Selangor exco: Raid based on established SOP

Nevertheless, the SOP needs to be revised so that it will not cause unnecessary anxiety, says Sallehen Mukhyi.

UPDATED

SHAH ALAM: The controversial raid by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) on the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) was conducted based on standard operating procedures (SOP).

Selangor state exco for Islamic affairs, Sallehen Mukhyi, said: “Jais acted according to the the Selangor Non-Islamic Religions Enactment 1988 after receiving complaints from public.”

“However, the SOP needs to be revised so that it will not cause unnecessary anxiety. The state exco and state government will be have to be informed prior to any raid.”

Sallehen said this at a press conference after a meeting the Editor of The Herald, Father Lawrence Andrew, Klang MP Charles Santiago and Sri Andalas Adun Xavier Jayakumar.

“During the meeting I suggested an inter-faith dialogue to be held to help improve harmony between Muslims and non-Muslims,” he added.

Sallehen, however, did not disclose the details of the dialogue as discussions were still ongoing.

Reconciliation council

Sallehen said no action will be taken against Jais for the time being as the case is under police investigation.

“Jais has lodged a police report and we will leave it to police to carry on with their investigations,” he said.

Sallehen also added that a reconciliation council will be formed to arrive at a consensus to safeguard the harmony between Muslims and non-Muslims.

Sallehen also said he will meet Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to seek an explanation on the federal goverment’s stand on the 10-point solution, which allows the import of Bibles in Malay.

“This is because even bibles seized from the BSM has the Home Ministry stamp on it,” said Sallehen.

He urged the public to adhere to Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah’s decree last December that all citizens in Selangor must abide by the prohibition on the use of the word ‘Allah’ by non-Muslims.

Santiago, however, said that the sultan’s decree did not state that the word ‘Allah’ can’t be used in churches.

Santiago’s views was supported by Andrew who said that no religion can dictate to other faiths what to do.

Last Thursday, Jais, accompanied by the police raided the BSM and confiscated 321 copies of Bibles in Bahasa Malaysia and the Iban language.