Selangor Sultan says Bibles were stamped to keep them out of the state

(Malay Mail Online) – The Sultan of Selangor has said that Bibles previously seized by Islamic authorities were returned to their owner with warning stamps on them to keep the books out of Selangor.

“I hope that the distribution as well as the printing of Bibles that contain the word Allah will no longer be done in Selangor,” the Sultan told The Star in a rare interview.

The books, belonging to the Bible Society of Malaysia were seized in January because they contained the word “Allah” to refer to God. They were returned recently featuring the warning stamps after a drawn out affair, prompting the society to demand an apology for what it called an act of desecration.

“The law is specific and clear — it is an offence under the Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Among Muslims) Enactment 1988,” the Sultan was quoted as saying

“But at the same time, we must remember that the seized Bibles belong to the Christians. They had to be returned to the rightful owners,” he was further quoted as saying.