The name Allah

Does the word "Allah" meant to be exclusively for Muslim use?  Or is it open for anybody in the world to use?  What do you think?

Apparently, this debate has resurrected in Malaysia.  I do not understand why Malaysian Muslims which to reserve that word for themselves instead of sharing it.

Apparently, it is only in Malaysia that this debate happens.  Muslims in Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and other countries are okay for the word "Allah" to be used by non-Muslims.  And the etymology of the word shows that the word has been used for centuries even before Mohammad was born.  Historically and linguistically, it is not a word that is exclusively Islamic.

However, there are also issues like "blasphemy" - misusing the name of God, and "confusion" - people thinking that another god is being referred to when the same name is used.  I don't see a problem with these issues.  I understand that the names of Hindu gods are used by the Nepali, the names of Greek gods are used by Italians, etc, among cultures that share the same mythology.  But I appreciate that other people might.

I see the calls of the Perkasa leader to ban the Alkitab in Malaysia, and calling the Christians as ungrateful to be quite extreme, even so.  If there is freedom of belief and respect for the fact that the word is not exclusively an Islamic one, then there is no abuse and no need for "retaliation".

I think that people should be better informed and more accepting of each other than what that speech says.

What do you think?  Is this a provocative issue?  Should it be?  What does the word "Allah" mean to you?