KOTA KINABALU: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) has urged the federal government to reactivate the shelved inter-faith dialogue to diffuse future religion-related sensitive issues like the current resentment over the use of ‘Allah’ for God.PKR vice president for Sabah and Sarawak, Datuk Dr Jeffrey G Kitingan, in a statement yesterday said the inter-faith dialogue should not attempt to deliberate or discuss on dissenting views on theological matters among the various religions but should instead focus on, and aim at, building openness and acceptance of each other’s faith in peace and harmony.
On Sabah Council of the Justices of the Peace (Majaps) president Datuk Clarence Bongkos Malakun’s call for Christians to compromise and drop the word ‘Allah’, Dr Jeffrey who is also president of Borneo Heritage Foundation, said this kind of view was uncalled for and could not be representative of the general feelings among the Christians, especially those in East Malaysia.
“It is not right to compromise a constitutional right. One should respect and defend a constitutional right,” he said, adding the majority in Sabah were shocked by Malakun’s unpleasant contention, and many were skeptical whether his view was shared even by Majaps members.