For bumiputera Christians, ‘Allah’ ban akin to cultural ‘genocide’, says archbishop

Malaysia’s persistence in refusing non-Muslim Malaysians the right to use the word “Allah” is tantamount to the systematic destruction of the language and culture of the bumiputera community in Sabah and Sarawak, according to the head of the Anglican Church in Southeast Asia Archbishop Datuk Bolly Lapok. In his strongly-worded sermon at the St Mary’s Cathedral in Kuala Lumpur Friday, he noted that Malaysian churches are now facing “severe restrictions” in carrying out religious worship — despite the freedoms guaranteed by the country’s Federal Constitution. He said the word “Allah” has been part and parcel of the community’s language for generations and has become “embedded” in every aspect of their culture, including for the bumiputera Christians, who make up the majority of Malaysia’s Christian population.

It is in our language and culture DNA. We feel that the judgment was made without taking into due consideration of what the word means to us.

Archbishop Datuk Bolly Lapok

Malaysia’s bumiputera Christians are accustomed to praying in their native tongues and the national language, Bahasa Malaysia. Their bibles, scriptures and hymns too have been translated into their respective indigenous languages, many of which contain the controversial “Allah” word as reference to God. In its landmark ruling on June 23, a seven-judge panel at the top court had in a majority decision dismissed the Catholic Church’s bid to overturn the Court of Appeal’s decision last year, which held that the word of Arabic origin was not “integral” to the religious practice of Malaysia’s Christians.

We feel there has been a miscarriage of justice. It is insidious. It is tantamount to an act of language and culture genocide.

Archbishop Datuk Bolly Lapok

Asia-Pacific