KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 — Christian Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill’s suit against the Home Ministry is set to be heard on June 15, nearly three years after she first started the legal proceedings.
She filed her application on August 20, 2008 and was granted leave to seek judicial review of the home ministry’s decision on May 4, 2009.
The Melanau Christian is challenging the home ministry’s decision to confiscate eight compact discs containing the word “Allah.”
The hearing date was set today by High Court deputy registrar Azaraorni Abd Rahman, who also revealed that the case will be heard by Justice Rohana Yusuf.
The Sarawakian is seeking for an order of certiorari to quash the ministry’s decision to seize the CDs, and a mandamus order directing the minister to return the CDs. She is also seeking a declaration that she has the legitimate expectation to exercise the right to use the word “Allah” and to continue to own and import such materials.
The disputed materials were confiscated from Jill’s possession after she disembarked at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal in Sepang on May 11, 2008 upon returning from a flight from Indonesia.
In a letter on July 7 the same year, the Home Ministry explained its move, which was exercised under Section 9(1) of the Printing Presses and Publications Act, saying that the religious materials were a threat to national security and had also breached the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) guidelines as it used prohibited words.
The CD titles include “Cara Hidup Dalam Kerajaan Allah”, “Cara Menggunakan Kunci Kerajaan Allah”, “Ibadah Yang Benar Dalam Kerajaan Allah” and “Hidup Benar Dalam Kerajaan Allah”.
Jill had contended that she uses the word “Allah” in her prayers, worship and religious education, and that the CDs were for personal consumption.
---------
nota: beginilah sikap rakyat yang diberikan taraf kenegaraan dan tidak tahu berterimakasih malah menyaman kerajaan kerana tidak membenarkan mereka menggunakan nama Allah untuk agama Kristian.
