The directive, he said, was one that would be accepted by all groups.

“We do not want this issue to divide us,” he told reporters after a roundtable discussion with representatives from various religious communities.

Hamzah said all those present at the discussion wanted religion to unite Malaysians, not divide them.

He added that the discussion today was about coming to a consensus on the future use of the word “Allah”.

Last month, the High Court ruled that Christians can use the word “Allah” in their religious education and books.

It said that a Dec 5, 1986, home ministry directive to prohibit the use of the words “Allah”, “Baitullah”, “Solat” and “Kaabah” by non-Muslims was illegal and unconstitutional.

Judge Nor Bee Ariffin said the directive was wrongly issued as it went beyond the aim of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.

The government has since appealed the decision.

But Hamzah said that the directive to be issued over the usage of “Allah” had nothing to do with the court’s recent decision.

“The matter in court is up to the Attorney-General’s Chambers.”

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