Hmm…enforcement officers from the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (JAIS) and the police have seized about 350 copies of Christian publications from the premises of the Bible Society of Malaysia in Damansara Kim recently. They include copies of the Bible in Bahasa Malaysia, or Al-Kitab (310) and the Iban language, also known as Bup Kudus (10). The JAIS officers also carried away 20 copies of Luke’s Gospel in Bahasa Malaysia. It is believed that the raid is pertained to the Non-Muslim Religions (Control of Propagation Among Muslims) Enactment 1988 that prohibited the use of Allah and other Quranic terms by non-Muslims. This came about when Father Lawrence Andrew, the editor of the Catholic Weekly; The Herald remarked that churches in Malaysia would use the word Allah in reference to their GOD in their weekend mass. Thus a chain reaction begins to surface – where there was a call for demonstration in front of the selected churches by the Selangor State UMNO & several Muslims groups. Honestly, this is just so sick and it just goes on to show how some Malaysians are really so shallow minded.
(1) First and foremost, JAIS has no legal jurisdiction. They have SOPs for catching Muslims for Khalwat (close proximity), they have the authority & power over their Muslims counterparts but not on non-Muslims.
(2) Why make certain words only exclusive for the Muslims, when these words are just words in the Arabic language. For example, like Assalamualaikum. It means peace be upon you. It’s an Arabic greeting. Just like Good Morning in English. When the non-Muslims uses it – it becomes haram.
(3) The Allah term which pre-dates Islamic religion, is used in the Middle East by Arabic-speaking Christians & Jews and is not banned in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India, Malta and even Indonesia. Bahasa Malaysia Bibles, since 1652 had used the term and Catholics have used it since the 19th century. Even the Sikh’s holy book; the Guru Granth Sahib also uses the term Allah. I thought our Prime Minister openly declares that we are a progressive Islamic country…but it looks like we are even more extreme than the extremist country.
(4) Just because the non-Muslims uses the terms Allah – will the Muslims’ faith be shaken that easily? Their mind be confused so easily? Hello…these people are educated, they know what is right, what is wrong, converting into another faith is not like changing into a pair of new shoes. You will not change your religion if your faith is strong enough.
(5) The 10 point solution that was being implemented must be respected accordingly: Bibles in all languages can be imported, including in Bahasa Malaysia or Indonesia / These Bibles can also be printed locally in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah & Sarawak / Bibles in indigenous languages of Sabah & Sarawak such as Iban, Kadazan-Dusun and Lun Bawang can also be printed locally & imported / For Sabah & Sarawak, there are no conditions attached to the importation and local printing of the Bibles in all languages, including Bahasa Malaysia or Indonesia and indigenous languages / Bibles in Bahasa Malaysia or Indonesia must have the words ‘Christian Publication’ and the Cross sign printed on the front cover / No restrictions on people bringing Bibles and Christian materials on travel between Sabah and Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia / A directive on the Bible has been issued by the Home Ministry to ensure proper implementation of this Cabinet decision and failure to comply will subject officers to disciplinary action under the General Orders / For impounded Bibles in Kuching, the importer can collect all the 30,000 Bibles free of charge / Government to work with Christian groups and other different religious groups to address inter-religious issues / Christian ministers will meet regularly with Christian groups to resolve religious issues.
If these issues don’t resolve amicably – the society as a whole will enter a very dark period of race relations in Malaysia.
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