KUALA LUMPUR: The draft of a new administrative order on the use of the word "Allah" will be presented to the Conference of Rulers soon, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
The Home Minister said a total of five engagement sessions had been conducted and its outcome was presented to the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs (MKI), chaired by Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.
"The outcome of the engagement session was for the draft of the new administrative order to be presented at the Conference of Rulers from Oct 25 to 27," he said in reply to a supplementary question from Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (PN-Pagoh) during Question Time.
Muhyiddin had asked the Home Ministry about the status of using the word "Allah" and how the government was planning to address the issue.
On June 6, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah expressed concern over the issue surrounding the use of the word "Allah".
In his royal address in conjunction with his official birthday, the King said he feared that it would become a prolonged polemic which could affect national unity and the well-being of the country if not resolved immediately.
"My government must harmonise the current situation and at the same time, place the use of the word 'Allah' in the right context by taking into account the national security, the benefit of the ummah (Muslim community), as well as my position and the position of other Malay Rulers as heads of Islam," said the King.
On May 15, the Home Ministry and the Government of Malaysia withdrew their appeal against the decision of the Kuala Lumpur High Court which ruled that Christians can use the word "Allah" and three other Arabic words in the publication of their religious material for learning purposes.
