The Klang District Muslim Solidarity Secretariat will send a protest note to a church in Klang over a statement by Catholic weekly The Herald's editor, Father Lawrence Andrew.     

On Dec 27, Andrew was reported to have said that the Catholic church would continue to use the word 'Allah' despite the Selangor Islamic Religious Department's (Jais) intention to send a reminder against its use by non-Muslims.      

Norman Toha, the joint chairperson of the secretariat, a coalition of Muslim groups, said a protest note will be sent to the head pastor of the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes here, if Andrew does not withdraw his statement.     

He told a media conference in Klang today that Andrew must also apologise to Muslims and the sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah this Sunday as demanded by several groups that had lodged police reports against the pastor this week.     

Selangor Ikatan Kebajikan & Dakwah president ustaz Rosdi Long said Jais must monitor and ensure the enforcement of the Selangor government enactment that bans the use of the term 'Allah' by non-Muslims.     

'Christians politicising Allah use'    

In November, the sultan of Selangor decreed that the people in the state must obey the ban on the use of the word 'Allah' by non-Muslims as enshrined in Section 9 of the state's Non-Islamic religions (Restricting propagation among Muslims) Enactment 1988.     

He said the enforcement by Jais was necessary to ensure such issues were not prolonged and become a thorn in the flesh to unity and harmony.     

Norman, who is also Pertubuhan Jalur Tiga (Jati) secretary, said, prior to this, there were no problems between Muslims and Christians in Malaysia.     

However, he said it became an issue when some Christian leaders tried to drag religious issues into the current political scenario.     

- Bernama