FOUR MORE STATES TO GAZETTE ON USE OF WORD "ALLAH"

KUALA LUMPUR, March 10 (Bernama) -- Four states which have not gazetted the
prohibition on the use of the words, "Allah", "Solat", "Kaabah" and "Baitullah",
in any non-Muslim publication in the country, will do so soon.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the
gazetting would be made in accordance with the guidelines issued by the
Conference of Malay Rulers as the four states, Penang, Federal Territory, Sabah
and Sarawak did not have a sultan or royal ruler.

"They come under the jurisdiction of the Malaysian Supreme King (in respect
of Islamic religious matters) as they do not have a ruler," he told reporters
after a Maulidur Rasul 1430 Hijrah/2009 celebration, here, Monday.

Prior to this, Dr Abdullah Md Zin, the religious adviser to the prime
minister, was quoted as saying that the respective state Islamic religious
councils could take action against those who used the words, "Allah", "Solat",
"Kaabah" and "Baitullah" in non-Muslim publications.

The decision on this was made by the National Fatwa Council as its
consultative meeting and had been gazetted in 10 states except Penang, Federal
Territory, Sabah and Sarawak.

The use of the words became an issue among Muslims after the local Catholic
weekly, The Herald, used the word "Allah" is its Bahasa Malaysia edition.

Ahmad Zahid, when winding up the debate on the royal address in Parliament
last Thursday, said although the government, 10 state Islamic religious councils
and the Malaysian Chinese Muslim Association had applied for their case for the
ban to be referred to the Federal Court as it involved the Federal Constitution,
10 states had already gazetted the decision made by the National Fatwa Council
on the ban.

He said the decision of the 10 states was made under the Control and
Restriction of the Propagation of Non-Islamic Religions Enactment.
-- BERNAMA