SHAH ALAM, 25 June: The Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, denies that 321 Bibles confiscated from the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) early in January has been destroyed, as claimed by some.
He said that the Bibles are still under the care and monitoring of the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) and that it was never submitted to the Attorney General.
Abdul Khalid also informed that the decision, whether to return the Bibles to BSM or not, is in progress and that they are still waiting for a report from the Attorney General.
“We are waiting for a report from the Attorney General for the implementation process. We will implement it as soon as possible and when I receive the report, I will inform what will happen.
“Destroyed? No. Do not make bad speculations,” he said during a press conference after the Executive Council meeting at the SUK Building today.
Recently, the issue of returning the Bibles became heated when the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (MAIS) issued a statement that they do not support the Attorney General’s decision of refusing to prosecute the use of the ‘Allah’ word in the Bibles printed in Malay and Iban languages, and refuses to return them to BSM.
To resolve the conflict, a series of meetings have been held with JAIS and MAIS for discussions before Abdul Khalid met with the Sultan of Selangor on the matter twice last week.
NS
