Over the last 10 years, I have been involved in several NGOs, most set up to deal with very contentious issues.
In working out our common stand on several thorny issues, the modus was almost always the same.
Closed-door brainstorming, after which a vote by all in attendance, and the majority decision to be taken as the stand of all.
After which, all were expected to close ranks and stand by that majority decision.
Of course, if anyone felt very strongly against that majority decision, he or she was free to leave the organisation.
If the person chose to stay, then he or she would have to abide by that majority decision.
I share this with you in the hope that it might help you to make sense of the recent decision by the Majlis Syura of PAS on the matter of the use of “Allah” by the non-Muslims in the country.
Prior to that decision, recent statements by Tok Guru Nik Aziz, Hadi and Mat Sabu left all with the impression that this issue, thought to have been settled some 3 years ago, but recently brought to the fore by Guan Eng’s unnecessary resurrection of this matter, had, once again, been safely laid to rest.
That decision by the Majlis Syyura now, based on comments appearing everywhere in cyberspace, has spooked many, mostly non-Muslim, who, until recently, were quite comfortable with the idea of voting for a PAS candidate in the next elections.
Recent comments range from “Mat Sabu has done a u-turn” to “would rather spoil my vote than vote for PAS”.
Has Mat Sabu really done a u-turn?
For some years now, many have known that within the PAS leadership and rank and file there prevails groups having differing viewpoints on many issues.
Most prominent are the conservative ulamaks and the ‘Erdogan’ or progressives.
In fact, a few years back, there was speculation that, but for the binding influence of Tok Guru Nik Aziz, we might have seen a split in PAS between these two groups.
And so, to this day, these two groups continue to co-exist in PAS.
A quick check at the PAS website disclosed that the Majlis Syura comprises 18 individuals. Its composition can be seen HERE.
Ask around and you may draw a conclusion, as I have, that the Majlis is near packed to the brim with conservatives.
I am told by sources in PAS that when the Majlis met to deliberate on this issue, the discussions went late into the night, well past midnight, after which the opinion of the conservatives won the day.
I repeat.
The OPINION of the conservatives won the day.
This is the first thing I will ask all of you to note.
The pronouncement of the Majlis is an opinion, binding on the members of PAS, perhaps, but having no force of law, and, as such, not binding on the rest of us.
No more binding on the rest of us than the opinion articulated in this video clip.
Let us now look at the announced opinion of the Majlis, and carefully. I am just going to reproduce the two points that are relevant. You can read the full text HERE.
2) Kalimah Allah adalah alami (universal) kerana Allah Tuhan sekalian alam. Siapa pun boleh menyebut kalimah Allah seperti mana orang Arab Jahiliyah yang tidak Islam menyebut Allah lah yang menjadikan alam ini.
3) Kalimah Allah adalah kalimah khusus yang Allah menamakan diri-Nya Allah. Kalimah itu tidak boleh diterjemahkan ke dalam mana-mana bahasa dunia kerana tidak menepati kehendak sebenar dari kalimah ini. Demikian juga tidak boleh kalimah asing hendak diterjemahkan kepada kalimah Allah.
Oleh kerana itu, menterjemah kalimah God atau Lord dari mana-mana kitab agama bukan Islam kepada perkataan Allah tidak dibolehkan kerana ianya salah dari segi makna dan salah guna, tidak menepati kehendak sebenar yang boleh membawa kekeliruan yang nyata. Oleh kerana itu ia hendaklah dicegah.
Read point 2 carefully and compare the same with what was said by Tok Guru, Hadi and Mat Sabu earlier, and you will find that this is precisely what the three PAS leaders said.
Unless I am mistaken, point 3, prior to this announcement by the Majlis , has not been spoken of by any of these three leaders. If I am mistaken, please correct me.
And as I said at the outset of this post, like most other organisations, once a decision has been made, members would be expected to close ranks, regardless of their personal view on the matter.
Was there a need for the Majlis to make this decision now, with elections imminent?
Here, I speculate.
Look at the list of Majlis members again.
Predominantly conservative.
If any from amongst them will be contesting in the 13th GE, expect that it will be in a largely Malay Muslim and possibly conservative constituency.
To not come out with an announcement of their opinion, as laid out in point 3, would have laid themselves open to a vicious attack by UMNO and the Malay mainstream media, and may have cost them votes amongst the conservatives voters.
This announced opinion has effectively taken the wind out of that impending assault by UMNO.
Now, as against this opinion, not binding on all of us, there stands the decision of the High Court in December, 2009, declaring, amongst others, that the ban by the Home Ministry of the use of “Allah” in the Malay language Bibles was unconstitutional.
Sure, this decision is pending in the Court of Appeal, but, until otherwise overturned, it remains the position in law in this country.
Not just an opinion.
How is that decision to be defended?
Ensure that after we change the government at Putrajaya, the judiciary is restored to the rakyat.
Ensure that judges who take oath to defend, uphold and preserve the constitution, do precisely that, and not use their judicial office to further their religious views.
And take comfort that in your midst are Muslims who do not share the view of the Majlis and who will not remain silent if there is ever a move to give their point of view the force of law.
Please do not allow yourselves to be distracted by the views of a score of men from doing what we must collectively do : remove UMNO /BN from Putrajaya.
The People's Parliament 
Lluuung
January 18, 2013
Thanks HARIS, this is extremely reassuring.
Let’s all focus on ABU !!
BEST WISHES TO HARIS & ABU !!
Tok Rojak
January 18, 2013
Sir Harris, thank you for instilling a dream in the hearts of many in the midst of discontent… Discontent with the political rhetorics which spill over to racial suspicion, the general malaise in education, economic growth and dll.
However, one cannot discount the fact that some “parties” (loosely used not meaning political alone) desire their utopic dream to come to pass which may vary from yours or mine. They see that the solution to corruption, a society denerating to loose morals is not democratization or civil society but theocracy. We however, see that society will progress through excellent education, good governance, social harmonization, gender equality and religious tolerance. However, they forget that men are still fallible even how much we are guided by any holy decree.
The worst is that politically, many tend to lend weight to this “easy” path so that they may woo the faithful, whether they hold government or intend to enter government. Although you have many times assured readers that based on the consitution, this will never take place. However, may we remind ourselves that the Arab Spring started with noble dreams but was eventually driven into the hands of those inching towards their political-spiritual reality.
Yes, we totally agree for a free society. The heartwarming and pilloring of a young student, Indian on the top of it exemplifies the politics of division we live in. This is in total disregard to the philosophy of an “open” university where ideas are shared heartly and debated intellectually.
Our dear sir, it is we who have totally diverted from the Third Voice that we so passionately believe in which will keep both sides of the coin honest. We do not intend to see our civil liberties lost neither shackled by an equally potent force.
May Chee Chook Ying
January 18, 2013
So true. We need to look at the bigger picture and not get distracted here. However, having said that, the Allah issue and some incidents in Kelantan and Kedah have spooked many. Hopefully, your message and logical deduction above can spread far and wide. Thank you and God bless.
Ranen Bhattacharyya
January 18, 2013
This article is a breath of fresh air.
We have to accept in a democracy a wide range of interests and opinions. We all look towards that day when a balanced governmental structure returns to Putrajaya. Presenting to the nation the return to a separation of powers of the Executive, judiciary and Parliament, sorting out the emotive with reason and putting in place pragmatic polices for good of all the 154 tribes now residing in Malaysia.
Plan A’ is to bury UMNO, Plan ‘B’ is a mirror of Plan ‘A’.
rajan
January 18, 2013
Harris,
What assurance do the non muslims have about pas imposing their will on non muslims.
Every other day we hear of differing views from what was agreed.
As for me, im not the least bothered about it but what worries me is if pas trying to blackmail pkr and dap about the future pm post.[ulterior motive]If that is the case,then they can rotate the post,no problems with that but check and balances must be in place.
When pas was sure to get the full backing of the non musl;im vote,they screw up big time.
Something deep inside me tells me the pakatan pact is not going to work.Bn has just to play this matter up, voters will feel that to vote bn is a better risk.
Its too many flip flops by pas.
Scary isnt it?
Well i was pro PR and did convince my non muslim friends that pas is moderate now but now i remain neutral and skip voting this round if pas candidate is contesting in my area. If dap or Pr i vote pr.
Lost confidance. One too many screw ups.
SO NEAR YET SO FAR sighhhhhh
Bro, this is the best that I can offer : https://harismibrahim.wordpress.com/2012/08/24/abu-message-dont-fall-for-the-mca-hudud-bogeyman/
KKLim
January 18, 2013
Dear Haris,
I am indeed thankful that u have come out with this timely statement addressed mainly to ‘middle’ Malaysians who for a moment, were shaken by PAS ‘reversible’ stand on the Allah issue. Much as I am surprised by their sudden anger with PAS, I do hope they will understand the dynamics of Malay (muslim) politics, which at this very moment is a touch and go affair. My message is pretty simple : PAS plays a very key role if we really want a see a change of government. PAS is in direct compettition with UMNO. If PAS losses badly (no matter how well DAP and PKR perform), there’s not going to be a change of government, period. Does this explantion make our thinking clearer and choice easier ? Pray that middle Malaysians will not overreact unnecessarily and, for PR politicians to keep religion out and away in their battle for Putra Jaya.
shahriny
January 18, 2013
So dont be too conservative w/o having knowing the real fact…applicable for muslim k..
Another Anak Bangsa Malaysia
January 18, 2013
Haris,
I’m still voting PAS in my kampung regardless.
It’s the option to ABU.
Ellese 2
January 18, 2013
PAS has nothing to lose while UMNO has everything to lose.I means the burden to compromise carried by UMNO is much heavier.
Moreever,
Chua Soi Lek trying to paint PAS as dominant partner in Pakatan Rakyat among the chinese community.It is in fact not.
Haris,allow me to divert.I assume you believe in Anwar Ibrahim so do I.There is an effort to implicate Anwar in Sabah RCI as early as today by pro BN blogs.Maybe you should write an article like this one to clear the doubt on Anwar Ibrahim.Thank You.
I produce below a paragraph take from pro BN blogs.
“Yes, and I used to meet up with Anwar’s father-in-law in Megat Junid’s office when Anwar was the Director of Operations in Sabah. And Anwar’s boys also carried cash to Sabah. I was there? Were you?
Lost it konon! Kalau pasal pembangkang semuanya fitnah. Kalau pasal kerajaan semuanya betul. Otak pembangkang dah jadi gila. When we say something you don’t like we have lost it. You sorang belum lost it.”
Brotherhood of men
January 18, 2013
Dear Pas-Dap, next time tolonglah ingat baik baik sebelum tembak sesama sendiri, nampaknya hanya PKR sje yg cukup cerdik tidak beri peluang utk amno serang setiap kali dibantui utusanstar.Walaubagaimana pun apa pertengkaran kalian parti penjuang duit amno tu tetap mesti dikuburkan utk masa depan anak anak kita.,
Roslan
January 19, 2013
Si Haris ni Islam yg macamana? pada nama sahaja atau mempraktikkan islam? Haris terus cuba memutar belit (x heran bila dari geng PKR).
Haris cuba membawa isu sebenarnya iaitu penggunaan kalimah Allah dalam bible berbahasa melayu kepada penggunaan kalimah Allah secara lisan. Haris kini cuba memutar belit kenyataan kepada penyokong penyokong yang menerima tanpa pemikiran mendalam terhadap kata kata Haris. Dengan mengalihkan isu sebenar, Haris cuba menunjukkan kepimpinan PAS terdiri dari Hadi Awang, Mat Sabu dan Nik Aziz adalah betul.
Haris juga cuba memaparkan Majlis Syura sebagai Islam yang konservatif. Suatu penghinaan kepada Majlis Syura PAS. Islam bukan konservatif. Islam ialah kehidupan. Saya yakin Haris tidak faham Islam sebenar benarnya.
Idea Islam konservatif inilah juga yang cuba di ketengahkan oleh kaum Yahudi dan Amerika syarikat sehingga menyebabkan peperangan di negara negara seperti Aghannistan, Iraq, Palestin dsbnya. Haris baru sahaja membuktikan agenda tersembunyi pemimpin PKR iaitu menyokong ideologi Yahudi dan Amerika.
Bagi orang Islam yang benar benar ikhlas jauhi pengaruh dari Haris ini.
Semangat Jalil Ibrahim
January 21, 2013
Salam Roslan. Saya sebagai seorang Islam yang bermastautin di Malaysia hanya memikir dan menilaikan soalan yang saya anggap soalan unggul pada ketika kita menuju ke PR13. Soalan nya begini: Adakah saya ingin memilih/mengundi satu parti, yakni UMNO, yang sekurang-kurangnya 30 tahun kebelakangan ini telah melibatkan diri dalam beberapa kesalahan besar -kesalahan yang bukan hanya dari segi undang-undang tetapi juga dari segi agama – termasuk penyelewengan duit rakyat, penindasan hak asasi rakyat (menerusi penyalahgunaan ISA, di antara lain), pembohongan dan fitnah dan peminggiran beberapa golongan rakyat Malaysia, terutamanya rakyat bukan Melayu yang miskin, atau adakah saya ingin memilih/mengundi satu parti, yakni Pakatan Rakyat, yang telah membuktikan di negeri-negeri yang mereka terajui bahawa mereka peka tentang kehendak rakyat dan mempunyai dasar dan, lebih penting, `political will’ untuk membaiki keadaan rakyat dan menyediakan kepimpinan yang bermoral dan beretika ?
In short, for me the option is between a corrupt and arrogant regime (BN) and one that promises (and has delivered in Penang, Kelantan, Selangor, at least) fairness, transparency and the restoration of institutions, such as the judiciary and the police force, to their former glory, as Pakatan does. Of course I’ll opt for Pakatan, warts and all. And if Pakatan screws it up, I’ll work my damndest, like, I’m sure, Haris will, to kick them out. This is about restoring the power of the rakyat. It is about us being empowered and kicking the shitheads in UMNO and Barisan out in a couple of months, for all the wrongs they have committed – and continue to commit -against the rakyat, against the ummah. Remember BMF, remember PFKZ, remember NFC, remember Teoh Beng Hock, remember Scorpene, remember Project IC. And please remember, everyone, that once we manage to vote one ruling party/coalition out, the party that gets in will be aware that we, the rakyat, can vote them out also.
Hear! Hear!
shakuntala
January 19, 2013
Many thanks Haris for reiterating that facts are sacred and opinion is free….YOU have set us free!!!!
I do like PAS, they make no bones of the fact that they are people friendly, PAS AMAL scored points at the Kebangkitan Rally, they were a part of you, as nrothers and you really felt protected.and safe in their presence
It was very enlightening too,to watch the tripartite flags of PAS,DAP and PR. billowing in the wind together last Saturday, at the Kebangkitan Rally….there was meaning in this togetherness followed by the cheers from the crowd resounding loud and clear in the whole Stadium.
PAS and ABU are similar in many ways…..you easily warm up to them. There is a strange humility about them, which is all embracing, …..unlike the stand-offishness and the ketuaanan-type distancing from Rakyat attitudes…… of UMNO/BN
Ellese
January 19, 2013
Why do you bloody censor my comments. I didn’t touch you pun. Bloody fool!!!
the mythbuster
January 19, 2013
It is his blog. It is his right. Don’t you get it? You are not wanted to spew your spins in his blog. Go to your master’s blogs and bodek as much as you want and get paid for it. Haris is being a gentleman by not posting your venom in full. He is saving you from a severe lashing.
Ellese
January 19, 2013
You are behaving just like utusan.
Wave33
January 19, 2013
Itulah Ellese, nak kesian sama awak pun tak terdaya. Saya dah kan berbilang kali sudah nasihat sama awak. Masih degil lagi bersikap begitu. Apo nak dikato lagi. Sudah nasib badan awak, si Ellese.
By calling “Bloody fool” and “kepala otak” here and there, it doesn’t help.
It doesn’t help, Ellese. You are an intellectual person, by using words like these, you are self degrading yourself. Others might have label you many things (I am guilty too). You always have said these repeatedly, please say it to yourself again: “Two wrongs does not make it right”. “What is right is right, what is wrong, is wrong”.
Salam, may peace be with you.
Ellese
January 19, 2013
Thanks wave. I’m clear the way forward for Malaysia is to have a fair balance and objective press. People like haris and many of his cronies here are obstacles to these. I will continue to fight for this and against unfair rules of haris.
Tulang Besi
January 19, 2013
Actually PAS had to adopt point # 3 to nullify the UMNO attacks. In truth, point #3 is purely rhetoric. Everybody in PAS knows that the Allah worshipped by Christians is the same as the one worshipped by Muslims.
Over the years, UMNO has bought over many Islamic scholars to their fold. These scholars are willing to come out and attack PAS thus diluting the PAS image as being an Islamic party.
So, point #3 is added simply for political maneuvering purpose only. It should not be taken seriously.
If I were the Catholic Church, I will work on proving that the Allah in the bible is the same as the Allah in the Quran.
That way the Majlis Syura Ulama stand will be consistent with everybody else.
Noticed that the Majlis Syura stand doesn’t bother the Sikhs because they have never had any problems admitting that their Allah is the same as that of Muslims.
So, the people has to give PAS some slack too
RPK student
January 19, 2013
yes! I support double-talk by Pakatan but not BN
Then Ellese will come out with his argument for “symmetry”.
Something like this,
“Kalau pasal pembangkang semuanya fitnah. Kalau pasal kerajaan semuanya betul. Otak pembangkang dah jadi gila. When we say something you don’t like we have lost it. You sorang belum lost it”
Malayan Boey
January 19, 2013
I had great hopes for PAS for having become more rational in recent years. Looks like the unthinking & irrational elements still hold sway over the party at its highest levels. Being conservative is not a problem but to insist on something that the whole Muslim world have no problems with, shows the descriptions, above, apply.
Do they intend to continue to ensure the “conservative Muslim” remain unthinking & backward, when it is their turn to govern Malaysia? In this instance, they are no longer addressing their own “conservative” districts/constituencies but whatever decisions they push through will now affect the whole country. Or, are we going to be happy to have 2Malaysias under PR?
I grant that Azmin Ali’s statement is reassuring but that is just a stop-gap measure, a band aid. My only hope is that this band aid holds firm until such time we are able to drag all Malaysians into the viewpoint of the world, out of being under the tempurong.
JimmyKL
January 19, 2013
imho, the core problem in this Allah issue is due to the nature of malaysian state where muslim religion has never been separated from the “kerajaan” since it arrived in this malay archipelago centuries ago. islam was embraced first and foremost by malay sultan since 13th century which make islam religion of the aristocrat which eventually form the nucleus of administration and legal system in pre-colonial malay polity.
even when colonialism came rather than separated religion and state, british administration gave full freedom to malay “ke’raja’an” to bureaucratise and institutionalise islam as part of the controlling and regulatory mechanism of the malay muslim society in malaya. this is for me the core issue – the non-secular nature of malaysian state which legitimise the state interference in public space (to some extent in private space of muslim citizen in this country).
even if PR come to power this nexus between islam and state can never be disentangled completely due to the fact that it was already bureaucratised, institutionalised and embedded too deep within the state structure. the only way to minimise the hegemony of this ancient historical nexus of islam and state is to strengthen the secular muslim forces in this country.
however the way i currently see it, it is an extremey difficult task due to the failure of secular muslim forces to articulate their ideas to the ordinary malay muslim masses in every part of malaysia. unlike PAS who used malay language as a medium of discourse and hence manage to reach malay muslim masses in every nooks and corners of urban areas, small towns and kampungs, these minority group of secular muslim forces are mostly coming from urban english speaking class where discourse and articulation of secular ideas either in spoken or written form are generally conducted in english language. and obviously without a language that is accessible to the ordinary malay muslim public, their influence is rather limited comparing to non-secular muslim forces (PAS included). and you don’t need a rocket science to figure this out!
unless and until this is change, i can only predict that the conservative muslim forces will be getting stronger in the future and more inter-religious issues will become more complicated to resolve and this got nothing to do with whether PR or BN in power! but it got everything to do with whether the secular muslim forces are getting stronger and bigger or weaker and smaller!
btw, Dr. Asri might seem “progressive” in “Allah” issue but he can be extremely conservative in issue of freedom of religion for islamic minority sect such as syiah and ahmadiah!
the mythbuster
January 19, 2013
Thank you Haris for explaining the stand taken by the Majlis Syura and their OPINION that others cannot use the term “Allah”. As you clearly pointed out, that stand is for PAS followers who might feel comfortable with their conservatives for not being swayed by the ‘Erdogans’. Evan Majlis Syura won’t know whether all their members or even the majority of them would agree with their opinion. The non-Muslims are not debasing or demeaning the term “Allah” by using it in their religious practices. In fact they are simply using it as a term to call their Almighty God. What is wrong in that? Are they in anyway disparaging or discrediting its usage?
According to our constitution, Islam being the official religion, other religions are allowed to be pracised without hindrance or harassment. Since Malaysia is not an Islamic state like Pakistan or some of the Middle East countries, syaria laws and hudud as envisaged by PAS cannot be enforced on ALL Malaysians. They may, however, apply them in states under their control. Even this seems to have backfired in Kelantan and Kedah. If PAS still insists on implementing laws that are not acceptable by the majority of Malaysians, then their dream of Malaysians supporting them in the elections would become a pipe dream.
I sincerely hope the PAS leaders would think of the overall good of the nation and be pragmatic than to please only their followers because PAS alone can never aspire to govern Malaysia.
S. Menon
January 19, 2013
We are in danger of not “seeing the wood for the trees” here. Some simple facts:
1. The mainstream newspapers, if such they can be called, always praise BN, its component parties and representatives.
2. They refuse to accord any exposure to Opposition parties and representatives. When they have nothing to report, they often invent, distort or falsify news to the detriment of the Opposition. Which is one very good reason why Opposition people should stop making public comments that the papers can go to town on.
3. The critical factor, in winning the next election, lies in garnering the Malay vote, which is now split almost fifty-fifty. Therefore, to get the support of the rural Malays, it is to BN’s benefit to make PAS appear less Islamic than BN, make them seem more likely to support the non-muslim parties.
4. Thus, to counter this politcal ploy, PAS must also play political “word-games” to retain the Malay vote-bank.
The untimate objective is to be rid of this vile corrupt BN government. Just continue to support the Opposition so that we can, finally, be rid of the BN lot. If, in the unlikely event that PAS plays a dirty trick on us, then, we just vote them out during the next election. They will be far easier to dislodge than the existing BN lot.
shakuntala
January 19, 2013
Jimmy KL….. enjoyed your point of view, but as day follows night and as light always chases away darkness, there will be persons who will be fighting for human rights, right up to Kingdom come, if you like…..there will be no winner taking it all, but the World will certainly find a balance, a good balance of views and respect before it settles down..
Remember we are fighting to overcome extremeism, not free thought. I particularly liked your “ke’RAJA’an’ point of view….bravo!
bw
January 19, 2013
Haris, what is your exactly your point, ? only your opinion is fact ?
My apologies. I thought my point was clear even from the title of the post
bigjoe99
January 20, 2013
Its unfortunate we have to live with such things but that is precisely the intention of Mahathir when he pushed Islamisation program – to plant discord i..e, divide and conquer.
If you compare what the Syura council respond to Mahathir’s respond to RCI on Sabah – the Syura council, while wrong-headed, is not vindictive. Mahathir is simply vindictive and malicious – which is worst?
Ellese
January 20, 2013
Pengecut haris. Why have you censored my legitimate reply. How come your cronies can say lies and untruthful things against me and I can’t reply. You’re rubbish. Why are you so chicken shit of the truth. Look at what they write against me. I have a right to reply you dimwit. Otherwise just stop this garbage you’re for free media and freedom of expression. People write politely pun nak censor. Pttuii! Kurang ajar.
george ng
January 21, 2013
Watch video from Egypt. A muslim country in the Arab world, the pinnicle of Islam.