Salleh: Stop the debate on ‘Allah’

Former Sabah CM says the prevailing peace,
unity and stability in the country should
be maintained at all costs.

KOTA BELUD: State Legislative Assembly Speaker Salleh Said Keruak today called for an immediate stop to debate over the use of “Allah” by non-Muslims, for fear that the prolonged open debate may give room to extremists in all religions to take advantage of the situation.

In making the call, the former chief minister said the prevailing peace, unity and stability in the country should be maintained at all costs.

“Don’t politicise it [the use of Allah] and score points. Keep sensitive issues aside. We must maintain a harmonious environment and respect each other.

“In Sabah, we don’t have this problem and it should not be turned into a polemic. If any issue is considerd to be sensitive, it must be debated behind closed door and not openly in media,” he said in his speech in conjunction with the presentation of a RM10,000 contribution from Kota Belud Foundation to Lok Yuk Kindergarten owned by Basel Church, here today.

Salleh, who is the chairman of the foundation, said although the people of varied race and religions in this country have differences, they “do not disturb the basis of our formation as a nation and should respect each other”.

He said politicians must be careful in their comments in respect of the hotly debated issues which might cause hatred and mistrust.

“We have to co-exist without any problem and this must be maintained for the sake of unity and peace… there is a limit in politics,” he said.

Later, Salleh, who is also Sabah Umno deputy liaison chief, told reporters that the interests and the welfare of the Chinese community in Sabah, are well taken care of under the Barisan Nasional government.

Citing the government’s spending of about RM30 million to provide financial aid to Chinese schools and for the construction of temples in the state over the past few years, he said this reflected the BN’s earnestness in looking after the needs of the community.

Salleh said apart from that, the Sabah government had given out about RM150 million in grants to non-Islamic religious bodies and schools including Chinese independent and mission schools since 2004,