Catholic Paper
Defies Malaysian Ban
On Using "Allah"
1-20-09
2:49 AM EST
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP)--A Catholic newspaper in Malaysia has defied a ban on using the word "Allah" as a translation for "God", in a row with the government which has threatened to close the weekly publication.
The editor of the Herald newspaper, Father Lawrence Andrew, said this week's edition uses the banned word and that he intends to continue doing so until the courts rule on the issue next month.
"We find this restriction on the use of 'Allah' unacceptable when we have been using it as a translation for 'God' for centuries in Malaysia," he said.
Authorities have said the word should only be used by Muslims.
The government last month ordered a ban on the Herald's Malay edition until the court makes its decision, as part of conditions for it to be allowed to continue printing its editions in English, Chinese and Tamil.
But after the newspaper warned it would take legal action to overturn the ban, the home ministry backed down and said it could continue publishing as long as it did not use the disputed translation.
"Munshi Abdullah, the father of modern Malay literature, translated the Bible into Malay in 1852 and he also translated 'God' as 'Allah' so there is strong historical proof of what we have been using for centuries," said Andrew.
The Herald, circulated among the country's 850,000 Catholics, nearly lost its publishing license last year for using the disputed word.
Religion and language are sensitive issues in Malaysia where 60% of the nation's 27 million people are Muslim Malays.
The rest of the population takes in indigenous tribes as well as ethnic Chinese and Indians, variously practicing Buddhism, Christianity and Hinduism among others.
Minority groups complain of increasing "Islamization" of the country and say their rights are being eroded.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
01-20-090249ET
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