The government has decided to release copies of the Bible in the Malay language that have been seized in in Kuching and in Port Klang, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Idris Jala said.

"This is in line with the 1982 gazette under the ISA, which allows limited and controlled importation and circulation of the Bible in Bahasa Malaysia," Idris said in a statement late this evening.

economic transformation programme 210910 idris jala 02 He said that the law, in force since 1982, requires such holy books to carry a stamp that reads: "For Christians only". 

"Since 1982, with this gazette, there have been no problems in its implementation.

"As such, taking into account this fact, the government has decided to apply the 1982 gazette and release the copies of the Bible accordingly," he said. 

"After a careful and thorough review, the attorney-general confirmed that their release does not prejudice the ongoing court case of the Kalimah Allah issue.

"It is in this context that the government is able to release the copies of the Bible," he said.

'A reasonable compromise'

Idris, who is a prominent Sidang Injil Borneo leader, said the federal government is committed to resolving any inter-faith conflict by way of dialogue. 

"This (the release of the copies of the Bible) is a reasonable compromise in managing the polarities of views between Christians and Muslims in the country.

"The government is clearly committed to resolving inter-faith issues amicably in line with the spirit of 1Malaysia," he said.

When contacted, Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail confirmed that he had advised the government on the matter. 

"I advised the government that it has nothing to do with the case (on the use of the word 'Allah'  by the Herald ). 

"That is a separate case. The copies of the Bible are for the use of the congregation. To me it doesn't matter," he said.  

Five thousand copies of the 'Al-Kitab' have been held in Port Klang since March 2009. More recently, 30,000 copies of the same Bible were seized at Kuching Port.

Printed in Indonesia, the Bibles are meant for the use of Christians in Sabah and Sarawak.

While the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) claims that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had promised to look into the matter and to release the consignment, the sentiments were, however, apparently not conveyed to the Home Ministry.

Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein had previously said the copies of the Bible in Bahasa Malaysia were being held back due to a pending appeal in court on the use of the word 'Allah' by non-Muslims.

The ministry's Publications Control and Quranic Text Division secretary, Zaitun Ab Samad, also said that the Bible was also not allowed into the country, based on a 1986 cabinet directive banning non-Muslims from using the terms 'Allah', 'Solat', 'Kiblat' and 'Kaabah'; some of which are mentioned in the Malay-language Bible.

- Additional reporting by Aidila Razak

 

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