MB to meet Selangor Sultan over return of bibles

Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim will seek the approval of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah to return the seized Malay language bibles to The Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM).

Abdul Khalid said he will seek an audience with Sharafuddin tomorrow and present him with options on the matter.

“Of course, to return, that is all,” he told reporters when asked what the option was.

“But in this case, the procedure must be done right,” he added.

He also said he will discuss the matter with members of the state executive council today over lunch.

Abdul Khalid had met with heads of the Selangor Islamic Affairs Council and Department (Mais and Jais) as well as the state legal advisor yesterday evening for discussion over the impasse on the seized bibles.

Mais and Jais had decided to hold on to the bibles despite an order from Abdul Khalid for the bibles to be returned to BSM, sparking a debate on the jurisdictions of state religious bodies, the state government and federal legal authority over contentious religious issues.

Abdul Khalid’s directive was derived from a decision made by Attorney General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail last week to close the BSM case.

Gani had found it was not a matter of national security and there was no need for prosecution as BSM did not contravene related Syariah laws.

Abdul Khalid said today the procedures involved, Mais’ stand on the issue, the state government’s view on the matter and Gani’s decision will be taken into account on the implementation of the resolution.

“When we have a discussion, of course, there will be various opinions and stands on a matter,” he said.

“We will take into account the procedures and decorum, Mais’ stand on the matter, the state government’s view and the AG’s statement on the issue of implementation,” he added.

On January 2, a team of 20 Jais and police officers raided BSM’s Selangor office, where over 300 copies of the Malay-language and Iban-language bibles containing the word “Allah” were seized under the Selangor Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Among Muslims) Enactment 1988.

The enactment was passed by the then-Barisan Nasional (BN) state government and prohibits non-Muslims in Selangor from using 35 Arabic words and phrases in their faith, including “Allah” (God), “Nabi” (prophet) and “Injil” (gospel).

Abdul Khalid had previously stated that the state government will not interfere with the matter and BSM should write to Gani on the return of the bibles.

The contentious issue was put to rest momentarily after Gani decided last week that the case will be closed.

“On the issue of the seized Bibles, I expect Jais to do the necessary according to the law,” he had said.

Mais had said Jais would keep the bibles as proof of misuse of the term “Allah”, the Star Online had reported.

Mais chairman Datuk Mohamad Adzib Mohd Isa had reportedly said the Selangor state executive council has no authority to direct state religious bodies to return items seized during an investigation.

He had said the council will adhere to the Criminal Procedure Code which stipulates that the disposal of items seizes during an investigation can be sought through the courts.