In a joint statement issued by the party leadership today, Upko said the opposition parties should hold back their grassroots from attacking government parties for being “soft”, even if they were previously subject to such unfair attacks.

“The opposition must compete with the government on issues related to health, economy, education, environment and others, but never one-upmanship in the zero-sum game of ethnicity and religion,” the party said.

Kuala Lumpur High Court Judge Nor Bee Ariffin had earlier this week, in allowing a judicial review by a Sarawakian Christian, said a Dec 5, 1986 home affairs ministry directive prohibiting the use of certain words by non-Muslims was illegal and unconstitutional, adding that it was wrongly issued as it went beyond the aim of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.

Following the decision, home minister Hamzah Zainudin said his ministry would decide on the next course of action after receiving the reasons for the judgment in writing from the court.

Hamzah urged all parties not to speculate or make any interpretations of the decision and to respect the legal and judicial process of the country.

PPBM, Umno and PAS have called for Putrajaya to appeal the High Court’s decision but this was met with objections from Christian organisations as well as Sabah and Sarawak leaders who said the federal government should not appeal the decision.

In reiterating its call for the government not to appeal the decision, Upko said the verdict “is not an encroachment on the Muslims as some Malayan political entrepreneurs try to frame it to be”.

“It is a restoration of the pre-1986 status quo, part of the ‘original’ Malaysia promised to Sabah and Sarawak in 1963,” the party said, referring to the federal Cabinet’s decision in 1986 to ban the use of the word “Allah” in non-Muslim publications.

“All parties should come together to seize the golden opportunity given by the High Court decision to close an ugly chapter in the playbook of identity politics in Malaysia,” the party added.

Upko also called on the 56 MPs from Sabah, Labuan and Sarawak and their parties to unite to defend the partial restoration of the “original” Malaysia.

Regardless of which side of the political divide they were from, the party said Borneo-based parties must be prepared to cut ties now and even after the next general election with any party irresponsibly fanning public discontent against the High Court’s decision.

“Borneo parties must not accept anti-Borneo Malayans as government partners.

“Upko urges Sabah chief minister Hajiji Noor and Sarawak chief minister Abang Johari Openg to invite top leaders of all Borneo-based parties to discuss forming a united front to defend the partial restoration of the ‘original’ Malaysia if the agitation gains momentum.”