AG's Chambers will file expert report on use of the word 'Allah'

KUALA LUMPUR: The Attorney-General's Chambers will be filing an expert report pertaining to the usage of the word "Allah", in an originating summons filed by Sidang Injil Borneo (SIB) church.
"We will be filing an expert report in this case, on the usage of the word "Allah", said Senior Federal Counsel Shamsul Bolhassan, who appeared for the Home Ministry and the government, when approached after the case.
Shamsul said the report is expected to be filed in two weeks.
The matter was brought up before Deputy Registrar Norazlin Othman, today.
Meanwhile, the plaintiff's application for "discovery" for documents and application to cross examine a Home Ministry officer over an affidavit-in-reply, is fixed to be heard before another High Court judge.
The affidavit-in-reply, in which the officer had stated that the word is exclusive to Islam and Muslim, was filed on behalf of the Home Ministry.
(The previous High Court judge had recused himself)
SIB and its president, Reverend Datuk Jerry W. A. Dusing @ Jerry W. Patel, filed a judicial review on Dec 10, 2007, over the seizure religious books brought in from Surabaya on Aug 15, 2007.
They were seeking for the right to use the word "Allah" in their publications.
SIB or Borneo Evangelical Church filed the judicial review, seeking for the return of children' religious books which were later returned on Jan 25, 2008.
Later, the judicial review was changed to an originating summons.