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KUALA LUMPUR (AP) - A MALAYSIAN Christian is suing the government for allegedly violating her religious rights after airport officials seized Christian educational CDs that she brought from Indonesia, the woman's lawyer said.

Customs authorities in this Muslim-majority country confiscated eight CDs from Jill Ireland when she flew back to Kuala Lumpur on May 11 after a trip to Jakarta, her lawyer, Ms Annou Xavier, said late on Thursday.

The Home Ministry informed her in a letter that the CDs were seized mainly because their cover titles contained the word 'Allah', which is prohibited in non-Muslim religious material, Ms Xavier said.

Ireland wants the Kuala Lumpur High Court to issue a declaration allowing her to transport any religious material for her own personal use, Xavier said.

The court on Thursday scheduled Jan 30 for a preliminary hearing.

Government lawyer Suzana Atan declined to comment on details of the case, but noted that authorities have barred the use of the word 'Allah' except for Muslim publications.

Malaysia's constitution guarantees freedom of worship for non-Muslims, who make up more than one-third of the country's 27 million people.

However, minority Buddhists, Christians and Hindus have increasingly voiced allegations of religious discrimination due to incidents in recent years such as the occasional demolition of Hindu temples by state authorities.

The government last year ruled that non-Muslims cannot use the word 'Allah,' an Arabic word that is a synonym for 'God' in Malaysia's national language.

The ban has sparked criticism by Christians who use it to refer to God in their Malay-language Bible and other publications. A Malaysian church and Christian weekly newspaper have launched court actions to challenge the ban.

Government officials have expressed concerns that using 'Allah' in Christian literature could confuse Malaysia's Muslims and draw them to Christianity. -- AP

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written by binarytan, November 28, 2008 13:10:55

Just make sure you are not detained under ISA for suing government.

It must then be hard work of Jakim, Fatwa or even the future PAS.

Bunch of useless organization, wasting tax payers' money.

Deal with crime, they are not good, deal with religion issue, grade AAA.

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written by smeagrooo, November 28, 2008 13:29:36

why must Msian Muslims always be made to look upon as one who cant think for themselves?

If both sides uses "Allah", why must it be the Muslims be confused and will "cross-over"? WHy cant Christians be confused and they "cross-over" to Islam instead?

Anyone who can enlighten me?

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written by ylcc, November 28, 2008 13:39:11

Does "religious tolerance" exists in Malaysia!

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written by Tompios, November 28, 2008 13:41:01

Why? Because In Malaysia Islam is belong to Melayu. The Word Allah prerogative belong to Melayu alone. Outside of Malaysia you can use Allah as wish as you can but not in Malaysia. Allah is a official name of Melayu's god.

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written by FuLinYu, November 28, 2008 13:43:51

why must Msian Muslims always be made to look upon as one who cant think for themselves?

Why are Muslims' sensitivity so importantly touted, whilst the sensitivity of others are brushed aside - ignored?

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written by rizzku, November 28, 2008 13:45:02

Malaysia's constitution guarantees freedom of worship for non-Muslims, who make up more than one-third of the country's 27 million people.

What about guarantees for freedom of worship for the muslim as well?

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written by michael chick, November 28, 2008 13:56:44

And what does the word Tuhan mean then ???

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written by michael chick, November 28, 2008 14:10:49

Is this next?

This is a Hindu beaten by Muslims...

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written by michael chick, November 28, 2008 14:17:06

Taken from:
http://www.zimbio.com/Salman R...ive Islam

In the first four versions of the Koran - Sura 53:19 stated that Muhammad worshipped his father Abdullah's three Goddesses or Cranes (Allat, Manat and al-Uzza) - but in later times it was claimed that Muhammad was tempted by Satan - hence the name for the verse [Sura 53:19] the Satanic Verse. But the moderated verse that appears in the Koran of today - doesn't belie the real significance of the Goddesses – the Cranes were Allah's Daughters - the Trinity or Desert Goddesses of the Kaaba - Kaaba was the name of the pre-Islamic religion of Arabia - where Muhammad's family the Quraysh were keepers of the Kaaba/ stone or cube for 700 years before Islam - to appease the Quraysh Muhammad bowed down and prayed to the Goddesses - speaking glowingly of them in Sura 53:19-20. For this reason it was deemed a Satanic Verse and was abrogated or altered - to reflect the one God religion that is Islam today. There is No God But Allah came directly out of Mohammad erasing his father’s Gods - (and the other 360 Kaaba Gods) - to create a One God religion out of the chief or supreme God of the Kaaba - Allah.

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written by michael chick, November 28, 2008 14:24:34

Taken from:
http://www.answer-islam.org/ElahhisntAllah2.html

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written by MalaysiaBaru, November 28, 2008 14:25:43

written by michael chick, November 28, 2008 13:56:44

And what does the word Tuhan mean then ???

Michael Chick,

Depends on who is using them. For the component parties MCA, MIC,KEY, Gerakan, it means Tuhan UMNO. When Najis takes over as the head of "Ketuhanan Melayu". All usage of the word Tuhan will be prohibited except for Tuhan UMNO. There shall be no other Tuhan except Tuhan UMNO

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written by michael chick, November 28, 2008 14:39:56

Here. Read what else has to be said about Allah:
http://www.dhushara.com/book/orsin/orsin3.htm

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written by Malaysiaputra, November 28, 2008 15:19:20

Government officials have expressed concerns that using 'Allah' in Christian literature could confuse Malaysia's Muslims and draw them to Christianity. -

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It is the Jakim people with their weak faith that is claiming that the majority of the Malay Muslim are weak in their faith and it is an allusion that if the muslims were to learn about Christianity, whey will leave (apostate)in droves like swarms of locus ?.

With such an attitute do these people in Jakim and the home ministry believe that they are God's appointed guardian of the faith in Malaysia next in line only to the angels ?

As a result of their own weak faith, others have to suffer.

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written by Liberace, November 28, 2008 15:35:18

(ăl'ə, ä'lə) , [Arab.,=the God]. Derived from an old Semitic root refering to the Divine and used in the Canaanite El, the Mesopotamian ilu, and the biblical Elohim, the word Allah is used by all Arabic-speaking Muslims, Christians, Jews, and others. Allah, as a deity, was probably known in pre-Islamic Arabia. Arabic chronicles suggest a pre-Islamic recognition of Allah as a supreme God, with the three goddesses al-Lat, al-Uzza, and Manat as his “daughters.” The Prophet Muhammad, declaring Allah the God of Abraham, demanded a return to a strict monotheism. Islam supplements Allah as the name of God with the 99 most beautiful names (asma Allah al-husna), understood as nondescriptive mnemonic guides to the Divine attributes - Columbia Encyclopedia.

Get a life, Syed Hamid! Muslims do not own the word and you couldn't stop Christians from using it if you created 100 laws to ban them from doing so. What God need you miserable fool to defend Him?

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written by avicenna, November 28, 2008 15:42:53

I like the first comment. PAS gets blamed for everything, don't they...)

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written by shamadz72, November 28, 2008 16:38:30

written by avicenna, November 28, 2008 15:42:53

I like the first comment. PAS gets blamed for everything, don't they...

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And thanks to Malays & Islamic bashing, it doesn't surprise me a bit to see less and less Malays or Muslims venturing into this website

If Najib calls a snap election when he take over the power, it will be really interesting to see whether we can repeat the Mac 08 fate. Based on what I heard from grassroots, we might going to see more Malay voters to rally behind UMNO if all of us (PR Supporters) do not tone down this Islamic or Malay bashing. I know my comment here will be voted down but if any of us can clearly think carefully. What really important is not what happened here but the real votes it might translate come next election.

(A friendly advice from PAS and PR supporters who has go to campaign for DAP candidates in my constituent)

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written by esac, November 28, 2008 17:06:23

A classic case of "nothing to play" and "playing with nothing". And everything void between the two ears. The 'wise' has indeed become 'scump'. What has become of modern civilization? esp Malaysia?

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written by lynn, November 28, 2008 17:07:19

shamadz72

let's hope u belong to a very small minority.. it's ppl like you, emotional, irrational and ultra over-sensitive that results in Malaysia where it is today. the non-malays have endured far far worse and most of us are very okay with malays. we don't blame u ppl, it's the bad govt we blame.
so don't go threatening us... that u will run back to umno. stupid

I say keep religion out of govt. and aim to install a govt who is clean, fair, efficient - which the current govt is not.

if u make good your threat, i said, go ahead. your future generations will suffer under a corrupt govt. bcos of your upside-down ranking of priorities!

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written by alpha100, November 28, 2008 17:26:02

Wah, masaalah besar! Looks like Malaysian Goverment against the whole world for using the word "Allah!" I guess, its our govt since the ban on use orignate from our PM's dept. Hope I am right! Malaysia Boleh!

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written by Qcumber, November 28, 2008 18:25:18

If both sides uses "Allah", why must it be the Muslims be confused and will "cross-over"? WHy cant Christians be confused and they "cross-over" to Islam instead?

You dunno meh? Muslims in our country is the most confusing lot, they sure crosss over one. Thats why they need JAKIM to stand guard on them. and I tot the followers of confucious are the confused one.

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written by Old Man, November 28, 2008 19:51:04

If my old memory does not fail me, Hamid had said, "It's dangerous to mixed religion with politics" while MM had said, "We say one thing but always do the opposite!" Any difference?
Whatever one does, RESPECT is the keyword.

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written by InEffective, November 28, 2008 21:56:37

cowards hiding under the skirts of religion exercising illegitimate authority.

come on Mr Coward, show your face....we would all like to meet you...
( and help show our children the definition of a coward )

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written by wannabepatriotic, November 29, 2008 01:45:39

er.. is this the same Malaysia that claimed to have invented rasa sayang and our malula moon as well? wakaka. Only in Malaysia can the idiotic Government copyright words, sue youtube, ISA to protect, etc...

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written by temanmu, November 29, 2008 01:46:02

UMNO Muslims don't know their God ... they only worship Money!

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