There is nothing wrong in Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng saying that non-Muslims can use the word ‘Allah’, said opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim today.

“He's absolutely right, there is a compelling reason to support the position he takes,” he said.

Anwar explained that world renowned religious leaders such as Dr Sheikh Yusof Qardawi have expressed their openness in allowing non-Muslims to use the word 'Allah'.

“I defend his right to speak out, as I have said the similar things,” he said when met outside the courtroom over his RM100 million defamation suit brought against Foreign Minister Anifah Aman.

It was reported that Penang police will probe Lim (left) following a report lodged against him.

The Penang CM was quoted as saying that the prohibition on the use of the ‘Allah’ word as spelt out in the Penang Islamic Administration Enactment 2004 was not applicable to non-Muslims as the enactment's enforcement was only for Muslims.

“It is not fair to insinuate that Guan Eng is disrespecting Islam,” asserted Anwar.

Utusan slammed for 'cheap' shot

The opposition leader also slammed Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia for its "cheap political gimmick" of stirring up an issue with him having read the Bible while he was serving his jail sentence for abuse of power.

Anwar asked why Utusan did not take issue when he as former deputy prime minister had organised a conference on Islam and Confucianism.

“I have been active (in interfaith dialogues) since being Abim president, where I have held dialogues in churches,” he told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur court.

Anwar added he does not read Utusan and does not consider the paper seriously.

“There are a host of slander cases brought to court against Utusan, where it has lost in a series of lawsuits,” he said.

Utusan picked on Anwar who at a Selangor state Christmas day function last Saturday told the audience that besides reading the Quran, he also read the Bible every other day when he was in prison from 1998 to 2004.

The PKR de-facto leader said it is an international embarrassment that Bibles could be seized by the religious authorities.

The Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) raided the Bible Society of Malaysia in January and confiscated over 300 copies of the Malay and Iban Bible.

They had refused to return them despite the attorney-general having concluded that there was no case and recommending the confiscated items' release.

The authorities, citing the state enactment, claim that the word 'Allah' is exclusive to Muslims.