I refer to the Malaysiakini report Home Ministry applies for stay on 'Allah' ruling .

The prime minister has to reconsider the appointment of the home minister urgently. In fact, I think the nation has to reconsider this BN government with even greater urgency.

The federal constitution guarantees freedom of religion and a lot has been said about ‘religious tolerance’ in this country. What ‘tolerance’ are we talking about when this freedom is already enshrined in the constitution?

The ‘Allah case’ is a classic example to go by. From the days of Munshi Abdullah, the word ‘Allah’ has been used in Bahasa Malaysia for God. remember singing the Selangor state anthem taught to me by an Umno man, Onn bin Ismail, and the anthem has the lyrics ‘Allah lanjutkan usia Tuanku’.

In those days, no one felt it was a threat to use the word ‘Allah’, and Onn Ismail taught this to us during the days he was the Bahasa teacher at the La Salle School in Klang, a Christian Brothers School. I'd honestly like to hear Onn Ismail's comments today on the ‘Allah’ issue.

In Arabic, the word ‘Allah’ predates Islam and the Bible in the Arab countries refer to God as ‘Allah’. The same applies to the Bahasa versions of the Bible and also the Indonesian versions. That this has become a threat to Islam in this country is an exaggeration propagated by Umno and one taken too far.

Our children watch TV daily where there many Islamic programmes and the name of Allah is continuously heard during these programmes. We do not perceive this as a threat to us - when sixty percent of our population is Islamic and radio and television are used to broadcast Islamic programmes throughout the day,

Now Umno has decided that the use of the word ‘Allah’ by others is a threat to Islam. How ridiculous can they get? Should they not be rejoicing that others too refer to God as Allah?

Now that the High Court has pronounced judgement and the court has declared that the word ‘Allah’ predates Islam and coupled with our inalienable rights as enshrined in the federal constitution, the home minister should have at least given himself the benefit of time to study the judgment before deciding to appeal the same.

If there is to be resentment against the court’s ruling, it comes from the top. It comes from people like the home minister and other Umno MPs who make political mileage out of this.

This government is supposed to be a coalition government. Is this the way a coalition of equal partners takes decisions of such magnitude? This is the clearest indication that this government is only slanted towards Umno and only Umno. Where is the consultation, how does the opinions of others count apart from Umno’s?

As in all such matters, the home minister must look at such issues from the broader perspective and not from the narrow, blurred Umno microscopic view. I was surprised to read that this minister for Home Affairs has decided to appeal the decision so soon after judgement has been pronounced.

Hishamuddin Hussein has failed the people and time and again he has displayed his narrow views. These type of views can only be politically motivated so that he could use them to gain a higher office which he so glaringly and selfishly aspires for.

His duty should not be to Umno but rather to the nation, our beloved Malaysia and if he can't see the difference then he should be sacked. Or he should do the next best thing and resign.

I really find it hard to believe that this is the grandson of Onn Jaafar and the son of Hussein Onn, both of whom were two towering figures in our history who cared less for their own popularity when they had to do what was right. They were true leaders.