KUALA LUMPUR— The Selangor government will not be commenting on a shock raid on the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) this week until they receive a formal report from its religious authorities.
Its executive councillor (exco) in charge of religious affairs, Sallehen Mukhyi, had reportedly demanded a report from the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) after it claimed to have forgotten to inform the state administration about the raid.
“Exco in charge Sallehen already requested for a full report from Jais,” said a representative from the Selangor Mentri Besar's office on condition anonymity.
“Until we receive the report no statement needs to be made, everyone including the press should stay calm and let process to take its place.”
Sallehen also reportedly planned to meet BSM officials on Monday before briefing the mentri besar on the raid.
The PAS Sabak assemblyman had earlier said that the raid, which led to the seizure of Malay-language and Iban bibles, was never discussed with him.
On Thursday, Jais raided BSM's office in Selangor and seized more than 300 copies of the Alkitab and Bup Kudus, the bible in the Malay-language bible and the Iban-language bible respectively that contains the word “Allah”.
Jais’s raid followed its announcement last week that it planned to tell all churches in the state to cease using “Allah” in their worship, as part of a 1988 state law and royal decree limiting its use to Islam.
MCA's Datuk Ti Lian Ker had today questioned whether the Selangor government will instruct Jais to withdraw all charges against BSM officer — two of which were arrested during the raid — and return all the bibles to BSM.
He also questioned whether Selangor will take any action on Jais personnel who ordered the raid.
MCA's remark follows Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, who called the Selangor government's response to the raid as non-existent or at best weak yesterday.
Meanwhile, Jais also has decided not to reply to questions about its right to act on non-Muslims, with its director Ahmad Zaharin Mohd Saad citing the need to provide space for the police to act. - Malay Mail
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