Palace supporters unhappy Azmin praised
The Selangor Menteri Besar, being a politician, is milking the issue of the return of the Bibles for his maximum benefit.
Shane Fuentes, Free Malaysia Today
Supporters of the Selangor palace have apparently taken to the media, including the social media, to express their unhappiness that Menteri Besar Azmin Ali is getting all the credit for the return of the 321 Bibles, in Malay and Iban, seized by religious authorities in Jan from the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM).
The figures vary. Some reports mention that 351 copies of the Bible were seized.
These supporters feel that Azmin, being a politician, is milking the issue of the return of the Bibles for his maximum benefit.
They want to clarify that it was the Sultan who in fact played the main role in the return of the Bibles since the religious authorities in the state report to him.
“It is amazing why everyone thinks it is Azmin who ensured the return of the bibles,” a palace supporter was quoted as saying in one media report.
Azmin, upon taking office as Menteri Besar two months ago, was reported in the media as pointing out that the religious authorities in Selangor don’t report to him but the Sultan.
He added that he would do his best to get the Bibles returned.
In another report, he claimed that he had meetings with the religious authorities and that they had agreed to return the Bibles. The Menteri Besar apparently had meetings with Jais and the Majlis Agama Islam Selangor (Mais) to impress upon them that the issue should be resolved in the interest of peace and security in the country.
The religious authorities subsequently denied the report. Perkasa Chief Ibrahim Ali vowed that there would be riots if the Bibles were returned.
In a final report, just before the Bibles were returned, Azmin told the media that he had advised the Sultan that the Bibles belonged to the Christians and should be returned. He did not say how the Sultan responded.
