Allah issue: Proposal to improve policies to be tabled at Conference of Rulers meeting in July

He said the government will also refer to the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs (MKI) chaired by the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah for the purpose.

"We will refer first to the MKI chaired by the Selangor Sultan to seek their advice to improve the policies so that a final decision can be made, which is to prohibit the use (of the word 'Allah) in the peninsula but be allowed with certain conditions in Sabah and Sarawak.

"InsyaAllah, the proposal will be tabled at the Conference of Rulers' meeting in July," he said during Minister's Question Time at the Dewan Rakyat sitting today.

Anwar said this in reply to Datuk Idris Ahmad (PN-Bagan Serai) who wanted to know whether the government has obtained the approval of the Malay Rulers and consulted the state Islamic religious councils first before withdrawing its appeal in the case relating to the use of the word 'Allah'.

Anwar said the decision to withdraw the appeal was part of the efforts to improve all the related policies and regulations.

"It was done after taking into account the Attorney-General's views (to have better regulations). If not, there will be appeal after appeal due to loopholes.

"That's why we want to put an end to it by amending all policies to make it clearer so that no such cases can be taken to court. For me, it is better this way," he said.

On May 17, Anwar in a statement said the Cabinet has obtained the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to submit its proposal to improve the enforcement of policies relating to the use of the word 'Allah' by non-Muslims to the Conference of Rulers.

He said the proposal will also include recommendations to strengthen inter-racial unity and inter-faith harmony in Malaysia.

The issue was discussed at the Cabinet meeting following the Attorney-General's decision to withdraw the appeal against the High Court's ruling on the case involving a Christian woman, Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill, and her publication material containing the word of 'Allah'.