Monday, July 15, 2013

Do the right thing, Nuncio

Foreign Minister Anifah Aman's statement against Archbishop Marino 15 July 2013

In my previous posting, I asked if Archbishop Joseph Marino had risked putting the Vatican and the Malaysian Government on a collision course with his remarks on the "Allah" issue". Yesterday, our Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said his piece, which represents the official stand of Najib Razak's government. 
He's not saying the Vatican ambassador should pack up his bags and go; Anifah is a more polished diplomat than that. The Nuncio was welcomed in January as the Vatican's first ambassador to Malaysia and we, as always the good host, continue to welcome him or anyone else who wants to, as long as they don't habour malicious intent towards us, to stay on. What's not welcomed is any attempt by anyone to interfere with the democratic process of this country. The "Allah" issue, for example, is being handled in the most democratic and fair manner. The Government, in fact, is in the process of appealing against a Court decision that was NOT in its favour!  
Marino can see for himself what his remarks have done. The Malaysian Insider has come up with an editorial that is aimed at provoking the Christians on Najib Razak's Cabineet, needling them to do something - anything, questioning their effectiveness in protecting the "flock". Some in this country will view the editorial as most seditious; yet, others have gotten away with murder more grisly than this one, in the name of freedom of the press. 
It won't stop with Anifah's firm and diplomatic stand, though. Things will get a lot worse before it gets better. Some madmen will burn some suraus down and some other madmen may torch some chapels to the ground. Maybe these madmen will do crazier things but we pray they won't. 
The Archbishop, as a good Christian that he is, must put a stop to all this madness that he started. I don't have to tell him what he needs to do or how, but he needs to do the right thing. 
p.s. If in doubt, perhaps Marino can start by checking out the Malaysian Foreign Minister. Anifah Aman is from Sabah, where "Allah" has been used in the Bahasa Malaysia bibles for years without any protest by the Muslims. How is that, you ask? Well, welcome to Malaysia, Nuncio. 

9 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:29 am

    It's time for Najib to say something. When the recent Zimmerman case in the US reached its verdict, it had the potential to boil over a hot racial issue and President Obama immediately stepped in and called for calm. There are a number of religious & racial issues on the boil in Malaysia now but Najib is not saying anything to calm nerves. He is leaving it to his minions while he travels to Africa and London.

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  2. Anonymous8:45 am

    Suddenly this issue has became a domestic issue rather than a religious issue. This just prove that this is indeed a political issue that UMNO Malay trying to use it to gain political advantage. The Ventican did the right thing and must stood the ground. This also reflect the inferior mentality of Malay and lack of confidence of the UMNO Malay Muslim that by te mere word of allah they can have doubt of their own faith.

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  3. Anonymous8:53 am

    Hey Rocky,
    Anifah's home state Sabah, where Allah has been used by Christians for years, is also the state that allegedly admitted thousands of Muslims to become IC holders and voters, to "dilute" the Christian population.

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  4. Nice piece of advise Sdr Rocky.Come to think of it what is his intention for saying what he is saying.As a Diplomat his job is to ensure good bilateral relation between the two countries.
    Didint he see the debate regarding Christianity VS Islam.and would like this thing to continue.
    He said that he encouraged interfaith dialog, at least he should learn some thing from it. Saying you appreciate Islam,at the same time you create doubt, then I suggest Your EXcellency should do a lot of soul searching.

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  5. Anonymous10:01 am

    "Anifah Aman is from Sabah, where "Allah" has been used in the Bahasa Malaysia bibles for years without any protest by the Muslims. How is that, you ask?"

    .. Muslims don't protest the use of Allah in Sabah coz the peribumi Christians use and understand BM.

    .. Peninsular Christians don't (and some can't even) speak BM, so why the need for BM bible with Arabic Allah in them? Unless proven otherwise, the reason to the Muslims is very clear - to confuse and eventually convert the Malay speaking Muslims to Christian.

    .. why do the church wants to convert Malay speaking Muslims to Christian?. To fill up the church's coffer of course. As OutSyed the Box always say "No Money No Religion"

    .. so the above are what I thought the reasons the Peninsular Christian is fighting for the use of Arabic word Allah in BM bible. Am I right? Am I wrong? Only the Christian leaders know the real truth.

    .. whatever it is, as a Muslim Malay I object to the use of Arabic word Allah in BM bible. No problem if they want to use Allah in Arabic bible.

    .. I will only agree to the use of Arabic Allah in BM bible if the church decide to use the word Allah in ALL languages bibles - Latin, Spanish, English, French etc. If not, I will just take it that the fight for the use of Arabic Allah word in BM bible is simply malicious intent on the part of Peninsular Christians towards Malay speaking Muslims.

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  6. trifling-jester11:18 am

    Rocky, I completely understand your point.

    The word allah is in the guru granth sahib - holy book of the Sikhs. Its mentioned 46 times.

    This is dangerous, as sikhs have been converting to islam more and more recently. Is this the reason?

    Or perhaps also dangerous because muslims may hear a sikh praying, hear the world allah, and get confused and then become sikh.

    Either way both religions stand to lose. Its so easy to confuse people.

    Soon all sikhs will become muslim and vice versa. All hell will break lose.

    Not.

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  7. Anonymous11:37 am

    Religion is becoming very poisonous in Malaysia. So what is the purpose of religion then.

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  8. Anonymous1:31 pm

    Heheh Anonymous 8:45:-

    How about, before you become an expert on "inferior mentality malay" due to the "ventican" coming here, you go and brush up your grammar and english first. After all, you already changed your name from Ng Toh Sin to Alberto Tiberius Ng, haven't you. How come religion change oredi to western name but english still sound like tongsan english?

    Hehehehe funny betul.

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