SHAH ALAM, Nov 3 ― A solution to the ten-month-old seizure of hundreds of bibles by Selangor's religious authorities can be expected in the "near future", Azmin Ali said today.

The Selangor Mentri Besar confirmed today that he had met with religious enforcers from the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) and the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) to hear their "views" about the seized bibles.

"The important thing is I'm committed to resolve this issue and thankfully the meeting was very forthcoming.

"We will present to the Tuanku and we will announce the outcome of this issue in the near future," Azmin told reporters today after launching a state-wide action plan to combat dengue.

The matter will be handed over to the Selangor Sultan to get his consent over efforts to seek a harmonious and peaceful resolution, the newly-minted Mentri Besar said.

Azmin declined however to give an expected timeframe for the resolution of the January seizure of the Bible Society of Malaysia's (BSM) bibles.

He also did not say when the meeting with Jais and Mais had taken place.

In a surprise raid on January 2, Jais seized over 300 copies of Malay-language and Iban language bibles from BSM's office, citing a 1988 Selangor state law ― that prohibits non-Muslims from using the Arabic word “Allah” to refer to God ― as basis for their actions.

In June, the AG said the bibles seized were not controlled items and did not constitute a national security issue, adding that Jais would then take the “next step” in accordance with the law. That next step has not materialised.

Jais and Mais reportedly said instead then they will be seeking a court ruling to enable them to dispose of the Christians’ holy books.

Azmin, who came into office this September 23, had inherited the bible row ― which is seen as threatening the rights of the minority Christian group ― from his predecessor Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

In the months leading up to Khalid's replacement, the former PKR member had came under intense criticism over his apparent failure to keep Jais in line despite it being a state department.

Early last month, BSM's new president Bishop Datuk Ng Moon Hing told Malay Mail Online that the society hopes that the new Selangor Mentri Besar will help it regain the 300-odd copies of bibles seized by state Islamic authorities earlier this year.

Ng said that his hopes of a favourable outcome are also based on the Attorney-General’s decision that there was no legal basis to back the seizure of the Malay- and Iban-language bibles, but clarified that the society did not want to pressurise Azmin as he had just stepped into office.