Selangor Islamic department pleads for ‘space’ to conduct detailed probe on Bible centre

The Malay-language Bible is among the copies confiscated by Jais during its raid on January 2. - The Malaysian Insider pic, January 4, 2014.The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) has called on all parties to allow it carry a detailed investigation on the Bible Society of Malaysia, whose premises it raided on Thursday, inviting widescale condemnations from Christian groups and politicians.

Jais director Ahmad Zaharin Mohd Saad was quoted by national news agency Bernama as saying that the issue should not be blown out of proportion or politicised by any party.

Zaharin, who earlier said he would write to churches in the state to remind them of a state enactment prohibiting non-Muslims from using the word "Allah", however said he would no longer make any comments on the issue.

Zaharin, who was recently appointed to head the department, earlier said Jais would draw up a list of Selangor churches before writing to ask them to comply with the Selangor Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Among Muslims) Enactment 1988.

The enactment, passed by the Barisan Nasional state government, prohibits non-Muslims in Selangor from using 35 Arabic words and phrases, including “Allah”, “Nabi” (prophet), “Injil” (gospel) and “Insya'Allah” (God willing).

On January 2, Jais officers accompanied by two policemen went to the BSM offices in Damansara Kim, before carting away some 300 copies of the Bahasa Malaysia and Iban translations of the Bible.

The action invited condemnations from Christian groups, lawyers and Pakatan Rakyat leaders.