Listen to advice on MERS before deciding on umrah trips – Minister

PETALING JAYA, May 8: Malaysians planning to perform their umrah have been advised to take note of the advice and alert pertaining to the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam.

He said Malaysia had neither imposed any restriction nor advised the people to possibly postpone their umrah.

“I read that the Saudi Arabian Government has advised the people to possibly postpone their umrah trips.

“The Saudi Arabian Government has given such advice, so it is up to our people (Malaysians) to listen to the advice and make a wise decision on their safety and health,” he added.

Dr Subramaniam was speaking to reporters when asked to comment on MERS-CoV  after witnessing the presentation of the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS) accreditation award to the Sunway Medical Centre at the centre here today.

Recently, Gulf Daily News in its report said several Haj and Umrah pilgrimage establishments in Saudi Arabia had ceased accepting applications from pilgrims aged over 60, as well as children, following a health ministry advisory which was recently circulated.

Mers-CoV has claimed more than 100 lives in Saudi Arabia.

On April 13, this year, Malaysia recorded its first death related to MERS-CoV after a 54-year-old man contracted the MERS-CoV while performing umrah in Mecca.

The victim from Batu Pahat, Johor died at the Sultanah Nora Ismail Hospital of severe pneumonia from MERS-CoV infection, the first casualty reported in the country and region.

Meanwhile on the ACHS accreditation ceremony today, the acreditation made the Sunway Medical Centre the first hospital in South East Asia to be accredited by the ACHS. – BERNAMA

Perak to build five more Tahfiz Islamic religious secondary schools

IPOH, Apr 2: The Perak government is to build five more Tahfiz Islamic religious secondary schools in the state, the state legislative assembly was told today.

State Islamic Education, Personality Development and Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Committee chairman Mohd Nizar Zakaria said they would be located in the districts of Kinta, Kampar, Perak Tengah, Hilir Perak as well as Larut Matang and Selama.

“So far, five of these schools are operating in (the districts of) Manjung, Batang Padang, Kuala Kangsar, Kerian and Lenggong,” he said when replying to a question from Datuk Mohd Zolkafly Harun (BN-Lintang).

Mohd Nizar said the state government had spent RM10 million between 2011 and last year on the physical development and management of Tahfiz secondary schools. – BERNAMA

Court rejects bid over import of Christian books with the word ‘Allah’

KUALA LUMPUR, May 5: The High Court today dismissed an application by Sidang Injil Borneo (SIB) for leave for a judicial review to challenge a Home Ministry order prohibiting the import of Christian books containing the word “Allah”.   

Justice Datuk Zaleha Yusof ruled that the High Court was bound by the Court of Appeal’s decision that the word ‘Allah’ is not an integral part of faith and practices of Christianity, reported Bernama.

In her judgement, which was read out by Senior Assistant Registrar N. Arun in chambers, Zaleha said the court had no choice but to refer to the Court Of Appeal’s decision in the case of the Home Ministry against the Roman Catholic Church involving a prohibition on the use of the word “Allah” in its ‘Herald’ weekly publication.

“So, although the decision, was particular to the weekly Herald, all the learned judges held that the word “Allah” is not an integral part of faith and practices of Christianity and, therefore, the prohibition by the minister is not unconstitutional.

“As long the decision stands, the doctrine of ‘stare decisis’ (precedent), this court is bound by the decision of the superior court,” she said.

She said the court dismissed the application with no order as to costs.

On Dec 10, 2007, SIB and its president, Rev Jerry W. A. Dusing alias Jerry W. Patel, filed a leave application for a judicial review against the Home Ministry and the government to challenge the Customs Department’s seizure of its books brought in from Surabaya, Indonesia, at the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal in Sepang on Aug 15, 2007.

The books were, however, returned to the church on Jan 25, 2008.

They had sought a declaration that they had the constitutional right to use the word “Allah” in all their religious publications and practices, and not just within the church.

Lawyer Lim Heng Seng represented the church and Dusing while senior federal counsel Shamsul Bolhassan acted for the government.