KUCHING, March 3 — Sarawak Christians may not use Bibles containing “Allah” in Selangor despite the apparent resolution of bible seizures in the state, said Selangor Mentri Besar Azmin Ali.

Azmin said existing laws in Selangor still prohibit non-Muslims from using the Arabic word for god, among several others that are deemed exclusive to Islam.

“We have to appreciate that there is an enactment in Selangor, passed much earlier, that disallows non-Muslims from using the word.

“I told the church leaders that we have to respect the Selangor Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Among Muslims) Enactment 1988,” he said to reporters today before paying a courtesy call to Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here.

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Azmin told the church leaders led by Association of Churches Sarawak (ACS) chairman Archbishop Datuk Bolly Lapok over lunch here yesterday that his administration was now educating the public on how Muslims and non-Muslims may live harmoniously.

He also said he directed the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (JAIS) to hold dialogues with the churches and temples.

“I think it is the best solution that we can offer to ensure that we have a strong society with mutual respect and understanding for each other,” he said. “We have been doing this for the last two months, and the result was very positive.”

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Azmin went on to say his administration was working with JAIS to prepare sermons for Friday prayers that include a clear message espousing moderation and justice to Muslims.

During a courtesy call to Lapok before lunch with the church leaders yesterday, Azmin personally thanked him on his role in resolving the seizure of the Malay and Iban language versions of the Bible by JAIS on January 2 last year.

A total of 351 copies of the Malay language Al-Kitab and the Iban Bible, Bup Kudus, containing the word “Allah” were seized from the Bible Society of Malaysia office in Damansara on January 2, 2014.

The Holy books, meant for Christians from Sarawak, were handed over to Lapok by the Selangor Sultan on November 14 last year, soon after Azmin became Selangor mentri besar.