The consignee assigned by a church organisation to collect the 30,000 copies of the Malay-language Bible has decided not to do so, because of the two conditions imposed by the Home Ministry.

The church leaders have advised the consignee not to collect the  copies for the time being, as they want further clarification from the ministry on conditions imposed for the release of the shipment.

NONEThe ministry, in deciding to release the copies now stored at its office in Kuching, had ordered that the words 'For Christians Only' and a serial number be stamped on the inside cover of each copy.

The consignee received a letter from ministry secretary-general Zaiton Abdul Samad, faxed to him at 6.26pm yesterday.

The letter directed him to collect the copies today, and stated the two conditions.

The consignee said he had sought the advice of the church leaders this morning.

“They told me not to go ahead as they wanted to seek clarification of the two conditions,” he told Malaysiakini.

“While they agree that the Bible is not for Muslims, they are of the view that non-Christians who are not Muslims can get themselves or the church into trouble if they have the Bible in their possession.

“With the restriction, we cannot share God’s words with non-Christians who are not Muslims."

Missionary work 'hampered’

He said the restriction would hamper Christian missionaries in their work.

The consignee said there are thousands of non-Muslim Dayaks in rural Sarawak waiting to hear God’s words from the missionaries.

“This is the point that the church leaders want the Home Ministry to explain,” he said.

The consignee said the church leaders also questioned the rationale of stamping a serial number in each copy.

“The church leaders are in the dark about this serial number,” he added.

The consignment arrived at Kuching Port on Jan 11, but the consignee was advised against taking it out the following day as the copies contain the word 'Allah'.

The  30,000 copies, costing US$26,400, were printed in Indonesia for distribution to churches, schools and longhouses mostly in Betong and Saratok areas.

NONEMinister in the Prime Minister Department Idris Jala (left), in a statement yesterday, said the federal goverment had decided to release the copies of the Bible in line with the 1982 gazette under the Internal Security Act, which allowed limited and controlled importation and circulation of the Bible in Bahasa Malaysia.

He had stated that the law, in force since 1982, required such books to carry a stamp that reads 'For Christians only'.

“Since 1982, with this gazette, there have been no problems in its implementation," Idris, a Sidang Injil Borneo (SIB) follower, had said.

“As such, taking into account this fact, the government has decided to apply the 1982 gazette and release the copies of the Bible accordingly.”

He had also stressed that the federal government is committed to resolving any inter-faith conflict by way of dialogue.

“This (the release of the copies) is a reasonable compromise in managing the polarities of views between Christians and Muslims in the country,” he had stated.

Two days ago, the Sarawak Ministers Fellowship had demanded the immediate release of the Bible.

Its chairperson, Daron Tan, had said that the grouping views the impoundment as another blunt violation and unconstitutional curtailment of the religious liberty of the Christians, who make up of 43 percent of Sarawak’s 2.6 million population.

IMPOUNDMENT OF BM BIBLES

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Do not confuse religion with God