KOTA KINABALU: The ball is now in the Selangor government’s court to ensure the seized Bibles are released as the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) is under the Selangor state government, said Minister of Special Tasks Datuk Teo Chee Kang.
“They should stop making excuses to retain the 300 over Bibles,” he said when asked to comment on the matter after officiating at the Second Malaysian Christian Holistic Care Conference at Sabah Theological Seminary (STS) here yesterday.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has urged the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) to discuss with the Attorney-General if it felt that his decision not to prosecute the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) over the Bible issue should be reviewed.
Najib had also said that the Selangor government, Mais and Jais should decide together on whether or not to return the seized Bibles.
“As far as the Attorney-General’s Chamber is concerned, it has already been decided that there is no case to be prosecuted.
“So, naturally, I think the Selangor government should ensure that the Bibles are released,” Teo said.
On Mais’ insistence to bring the BSM to court, Teo replied that there was no necessity to do so.
“Should they wish to release the Bibles, they have the right to do so. There is no need to go to court,” he added.
On January 2, Jais raided the BSM’s premises in Damansara Kim and Petaling Jaya and seized over 300 copies of the Bible in Malay and Iban language which used the word ‘Allah’.
On June 11, the Attorney-General announced that no charges would be made in the Bible seizure case.
Meanwhile, Sabah Council of Churches (SCC) president Bishop Datuk Dr Thomas Tsen Lip Tet of the Basel Christian Church of Malaysia said the Attorney-General had clearly stated that the 321 copies of the Alkitab (Malay Bible) and Bup Kudus (Iban Bibles) should be returned to the BSM.
“I do not think it is fair to say that Mais can make the final decision on whether or not to return the Bibles.
“What is the role of the Attorney-General then?” he questioned.
Tsen said the Christian community could not accept the explanation that Mais has the right to decide whether or not to return the Bibles.
On Mais’ insistence to pursue this matter in court, he said there was no case for the 300 over copies of the Bible to be retained and thus, they should be returned to the BSM.
“If they still want to make another case, they can make a new case,” Tsen said.