ALOR GAJAH, Jan 4 — The police are to act if Selangor’s Islamic enforcers enlist their aid to enforce the religious laws within the state, Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today as controversy rages over the men in blue’s presence during a recent raid on a Christian shop in Petaling Jaya.
The minister appeared to defend the move that has drawn public ire, saying the police were there because they respected the Selangor Islamic Religious Department’s (Jais) jurisdiction over the issue with Islam being a matter under the state government.
“All quarters should stop playing up this sensitive issue... those involved should adhere to the decree by the Sultan of Selangor and the court order for (non-Muslims) not to use the ‘kalimah Allah (in their scriptures),” Ahmad Zahid was quoted by state news wire Bernama as saying in a news conference in Alor Gajah.
It is unclear if the minister also commented on whether non-Muslims in Selangor are bound by Islamic law, which several lawyers have argued is beyond the jurisdiction of the state religious enforcers.
He also reportedly advised Malaysians not to “pour oil on a raging fire” in the ongoing dispute over the use of the Arabic word for God.
In a raid on Thursday, Jais officials, accompanied by policemen, raided the office of the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) and seized some 300 copies of both the Malay-language and Iban bibles that contain the word “Allah”, despite not having an official warrant to search the premises.
The police also took two BSM officials into their custody, only releasing them after bail was posted.
It is understood that the action was taken under Selangor Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Among Muslims) Enactment 1988 that prohibits non-Muslims in Selangor from using 35 Arabic words and phrases, including the word for God, “Allah”.
The police involvement has drawn outrage, with the DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang demanding Malaysia’s police chief explain involving his men in aiding Islamic officials to seize the holy books of a non-Muslim faith.
The opposition leader described the police action as a violation of its first duty to protect and uphold the law under the Federal Constitution, which covers all Malaysians regardless of their religious background, rather than Islamic laws that are applicable only to Muslims.
“IGP Khalid should explain why the police aided and abetted in the illegal and unconstitutional Jais raid on Bible Society of Malaysia when it is the first duty of the police to protect the constitution and uphold the law,” Lim said in a statement today.
The veteran federal lawmaker suggested that without police involvement, the Islamic religious enforcers would not be able to storm into the Christian group’s office, an act that has drawn public anger from both Christians and Muslims who see it as a breach of their constitional religious freedoms.
“Didn’t the police have the proper constitutional knowledge and legal advice that it is unlawful and unconstitutional to trample on the rights of all Malaysians in the exercise of their fundamental constitutional rights with regard to freedom of religion?” Lim asked.
All quarters should stop playing up this sensitive issue... those involved should adhere to the decree by the Sultan of Selangor and the court order for (non-Muslims) not to use the ‘kalimah Allah (in their scriptures). — Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Lim also asked whether the relevant civil servants have been briefed by top officials and the Attorney-General on the agreed 10-point solution to the Malay-language Bible controversy which was endorsed by Cabinet on April 2011, as pledged by Putrajaya.
The 10-point solution, which was issued by the Najib administration shortly before the Sarawak state election in 2011, allows bibles in the Malay and indigenous languages to be distributed freely without such conditions in Sabah and Sarawak.
Under Point 7 of the solution, disciplinary action would be taken against government officers should they fail to comply with the decision and ensure its proper implementation.
But the raid on BSM, which holds distribution rights to the AlKitab in Sabah and Sarawak, has now thrown this into doubt.
Jais’ raid comes after its newly-appointed director, Ahmad Zaharin Mohd Saad, said last week that letters will be sent to all churches in Selangor to ask them to comply with the Selangor 1988 enactment.
Bumiputera Christians, who form about 64 per cent or close to two-thirds of the Christian community in Malaysia, have used the word “Allah” when praying and speaking in the national language and their native tongues for centuries.
