Bibles with ‘Allah’ still banned in Selangor but Azmin promises more interfaith dialogue
(The Malaysian Insider) – Bahasa Malaysia bibles that use the word “Allah” for God are still banned in Selangor, its menteri besar Mohamed Azmin Ali said in Sarawak today, but added that the state’s Islamic authorities had been told to engage more with other religions.
Azmin said the ban was in place due to the Selangor Non-Islamic Religions Enactment 1988 which prohibits non-Muslims from using the Arabic word for “God”.
“We have to respect the law,” he told reporters in Kuching at the end of a three-day working visit to the state.
However, Azmin said that following the return of seized Alkitab and Iban-language Bup Kudus bibles in November last year, he had given his support to Selangor Muslim leaders and the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) to engage with Christian leaders “to educate” themselves on other religious faiths.
Azmin said he had asked them to visit churches and the result of the engagement for the last two months had been positive.
“We need to continue the dialogue between Christians and Muslims so that there will be better understanding and to create a harmonious environment in our multi-religious and multi-racial society,” he said.
