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Maybe this is because of the huge pressure coming from civil societies and church communities, but the Government has finally allowed The Herald - a Catholic weekly newspaper to continue its publication on all languanges, including in Bahasa Malaysia.
The publisher of the newsletter received a letter from the Ministry of Internal Security that the paper can proceed its publication in four languages for the coming year. One thing which is unanswered is that the letter is just a normal approval letter without refering to whether the newsletter can be published in Bahasa Malaysia without dropping the word "Allah" when it is referring god.
Anyhow, I suppose the letter is good enough to explain that the Government has listened to reasons as raised in this blog and others incluidng arguments from the churches and Christian communities.
Please click "Google Ad" on top to support this blog. Thank you!
Maybe this is because of the huge pressure coming from civil societies and church communities, but the Government has finally allowed The Herald - a Catholic weekly newspaper to continue its publication on all languanges, including in Bahasa Malaysia.
The publisher of the newsletter received a letter from the Ministry of Internal Security that the paper can proceed its publication in four languages for the coming year. One thing which is unanswered is that the letter is just a normal approval letter without refering to whether the newsletter can be published in Bahasa Malaysia without dropping the word "Allah" when it is referring god.
Anyhow, I suppose the letter is good enough to explain that the Government has listened to reasons as raised in this blog and others incluidng arguments from the churches and Christian communities.
Below is a write-up from the Star dated 31st December 2007:
Herald can print in Bahasa
By ELIZABETH LOOI
PETALING JAYA: The publisher of Herald - The Catholic Weekly newspaper has been allowed to continue printing its Bahasa Malaysia section with no restrictions on the use of the word Allah for God.
The permit for the 13-year-old paper expires today.
The editor, Father Lawrence Andrew, said a representative from the Internal Security Ministry delivered a letter containing the permit to print the paper, dated Dec 28, by hand at 10am yesterday.
“This letter places no restrictions whatsoever and includes the permit for all the languages, including the Bahasa Malaysia segment.
“We thank the Government for this gesture of goodwill in renewing Herald’s printing permit and restoring its right to publish in all languages without any conditions.
“We also thank (Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department) Tan Sri Bernard Dompok for his assistance, as well as the various news agencies and other media groups for supporting us with their wide coverage,” Father Lawrence said in a statement.
The paper carries reports, in English, Bahasa Malaysia, Tamil and Chinese, about the Catholic community. It has a circulation of 12,000.
The ministry had earlier issued directives to the publisher to cease the use of Allah in the weekly, failing which its permit would either be suspended or revoked.
The publisher then filed a writ of summons and statement of claim in the Kuala Lumpur High Court to seek appropriate declarations of the use of Allah on Dec 5.
Father Lawrence later said the letter did not specify anything, adding that it was the usual approval letter for printing permit.
“But with the letter, I’m certain that we can continue with the publication as well as the use of the word Allah,” he said.
He, however, said he did not want to speculate on whether the publisher would withdraw the writ of summons.
Dompok said he brought the matter to the attention of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi a few days before Christmas and the latter promised to look into it.
“I think the permit is good news and the Government has given the Christian community a wonderful Christmas present.
“The community will certainly be happy to know that the Government is looking into their welfare and that the Government is interested in all the races,” said Dompok.
National Evangelical Christian Fellowship secretary-general Wong Kim Kong welcomed the Government’s approval of the permit.
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