"But, it is up to the Federal Government to decide. I do not want to interfere in this," he told reporters after opening the new headquarters of local travel agency Al-Quds Travel in Kota Baru, Kelantan on Sunday.
Nik Aziz, who is also Kelantan menteri besar, was responding to a request by the Catholic weekly, Herald, to use the word in its publications.
On Saturday, the Home Ministry rescinded a government gazette issued a day earlier which allowed the conditional use of the word in Christian publications.
The government recently ordered the Herald's Malay edition banned until a court's decision on a suit by the Catholic church..
Several Muslim groups are not happy over the Herald's use of the word "Allah" in its publications.They argued that allowing Christians to use the word "Allah" would cause confusion among Muslims.
Thus, they were upset when the Home Ministry allowed the conditional use of the word in Christian publications.On another matter, Nik Aziz said the term "Bumiputera" should be dropped in applications for government assistance and, instead, the government should form an agency to help the poor of all races and not only Bumiputeras.
Nik Aziz said the non-Bumiputeras had contributed a lot to the country, especially in the plantation sector and in commerce."When we focus only on helping the Bumiputeras, it hurts the feelings of the others. We need to help everybody.
That is the Islamic way. Only then will the poor feel that they are being taken care of by the government."Even (former prime minister) Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said that we should do away with this policy and I agreed with his view."
SUMBER : AL-Qayim
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