HALE AND HEARTY: Najib gets his blood pressure checked after he opened the 1Malaysia clinic in pantai Dalam. Pic: SHAHIR OMAR

KUALA LUMPUR: No action will be taken against those planning demonstrations over a High Court ruling allowing the use of the word "allah" by the Catholic weekly Herald.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said it is okay, as long as the protests were held within restricted premises and compounds.

Najib said this after launching the much-awaited 1Malaysia Community Clinic in Kampung Kerinchi this morning.

He said Muslim groups were free to protest and express their views on the issue as long as it did not spill over into something more serious.

"We hope the protests will not spill over. Better still, if the protest is under control," he said, adding the authorities "cannot stop people from gathering at mosques and protesting there".

Asked about the government's stand on last week's Kuala Lumpur High Court ruling that allowed the Catholic church to use the word "allah" in the Herald, Najib said the Cabinet had decided to allow the process of the court to take place.

"The government is appealing the ruling and, for the moment, we will leave it at that."

The prime minister was responding to reports that Muslim Youth Movement (Abim) and the National Association of Muslim Students (PKPIM) were planning to protest nationwide tomorrow against the court's decision.

After the launch, Najib told reporters that medical practitioners need not worry that their turf being usurped with the opening of 50 community clinics nationwide under the 1Malaysia programme for the rakyat.

"There is nothing to worry. We are only providing basic service."

The Malaysian Medical Association had earlier said that the 1Malaysia clinics would affect the country's standard of medical service.

He also told reporters that the government had spent RM10 million to open some 50 clinics nationwide. "We will evaluate the performance of the clinics and decide if we want to open more."

At the launch, Najib said the clinics were the government's promise to the low-income group in urban areas under the "people first" concept when announcing the 2010 Budget.

"With the opening of these clinics in the neighbourhood, people can save their travelling time and also get early treatment."

Health Minister Datuk Sri Liow Tiong Lai said the clinic would be open from 10am to 10pm daily and manned by a nurse, an attendant and supporting staff .

'Let us all keep harmony'

The issue of the exclusivity of the word 'allah' is a "big deal" among the country's Muslims and should be looked at in the Malaysian context, says Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom.

The minister who is in charge of Islamic affairs said the usage of the word 'allah' could be categorised as being specific to the Muslims.

"From the day we are born to the day we die, the name 'allah' has always accompanied us and is recognised as a name we use to call our God.

"This issue is a big deal and it isn't enough for the court to make the decision on its usage. Instead, we should analyse the history of Islam in this country. It has been rooted within us that Allah refers to the God of Muslims.

"Since non-Muslims have never had any issue with not using the word 'allah' before, they should just continue to do so," said Jamil Khir at a media conference on the Zakat Collection Centre's (PPZ) 2009 tithe collection at Dataran Shamelin Perkasa, Taman Shamelin Perkasa, this morning.

Earlier, he said what was important was not who wins or who has the right to use the word 'allah'.

"What's important is keeping the harmony between Muslims and non-Muslims."

On the PPZ's 2009 tithe collection, Jamil Khir said the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council's (Mawi) tithe collection agency collected RM242 million compared with RM206 million in 2008.

The number of tithe contributers has also increased from 67,672 in 2008 to 78,820 last year.

He said one of the factors of the contribution was the thohir scheme which allows tithe payments through salary deductions.

Last year's collection saw 68 per cent of the tithe contributers using the scheme, paying RM142 million of the total amount.

For this year, PPZ is aiming to collect RM250 million.