'Nothing new about 'compromise' or 'giving in'. After all, that's what MIC/MCA/Gerakan have been doing all this while.'

'Let them win here, drop 'Allah' claim'

Ghkok: My close friend who is a Catholic from Miri, who is now living in Singapore, send me an email and asked me what's happening in Kuala Lumpur and why all the fuss about the word ‘Allah'. He says growing up in Miri 25 years ago, it was very common to use the word ‘Allah' among Christians.

He asks me, "why the sudden sensitivity?" I said I don't know the real reason but the only reason I can think of is that it is political. At the end of the day, the Christians of Sabah and Sarawak should decide whether they want to yield to the force of intimidation, or draw a line in the sand.

I would like to hear more from them - what they think, how they feel - rather than from all the noisy commentators we have here (me included).

Matthew: My fellow Christians, we have all along believe in Lord Jesus, not ‘Allah'. So, for God sake, for the sake of peace, tranquility and prosperity of this beloved country, please let us drop the usage of the word ‘Allah' from our publication.

Please do respect our Muslims brothers, whom we have been living harmoniously with them for so many years, without troubles... until this issue came. Why should we suddenly wanted to use the word which is so sacred, so sensitive to our Muslim brothers? Why?

SusahKes: Nothing new about "compromise" or "giving in". After all, that's what MIC/MCA/Gerakan have been doing all this while. After all, that's why the Umno government didn't give a damn when temples were destroyed in Selangor. And that is what led to Hindraf surfacing. Say, some of you who are clamouring the Christians to give up their right to use ‘Allah', what would you do if one day Umno bans you from using ‘Iswara' - the Hindu word for deity?

At the rate things are going, don't bet on it. Compromise? Yeah, I suppose you would. ‘Tolak-ansur' (compromise) until Umno ‘tolak' (push) you out of your own little private spot. Anything that will keep them in power. Then what? Tell your kids to migrate? Yeah, I suppose you would.

Satinah Osman: There is a catch here that possibly many of us may not be aware of. The word is being heavily abused for a political purpose by Umno, which is master in this game. Let us not fall into the trap.

Drop the claim to the word ‘Allah' and let Umno lose the game. Then we all win. After all, the Sikhs have been using the word ‘Allah' in their prayers. Umno should try going to India and tell them not to use the word ‘Allah' as it may mislead the Muslims.

Hishammuddin: More investigation before arrests made

Bozuka: Wow minister, you really put up the greatest show on earth. You and your cousin (Prime Minister Najib Razak) should be awarded the best actor of the century. 1Malaysia with two systems. Hope that the ‘Allah' issue will eventually bury the racist Umno forever.

Stories: "Hishammuddin also welcomed suggestions from the public on how to strengthen racial and religious relations in Malaysia."

I laughed reading this statement. He is to smart to accept outsider advice. Most probably he gets his secretary to shred any incoming petitions and forward all suggestions from his email to the recycle bin.

Ksn: Treat everyone, every citizen, every religion, every race, every community with fairness, enforce the law without discrimination, without regard to personalities. Follow our constitution to the letter and spirit, behave and conduct governance transparently so that each and every Malaysian feels the sense of belonging. Formulate policies and implement them so that social justice prevails.

I can continue but the preceding ideas should suffice for now. Do you think you and the government you belong to can do that? If not, it is better to keep silent than being exposed as insincere and a hypocrite when you ask for suggestions, which will come in plenty but ignored totally.

Herald editor: We've not backpedaled on 'Allah'

Jiminy Qrikert: BH ( Berita Harian ) is just trying to force the issue through a manufactured reality - if the government-controlled MSM (mainstream media) say it is, then they expect the majority of Malays to accept it as printed. If it eventually turns out otherwise, they will move into the next stage of leveling accusations that the Catholic Church went back on their words. And fan the next round of hostilities.

Thank God, we have the alternative media to report the truth. And an increasing number of people are resorting to these channels for the truth, for news that exposes the lies carried by the MSM and for viewpoints to counter-balance the bigoted views in UM ( Utusan Malaysia ) and BH.

KayKay: A leopard cannot change its spots. This is not the first time that publications like Berita Harian have shamelessly mistaken news manufacturing for journalism. Utusan Malaysia does it all the time on the grounds of "bangsa, agama, negara national security".

This is especially true when it comes to politics, religious issues, the economy and company news. After the damage is done and they are proven wrong, do they regret it and apologise? They carry on as of nothing has happened. Instead, they speed up their news manufacturing out of thin air and promoting their "award-winning" journalists at double and triple speed.

Meanwhile, the Umno government recognises them for their "courage" and plies awards after awards on them. If they already have a datukship, they are given a second datukship and recruited as press secretaries and political secretaries. This shows that the truth is stranger than fiction.

Kgan: Dear Father Lawrence, as Umno owns the Court of Appeal it's not difficult to guess how the judgment will go. Even on the slimmest chance that the appellate court rules in your favour there is no way the Umno government is going to allow ‘Allah' to be used.

Umno's ethno-religious hegemony means that Islam must be exclusive and their name for God cannot be shared. The church will have to accept a temporary ban. The only remedy is the 13th general election when all Christians in Malaysia especially Sabah and Sarawak should be mobilised to campaign against BN.

Your only remedy is when Pakatan Rakyat wins power and Umno is kicked into the dustbins of history.