KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 — The parent-teacher association (PTA) chairman of a Penang school should inform police of his claim that Christian materials were distributed to students there, a state executive councillor said today.
Datuk Abdul Malik Abul Kassim, the Penang exco on religious affairs, said that the police could then investigate if there was any wrongdoing in the incident, as proselytisation of faiths other than Islam to Muslims is illegal in Malaysia.
“We leave it to the police. The relevant party has to make a police report,” Abdul Malik told The Malay Mail Online today when contacted.
According to a report in Malay daily Sinar Harian today, Sekolah Menengah Haji Zainal Abidin Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) chairman Nor Amin Ahmad claimed to have caught three men handing out what he described as “bibles” at another school in the vicinity.
He was quoted as saying that the “bibles” were titled “Kenalilah Al Kitab (Know the Bible)” and contained the words “Sebuah panorama Firman Allah dalam 366 bacaan dan renungan harian” (The Word of God in 366 daily readings and reflections).
The school teacher also alleged that there have been acts of proselytisation among the students themselves.
But the report did not specify if the students allegedly given the material are Muslim or whether a police report has been lodged.
Christians and Muslims remain locked in a legal tussle over “Allah”, the Arabic word for God, which is headed for the Federal Court on March 5 or some four years after a High Court ruled that the Catholic Church has the constitutional right to use the term.
The Church of the Assumption in Lebuh Farquhar in Penang was firebombed last month after controversial banners with the words “Jesus is the son of Allah” were found outside the premises of the church and outside four other churches in the state.
Church leaders have denied putting the banners up.
