In Malaysia, Parties Seeking Federal Court Ruling In Catholic Paper Case

As previously reported, in Malaysia the Catholic newspaper The Herald has filed suit in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur to challenge the Home Ministry's decision banning the paper from using the term "Allah" as a synonym for God in its Malay-language reporting. Now, according to yesterday's New Straits Times, several state religious councils have obtained a stay a stay of proceedings until Feb. 27 from the court so the parties can ask the Federal Court for a ruling on the constitutionality of various laws involved in the case. Meanwhile, the Malaysian Gurdwaras Council will ask the Attorney-General to avoid a confrontation in the case.