Jais has no right to raid Bible Society of Malaysia premises, says council of churches
(TMI) – The Selangor Islamic authorities do not have the authority to raid the premises of the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM), said the Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM).
Saying they were alarmed by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department’s (Jais) raid today on BSM where they confiscated over 300 Bibles in Malay and Iban, CCM general-secretary Rev Dr Hermen Shastri said that the Federal Constitution guaranteed the right of religious communities in the country to freely profess and administer their affairs.
“The Prime Minister, Selangor Menteri Besar and all Christian lawmakers should act immediately to stop such actions and further raids,” he said in a statement issued more than two hours after the controversial raid.
He said the CCM believes that Islamic authorities do not have the authority in law to enter the premises of non-Muslim religious establishments for inspection, search or raid
He also called on the churches to stay calm and pray that the rightful authorities would act with wisdom and sensitivity to protect the sensitivity the religious rights of all.
Christians make up about 10% of the Malaysian population, or 2.6 million. Almost two-thirds of them are Bumiputera and are largely based in Sabah and Sarawak, where they routinely use Bahasa Malaysia and indigenous languages in their religious practices, including describing God as Allah in their prayers and holy book.
Besides the Bumiputera Christians from East Malaysia, some of whom have moved to the peninsula to live and work, Orang Asli Christians in the peninsula also typically use Bahasa Malaysia in their worship.
Meanwhile, Selangor religious exco Solehin Muhyi, when contacted, said he was not aware of the raid.
“I didn’t know anything until now,” he said.
