For the first time ever, I would like to differ from what Rockybru wrote today - blaming it totally on the government. Even what Lim Kit Siang opined about the urgency for Najib and Hishamuddin to act on the day the Allah issue erupted, was mere a political inveterate.
I dont work for the government, thus I dont have an eulogy for Najib or Hisham or the rest of them. However, Datuk Seri Najib was not irresolute, neither did he treat the matter as frivolous.
Afterall, those who forms the anti-ISA group are the ones coming back to the government for the Internal Security Act to be applied on those caught and convicted for torching up churches in the Klang Valley, Taiping and Sarawak. A 'surau' was also attacked.
Now that many parties have made calls for the Council of Rulers to intervene, some are also trying to lucre on the issue by making statements that can somehow invigorates others to join the 'blame-the-government' bandwagon.
The government's action was not too late. Perhaps its better to observe and study the matter first rather than jumping off the chair immediately after the court gave the rights for Herald to use the word Allah.
Why? This is a Muslim country, as stated in the Constitution. Had Najib avowed his dejection at the court's decision about two weeks ago, then the backlash will be upon the Muslim-lead government. Many would question his sincerity in managing a multi-racial country under his 1Malaysia concept.
There was actually no need for him to lose his balance as the upshot would be very, very damaging for Barisan Nasional. Umno would be blamed, too as being racist. In his capacity, Najib was wise as compared to some Opposition leaders who jumped out of vertigo.
Even Hisham didnt make any unpleasant statements after the court's ruling, apart from calling on all Malaysians, especially the Muslims to stay calm as the issue can be resolved. A few days later, the Home Ministry filed an appeal at the same court for the ruling to be overturned. As the ruling was made under the process of law, let the whole matter be resolved at the hands of law again!
Nevertheless, some groups were fast to take to the streets on the pretext of trying to protect the rights of the Muslims. These groups are mostly from the Opposition. Pas started it all by making unhealthy yet contradictory remarks about the issue. Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was never heard except for what he wrote in his weblog.
The Opposition was leaving it to Pas to come up with counter statements. Even so, Pas made silly errors in doing so by saying it was actually alright for non-Muslims to use the Allah phrase (when speaking to non-Bahasa media). However, they were very protective by telling Bahasa media that Allah must be strictly for Muslims and Islam only!
When few NGOs with Opposition-link took to the streets, then came others. Had they heeded
Hisham's call for everybody to stay calm and just leave it to the government to settle the issue amicably, it wouldnt had led to some lunatics succumbing to their emotions by attacking churches and other place of worships.
And now, why are you looking at the government with askance? Why must you make so many circumlocutions? The government is in fact wanting to hold on to a policy of mediocrity as to avoid accusations of being partial in making any decision or action. Whatever action must lead to building new scabs on the old ones (I hope we understand this well enough).
Some politicians had since the last few days made superficial statements that what's taking place in the country now is a spina bifida to the economy, that foreign tourists are beginning to shy away from coming to Malaysia. This is absurd, unless we let alone foreign media to exaggerate the incidents and blow it out of proportions.
Another question - are you sure that those who carried out the attacks are Malays? Could it be others who had the intention to create chaos in the country? Whom do they work for?
We have read reports that during the US occupation of Iraq, the Yankees were also involved in killing a few of their own countrymen to substantiate reasons to launch major military assault on the civilians. Its so simple - just kill one or two comrades and blame it on the insurgents. Is there any possibility to what happened here?
I remember during my short stint in Iraq in 1983. In Basrah, Saddam Hussein will normally troop a few thousand Shiite soldiers at the frontline of every offensive against the Iranians. They were the ones who got the bullets and the napalm gas first!
In this context, I dont Najib and his Cabinet members were late in their actions. There was enough pre-empt statements issued for the public to stay calms. However, political movements sparked it off and it gave steam to a few individuals to become gremlins.
Those involved, directly of not should instead be blame for this faux pas. Some people or quarters are involved in this cahood. Some even turned the incidents as a beano, especially those who felt their way of attending to the issue is somewhat a success.
As Malaysians, we should appreciate what the government is doing to redress the issue. We cannot be shortsighted about it. Its time to stop pointing fingers at each other. This is our country that some people tried to wreck. Instead of finding faults in others, why not give the government a hand?
Dont you think bickering over this issue will lead us to nowhere?
Leave it to the authority when it comes to sensitive and delicate matters like this. We have the Malay proverb for this - ibarat menarik benang dalam tepung, benang tak putus, tepung tak berselerak.
p/s Bru, bro... no offend!