In another case of the religious over-sensitivity of Malaysia, The Star Online reported that the High Court here has fixed Jan 12 to hear the case of Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill, who is challenging the Home Ministry’s decision to confiscate eight compact discs of Christian religious teachings containing the word “Allah”.

Justice Alizatul Khair Osman set the date in chambers after the case was called for mention yesterday. In May, this year, the High Court granted Jill leave to initiate judicial review proceedings to seek reliefs from the court. She sought to quash the ministry’s decision to confiscate the CDs and a declaration that she had the right to possess, use and import publications containing the word “Allah”.

Representing her was counsel Annou Xavier, while senior federal counsel Suzanna Atan was counsel for the ministry and the Govern­ment. The ministry seized the CDs under Section 9 (1) of the Printing Presses And Publications Act when Jill, a clerk, disembarked at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal in Sepang on May 11, last year,

The CDs containing titles including “Cara Menggunakan Kunci Kerajaan Allah, Cara Hidup Dalam Kerajaan Allah and Ibadah Yang Benar Dalam Kerajaan Allah” were brought in from Indonesia. Jill, a Melanau of the Christian faith, claimed that she used the word “Allah” in her prayers, worship and religious education.

She said she used both Bahasa Malaysia and the Bahasa Indonesia Alkitab which used the word “Allah”. She also claimed she had received a letter dated July 7 last year from the ministry outlining the reasons for the confiscation including that it was a threat to security, that it used prohibited words and that it was a breach of Jakim guidelines. First of all, the teachings are about peace, never about war and harm upon others. If they have laid “claim” the word, they should be happy that it’s used for peace, not disunity.

What’s most ridiculous about this is that, the usage of the word has been used for so many decades throughout the country, why the sudden sensitivity and paranoia towards a simple word that is not only universal, but used to help as translation for the non-English-speaking people of the faith of Christianity? This is a multi-racial and multi-cultural country, NOT a complete Muslim country…they should realize that important fact in the history of this country, before condemning others who supposedly misused a word that is universal, not owned. This fanaticism may become the country’s downfall in the long run and the world would see us as a nation of religious tyranny against the minority faiths and races.