Political parties should engage with productive dialogues

Political parties and leaders should engage the people in productive dialogues to ease tensions, following the Court of Appeal’s ruling that Catholic weekly, The Herald is not allowed to use the word 'Allah' in its Bahasa Malaysia publication.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Joseph Kurup said they should exercise maximum restraint by not engaging in a "holier-than-thou" contest.

“I urge all parties for the sake of national unity to be cautious with their statements, not to be provocative with their unwarranted statements and stop creating fear to the extent that certain communities begin to question the freedom of religion guaranteed by the Constitution in our country,” he said in a statement here today.

Kurup, who is also Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah president, urged all parties to remember that Malaysia was a peace-loving country which cherished passionately the unity of its people.

Meanwhile in KOTA KINABALU, Parti Bersatu Sabah deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili called on Malaysians of all religions to remain calm, in light of the Court of Appeal’s ruling.

The energy, green technology and water minister urged the people to allow the legal process to take place and not let the matter disrupt the peace and unity among the races in the country. “I hope every Malaysian will continue to maintain the spirit of unity and stability in this country, and not let this issue divide the people,” he said in a statement here today.