Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim today clarified that the state's intention to police the use of the term ‘Allah' was intended to avoid public confusion.

Khalid said the state can prohibit a place of worship from displaying an idol which is inscribed, for example, with the words " Ini Allah (This is God)".

"(In this case) we have to take action, because it does not mean what it should mean. It will confuse the public," said Khalid during a press conference after chairing the state executive council meeting in Shah Alam today.

khalid ibrahim at selangor pkr convention 15112009 An acceptable use of the term 'Allah', in another example by Khalid, was in the state anthem.

"For example, in the process of singing the Selangor anthem, we use the word 'Allah'. But all Selangor citizens will sing (it) because it means the god we all accepted (according to their respective faiths)," he said.

On Monday, Khalid told the media that the state intended to take action against any quarters that use the term 'Allah' with the purpose of undermining the Islamic faith.

State policy makers have been scrambling to adapt to the recent landmark court decision which overturned a Home Ministry ban on Catholic publication Herald using the term 'Allah'.

The magazine filed the suit in order to maintain the use of the term in its Bahasa Malaysia edition, which is targeted at the sizeable Christian Bumiputera community from East Malaysia.

Amis protest

But over in Peninsular Malaysia, there is widespread Muslim outcry over fears that the term can now be abused by Christian missionaries. Proselytism of Muslims is illegal in Malaysia.

Some groups are fanning insecurities and implying that non-Muslims are gathering steam in their bid to take advantage of a 'disunited' Muslims and Malay community.

penang protest against herald umno youth Asked about the planned demonstration against the Herald suit decision at the state mosque on Friday, Khalid refused to comment outright, but stated that the police were against street protests.

"I think you (had) better ask the IGP or the state police chief. My understanding is that (they) are totally against protests," he said, while maintaining his previous position that he was personally agreeable to protests held in enclosed places, such as a stadium.

A group calling themselves the Anak-anak Muda Islam Selangor (Amis) or Selangor Muslim Youths, is one of many demonstration organisers who have been rallying Muslims to protest Friday prayers.

In the case of Amis, it has been promoting the Selangor state mosque protest through numerous pro-Umno blogs and websites.

Mais meets Sultan

Protests at the state mosque in Shah Alam are rare, but the last protest held there was the controversial 'cow-head protest', which caused much consternation among peace-loving Muslims and Hindus.

In a related development, Khalid said the Selangor Religious Council (Mais) did not meet the sultan today as a reaction to the Herald suit.

He said the sultan regularly meets Mais to discuss religious matters and also map out programmes involving the palace at the start of the year.

However, he stressed that the state government had no authority over Mais, although its state cabinet member Hasan Ali sits on the council.

The meeting between Mais officials and the sultan took place this morning at the palace in Klang.

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