Mais has no legal right to retain bibles, says DAP lawmaker

CHERAS, June 14 — The Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) has no legal standing to hold on to the bibles seized from the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) after the Attorney General decided against charging the Christian group, DAP leader Gobind Singh Deo said today.

He also argued that the AG must punish Mais for its defiance or risk creating the perception that he is not in control.

“I think the AG should act in the matter. It appears that there is open defiance against his decision that there is no case against BSM.

“I think this is something that he should deal with to show that he is still in control in so far as prosecutions are concerned because as we all know the discretion to prosecute is given solely to the AG,” he said.

The MP also questioned the basis for retaining the seized bibles.

“What is the legal basis for them (Mais) to hold on to the bible when the AG has said there is no case?” the Puchong MP and DAP legal bureau chief told reporters after attending the party's retreat just outside the capital.

“If they cannot provide the answer for that, then they have to return the bibles.”

Gobind said the bibles could only be retained if there was a concrete case against the Christian group.

Using a Selangor state law that prohibits non-Muslims from using “Allah” to refer to God, religious authorities in the state raided the premises of the Bible Society of Malaysia on January 2, seizing over 300 copies of the Malay-language and Iban-language bibles which used the word.

But on Wednesday, Malaysia’s Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail said there will be no charges in the case.

Mais, however, said the AG had erred and that it will not return the bibles.

The Puchong MP also said that Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim should act and instruct Mais to return the bibles immediately.

In the latest development, however, Mais and the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) are now seeking a court ruling which will enable them to dispose over 300 bibles seized from the Bible Society Malaysia (BSM) on January 2.

Mais also reiterated that Jais, which comes under the council's purview will not adhere to the directive issued by the Selangor state government because the state had “no power” in the matter.