Following the Jais raid on the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) offices earlier this month, the BSM is putting together a fall-back plan to put itself and the bibles it distributes out of the reach of Selangor state religious enforcers.
This plan includes utilising a depository in Sabah and possibly more in Sarawak, as well as shiting operations to Kuala Lumpur, in order to continue importing Bahasa Malaysia and indigenous-language holy scriptures from Indonesia.
BSM general secretary Rev Dr Simon Wong says the group already has an existing depot in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, that can be used to continue distributing bibles to Bumiputera Christians in Sabah and Sarawak.
“It’s worthwhile to consider having a KL address if things don’t work out as we hope for,” Wong told The Malay Mail Online.
The Selangor Islamic Religious Department raided the BSM offices earlier this month and confiscated over 300 Bahasa Malaysia bibles and Bahasa Iban copies of Luke’s Gospel, while arresting two BSM officials who were later released on bail. Jais officials have not yet returned the confiscated holy books. Malay rights group Perkasa, which has been vociferously against the use of the word “Allah” by non-Muslims, earlier directed its Selangor members to not protest in front of churches, but vowed to maintain pressure on authorities until action is taken against those who flout the Selangor Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Among Muslims) Enactment 1988.
Source: The Malay Mail Online
