AFP - A Christian church in Malaysia has been set ablaze in a fire-bomb attack, church officials said Friday, amid a dispute over the use of the word "Allah" by a Catholic newspaper.

The three-storey Metro Tabernacle church in suburban Kuala Lumpur was partly destroyed in the attack which took place around midnight, said church leader Peter Yeow, 62.

"Witnesses saw four people smash the glass and throw incendiaries into the church building. They came on two motorcycles," he told AFP at the scene as firefighters investigated the blaze.

There were no casualties in the attack on the church, which occupies the corner lot of a row of shop houses and which Yeow said draws some 1,500 people weekly.

"The fire destroyed the administrative part of the church. We do not know if the prayer hall on the third floor suffered any damage," he said, warning all other churches to "double their guard" against any attacks.

Muslim groups have vowed to stage nationwide protests Friday over a court ruling last week that allowed a Catholic newspaper to use the word "Allah," which the government says should be used only by Muslims.

The High Court suspended the ruling on Wednesday, after the government argued the decision could cause racial conflict.