KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 — Christians should not see malice in a lawyer’s proposal for Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) to translate their Bible into Bahasa Malaysia, said a federal minister from Sabah.
Science, Technology and Innovation minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Madius Tangau, added, however, that the proposal was unworkable as such translation work needed more than just expertise in the national language.
“Those interested to translate the ‘Book’ (Bible), including Dewan Bahasa and Pustaka, we accept the suggestion with an open heart,” he was quoted as saying by the Borneo Post.
He explained that translators would need to be familiar with other languages such as Latin and Greek.
They must also possess a deep understanding of the Bible and Christianity to grasp the nuances contained within the Christian holy book, he added.
Noting the sensitivity of the topic, Madius then pleaded that the matter not be turned into political fodder.
“There are people, politicians like myself, who like to bring up the issue so they can get votes. But in matters of God, do not use it to get votes. Please,” he said.
Last month, a lawyer for the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) asserted in court that the DBP can prepare an official Malay translation of the Bible to correct Christians’ alleged error in using the word “Allah” for God.
