Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah had expressed shock and regret over opposition DAP party's Secretary General Lim Guan Eng's recent remarks urging the Malaysian Government to allow the word "Allah" to be used in the Malay version of the Bible, a statement from Selangor Islamic Affairs Council Secretary Mohd Misri Idris said yesterday.
Lim, who is the Penang state Chief Minister, had made the remarks in his New Year message.
"The Sultan made a decision and decreed that the word Allah is a sacred word specific to Muslims and it is prohibited to be used by any non-Muslim in Selangor, as stated in a 'fatwa' and gazetted on February 18, 2010," Mohd Misri said.
He said the Sultan had stated that stern action could be taken against anyone who questioned the 'fatwa' that was issued according to state laws.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said that Sultan Sharafuddin had every right, as head of the State's Islamic affairs, to issue the decree.