KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 — The Roman Catholic Church has withdrawn its 2008 judicial review application, due to the expiry of the review period, but maintains its challenge to use the term “Allah” in its weekly publication with the fresh application filed on February 16 this year.
High Court judge Lau Bee Lan struck out the 2008 application in chambers.
Counsel S.Selvarajah for the Titular Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam, informed the media that the church withdrew the application as the permit for the Herald publication for the period January 1 to December 31, 2008, had expired.
As such, the judicial review sought in 2008 had become academic.
On May 5 last year, Pakiam, as publisher of The Herald, named the Home Ministry and Government of Malaysia as respondents in his action for a declaration that the decision of the respondents dated February 12, 2008, prohibiting him from using the word “Allah” in the Herald - The Catholic Weekly is illegal.
He also sought a declaration that he is entitled to use the word “Allah” and that the word “Allah” is not exclusive to the religion of Islam.
Selvarajah said Pakiam’s fresh application for judicial review which was filed on February 16 this year, would be heard on July 7.
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