Allah In Cyberspace

By Joe Fernandez

From around the websites

A Native is a Native
Even if the words Bumiputera & non-Bumiputera disappear from usage, the term Native will remain as long as the land classification laws recognise Native land. In order, to determine who is eligible to own Native land, it's necessary by law to define who is a Native. This is provided for under the Federal & State Constitutions. The law has to recognise & accept that there were people on the land & working it long before the existence of the modern nation-state & the emergence of modern government. Such things can't be wished away. It's not only Malaysia which is in this legal predicament. Other countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand & Latin America have Native land classification in the statute books. There are many non-Malays in Peninsular Malaysia who claim to be Malay after embracing Islam. What they forget is that although they claim to be Malays, they can't legally claim to be Natives just by embracing Islam. A Native is a Native. Likewise, a non-Native.

Sikhs also use the term Allah
The Home Ministry is not raising the issue of Sikhs using the term Allah. They are only after the Christians. So, carry on Allahing or whatever. Alternatively, apply to the Court of Appeal as an interested party. When Umno is not fighting the Hindus, they are fighting the Christians. The turn of the Sikhs and others will come soon. Meanwhile, the economy is going to the dogs and the pie is rapidly shrinking. I think that if Umno wants trouble, just give to them until they are sick and tired of it all. Let's see how much of a glutton they are for punishment. Instead, the Herald naively agreed to the stay of executive by the Home Ministry. Why make things easier for them? The Court of Appeal will simply sit on the appeal process to jam it. They have already done so with the Mazu case. Incidentally, the Purchasing Manager at the LNG plant in Bintulu is a Kayan by the name of Allah Emang from Long Apit. He should also put in an application at the Court of Appeal as an interested party.

Roots of the conflict in the Philippines south
The problem in the Philippines south began with a large-scale government organised movement of Christians from the north into Muslim territory. While citizens of the Philippines have a right to live anywhere in the republic, it's asking for trouble when the government itself participates in a scam to displace the local population. Over the years, the 13 Muslim-majority provinces in the Philippines south were whittled down to five provinces. The result of the Christian-Muslim conflict over land in the Philippines south was the refugee and illegal problem in Sabah.. It almost seems as if Manila is trying to compensate for the Sabah claim by driving away as many as possible of the Muslims in the country's south and seizing their ancestral land. So, the Muslims in the Philippines south lose their land to the Christians from the north and in turn they flood into Sabah and seize the land, government posts and business opportunities from the mainly Christian Kadazans, Dusuns and Muruts.