KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 ― The Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) today denied any involvement in the peace rally this Sunday to protest the Selangor religious authorities’ plan to destroy the over 300 bibles confiscated over six months ago.

Referring to a poster of the event being circulated on social media, BSM's general secretary Reverend Dr Simon Wong insisted in a statement here that the society has not arranged for any rallies at Dataran Merdeka this weekend.

“I’d like to inform the public that BSM has nothing to do with the rally and BSM has not called for any Himpunan Bible as purported in the poster,” Wong said.

According to the poster sighted by The Malay Mail Online, participants are expected to march from the Gospel Hall Kuala Lumpur on Jalan Hang Jebat to Dataran Merdeka.

When contacted, church elder Jimmy Chok also denied having any knowledge of the rally.

The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) had seized 321 bibles Malay and Iban language bibles that contained the word “Allah” during a surprise raid on BSM's premise in Petaling Jaya on January 2.

The enforcers later refused to abide by the instructions from the Selangor state government ordering the return of the books.

Last week, Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail said that no charges will be brought against the society, pointing out that the books were not “controlled items” and it was not a national security issue.

However, disagreeing with Abdul Gani, the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais), which controls Jais, insisted that there are grounds to “prosecute” BSM under the Selangor Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Among Muslims) Enactment 1988.

Mais had also said that it will apply to the court to dispose the bibles.

Following the impasse, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah’s private secretary, Mohamad Munir Bani, advised all relevant parties seek legal recourse for the matter to be resolved amicably and without perception of bias.