Selangor orders Jais to return Bibles
Sheridan Mahavera, The Malaysian Insider
The Selangor government today ordered its religious authority to return the Bibles seized from The Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) after yesterday’s announcement by the Attorney-General that there was no justification for the raid.
Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said the exco in charge of religious affairs Sallehin Mukhyi and the state’s legal advisor Datuk Nik Suhaimi Nik Sulaiman will assist the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) in returning the Bibles.
“Salehen Mukhyi and Jais have also been asked to start discussions with the affected parties, especially BSM to harmoniously resolve their differences of opinion to preserve good inter-religious relations,” said Khalid in a brief statement.
The 321 Bibles in Malay and Iban were seized by Jais six months ago on grounds that they violated a 1988 Selangor enactment against propagating to Muslims.
Jais’s actions were widely criticised as being excessive by non-Muslims and Muslims, given that the bibles were meant for Christians in Sabah and Sarawak who worshipped in those languages.
Khalid did not specify when the Bibles were to be returned.
He said the state government had been advised by Selangor’s legal chambers to take the necessary steps to handle the seized Bibles.
“The Selangor government welcomes the Attorney-General’s decision that there is no case against Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) and there will be no prosecution (in this issue),” Khalid said.
