of the people.

Thomas Foo: The act of vandalism on the mosque must be condemned at all cost. Whoever you are, whatever religion you profess, you have done a heinous crime against the Almighty, similar to the arsonists who fire-bombed the churches and stoned the Sikh temple.

Multi Racial: Dear Malaysians, regardless of your religion, we are peace-loving people. Let's not allow a few irresponsible people to destroy this peace. Please refrain from any violence, for it will not solve anything.

This problem was created by some irresponsible politicians. Let's not play to their tune. Just remain calm and provide any information if you have any on those involved in the arson, regardless of their religion.

John Smith: The unambiguous teaching of the Holy Bible, known by all Christians and taught regularly, as regards all forms of persecution, is to love those who persecute you, to bless them, to pray for them, and to rejoice, for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are persecuted for the sake of Jesus. Indeed, it is preferable to be killed rather than repay evil for evil.

X'roy: This could well be a retaliatory attack by some Christians. The attacks on churches have taken place for too long and has been treated as if nothing wrong has happened by the police. One gets the feeling that only Umno Muslims in this country are entitled to be sensitive, while all other Muslims and Malaysians of other faiths must be sensitive to their sensitivities.

Kgan: Broken glass found on the outside wall of the mosque hardly constitute an act of vandalism or an attack on the mosque. It is just rubbish found outside the mosque, that's all. Are the police trying to stir things up?

Might!: This is what those ‘syaitans' want to create, chaos and unrest, so that Malaysia becomes the home for ‘syaitans' and terrorists. Be calm and don't fall into their trap!


Opposition to Nazri's 'East-West' solution

AF McLaren: The prime minister and the home minister are in Jeddah, while our deputy prime minister was in London. I'm wondering when and how this East-West solution was hatched. Or is de facto law minister Nazri Abdul Aziz now the de facto PM too?

Judge Doe: Are some politicians out to destroy the peace and harmony of this beloved nation, what with Nazri now acting like the voice of the Vatican by suggesting that Malay-speaking East Malaysian Christians have a different version of their Holy Book in reference to God from their peninsular counterparts?

Jbss: The proposed solution is Umno's knee-jerk reaction to tone down the anger of Sabahan and Sarawakian Christians. But the solution is simply not practicable.

Charles Chia: There are many Sabahan and Sarawakian Christians living here in Semenanjung. Are we to tell them to read and use only English Bibles despite that the majority of them do not understand English? As if we have don't have enough differences between us already that we now use religion to separate us and make us overly sensitive.

Lim Lye Seng: Separation of religion from the state is the only viable solution. People can believe and do what they wish and fight each other over it in the courts, while the government stays out unless a crime has been committed, e.g., arson, vandalism, assault, murder.

Lonestar: Why the East-West divide? God is omnipresent. God cannot be ‘Allah' in Sabah and Sarawak and someone else in the peninsula. Do try harder, BN, if you want to retain Sabah and Sarawak. Remember 1Malaysia!

Ismail Saleh: The government should acknowledge its mistakes in the handling of this issue and provide clear directions for better understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims. This will help to resolve the tensions that have been built up due to the bad decisions.

It is also very crucial that inter-faith dialogue be carried out as soon as possible. We should not allow a few religious extremists to destroy our beloved country.

Kama Mustaffa: Having lived and worked in Ireland for a long time, I know that many Christians also oppose the use of the word ‘Allah' to represent their God... The Pope doesn't use the word ‘Allah'.

Many predominantly Christian countries don't call Jesus as ‘Allah' because they know the clear difference between the two. If the Vatican themselves don't use the word ‘Allah', what right have they got to call Jesus ‘Allah'?

Clearly, Herald editor Lawrence Andrew made a unilateral decision... If he starts to call Jesus as ‘Allah' in countries like France, Ireland and Spain, he would be ‘crucified'.

Bunny: Father Lawrence believes that the cloth is his protection and elevates him. Now he shows his colours as the only Roman Catholic who fights for Christian use of the word ‘Allah'. Go to any Christian country in the world, and everybody will abhor the use of the word ‘Allah' by Christians. Even Jews would object.

Mamat: There they go again (Kama Mustaffa and Bunny) - both trying to confuse the issue, just as Umno and its mouthpiece, Utusan Malaysia, are doing.

No one is talking about Christians calling ‘Allah' in English or any other foreign language. East Malaysian Christians have been calling God ‘Allah' for centuries in Bahasa Malaysia or Bahasa Indonesia. That is the issue, so please stay on topic.


Allah row: Other M'sia upset with 'half-solution'

Bingo: Has anyone noticed that many of the peninsular states' anthems - Kedah, Selangor, Johor, to name a few - use the word ‘Allah'? Are non-Muslims allowed to sing them, then?

Watan: Fatwas are meant for Muslims only. Non-Muslims are not under the jurisdiction of the syariah laws.

Daniel Tan: I supposed now Umno is worried that Sabah and Sarawak as its ‘fixed deposit' is no longer fixed any more. Or, should I say, there is a run in the bank.

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