CONFERENCE OF RULERS' DECISION ON 'ALLAH ISSUE' TO BE ADOPTED AS FINAL POLICY - PM ANWAR

KUALA LUMPUR, June 7 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that whatever decision made at the Conference of Rulers’ meeting slated to be held in October will be adopted as a final policy for the issue relating to the use of the word ‘Allah’ by non-Muslims in Malaysia.

In a statement issued after his audience with the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, who is the chairman of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs (MKI) today, Anwar said the Sultan had also agreed to bring up the issue in the MKI meeting in August before it is brought up for further discussion in the Conference of Rulers meeting.

During the audience, Anwar said he also briefed the Sultan on the issue concerning the government’s decision in Jill Ireland’s case.

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“I have also explained to the Sultan about the federal government's stance in respecting the law in each state and the position of the Malay Rulers as Head of Religion in determining matters related to Islam at the state level, and the role of the Conference of Rulers at the federal level.

“I respect the Sultan’s views, which are in line with the Cabinet’s decision made in May, that the issue concerning the use of the word ‘Allah’ by non-Muslims in Sabah and Sarawak should be scrutinised and clarified to the MKI which has the role of advising the Conference of Rulers,” he said.

Anwar said during the audience, he also reaffirmed the federal government's stance to ratify and adopt the existing policy that the word ‘Allah’ can only be used by Muslims in the peninsula and with restrictions for non-Muslims in Sabah and Sarawak.

-- BERNAMA