Refer Bible issue to court, sultan orders Jais
Malaysiakini – 9 hours ago
Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah today ordered the state Islamic department (Jais) to promptly refer the issue of whether to return or destroy the seized 321 copies of the Bible to the prosecutor and court for final determination.
This, the ruler said, is in line with the minutes issued by the Attorney-General's Chambers that Jais takes the next appropriate action, according to the law.
"Jais should promptly refer to the state public prosecutor for it to be taken to court for final determination," the sultan said in a statement issued by his private secretary Mohamad Munir Bani.
However, the ruler did not state which court - civil or syariah - the matter should be referred to.
This action, the sultan said, is to ensure that the law is upheld and would not affect the sensitivity of the two parties involved.
The sultan said the issue should not be politicised by any quarter in causing confusion by proposing solutions which are not based on the law.
BSM: Unlawful to keep our Bible
Meanwhile, Bible Society Malaysia said the fact that the attorney-general had closed the case meant the copies of the Bible should be returned immediately.
"Jais' insistence that it intends to hold on to the seized Bible, pending a court order for the release, pursuant to the Criminal Procedure Code, is therefore without foundation.
"More importantly, it is a total disregard for the provisions of the Federal Constitution and an absolute breach of the rule of law," BSM president Ng Moon Hing (left) said in a statement.
He added that if the holy books are deemed unlawful, then is "absolutely unacceptable" for Jais or the Selangor Islamic Affairs Council (Mais) to speak of disposing the items.
Ng also lauded the prime minister's advice to the Selangor religious authorities to follow the attorney-general's advice.
