People seems more concerned with the former for obvious reason. religion & faith.
Drowned too, are issues such as Rosmah's govt jet funded trip to Qatar, the Attorney General's (AG) controversy, the Shiite crackdown, the RM110 million home; purchased by Rosmah Mansor's son, and etc.
Issue that has earned MP for Gelang Patah and DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang an 'old donkey' doesn't seem to stop being talked, discussed and debated by netizens and people at large.
It has been seen an effective issue as some opined,in diverting rakyat's (people) anxiety over the slate of price hikes.
This issue has also put the liberal and conservative Muslims at a 'logger head'.
While the liberals stand in solidarity with the Christians, the conservatives accused them of deviding and a threat to Muslims' unity.
A typical scenario is where former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad was reported as saying it is right to crack down on liberals threatening national security.
Malaysian Insider further reported him to have said that controversy can be traced to liberal groups who were out to test the boundaries of their new freedom following the repeal of the Internal Security Act (ISA) which allowed for detention without trial, and who had ill intention.
Dr Mahathir's views and stance is in sharp contrast to his very own social activist daughter Marina Mahathir who was among the Muslims present at the Our Lady of Louddes in a show of solidarity with the Christians.
She received strong criticisms from the conservative groups esp Perkasa.
This issue has also witnessed leaders within the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) differing in views and stance, resulting in criticisms and actions ahead and against party leaderships.
When PM Najib was away since Dec 25, the rakyat were anxiously waiting for his return with the hope the national leader would use his authority towards resolving the issue.
On his returned on Jan 5, nothing much came out of him except calling for calm and not to be emotional in dealing with the issue.
Disappointed, many then look forward for 2014's first Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday the 8th.
Again, no decision, no firm stand, and not even direction by Putrajaya over the issue which is capable to put Malaysia in serious state of disunity and division.
People expected to hear the Cabinet's decision on the issue and people wanted to know whether PM Najib and his cabinet still standing by the 10-point solution they endorsed in 2011 on the bible issue.
PM Najib makes it look as if, the country is in dire need of strong leaderships to resolve this issue quickly and amicably.
Forget not, there are many more compelling issues of utmost importance which require immediate attention such as the economy (potential recession), education, corruption & graft, cronyism & nepotism, monopoly policies, etc.
If we take minister in the prime minister's department Jamil Baharom's statement that we (Putrajaya) would wait for the Federal Court (highest court of the land) to make decision on the issue, people would not stop from talking, discussing and debating it and in so doing, trade views and opinions which may result in deterioration of interfaith relations.
It is also appalling that Chief Justice Abdul Hamid has spoke on the issue.
He has been quoted by Bernama as questioning the intention of Herald's editor Father Lawrence to use Allah in referring to God.
"For me, Andrew has only one intention. He wants to hoodwink Muslims by saying that you can still have faith in Allah being in our church". Abdul Hamid told Bernama.
Since the issue has yet to be heard before the Federal Court, whatever he has spoken (about the issue) would only cast doubt on the independence of the Judiciary itself.
@AJstream (web community & daily television show) held a live discussion on the use of Allah in bibles in Malaysia at 3am Malaysian time on Jan 10 2014.
@saifuddinabd (Saifuddin Abdullah, a former deputy education minister) being one of the guests.
"I think it has to be made clear that what was done is not right. It is authorities of one religion imposing their will". said Hermen Shastri one of the guests.
@keanmwong (Kean Wong) says,"Some in Malaysia are trying to distract others from the important issues facing the country".
@IrwanFahmiid (Irwan Fahmi Ideris),"We are tolerant with other religions but what we are doing is acting according to the law".
The issue is anticipated to be continuously talked, discussed and debated at community/society level, until a solution is found.
Questions posed in @AJstream such as,
Malaysia is often seen by many as a moderate Muslim nation. How will the #JAIS raid on Bible Society of Malaysia (#BSM) affect this image?.
How can the religious and ethnic tension over the use of the word "Allah" in Christian Bibles be solved in #Malysia?.
Muslim believe there are at least 99 names for God. So what's the controversy over one of them in Malaysia?.
Is the #JAIS raid on #BSM a distraction from other political and economic issues in the country? #Malaysia.
will not stop at @AJstream, but will continue being asked by many within the society.
As each is entitled to his/her opinion, there would be various answers for the same questions.
That will lead to more confusion esp among the less learned members of the society.
Answers from the liberal Muslims would surely differ of that the conservatives and this could contribute to further division among Muslims itself.
This is where a stance by Putrajaya is seen vital to at-least serves as direction for Malaysians pending the outcome of the Federal Court decision.
Gag imposed by PM Najib on his cabinet from talking on the issue does not help much as people expected the least, a decision and/or stance from the PM and his cabinet.
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