Rakyat will doubt the government's sincerity in respecting religious freedom and the mode of worship, says consultative council
PETALING JAYA: The government should respect religious freedom and the language used for worship, said the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism.
Its president Thomas Phillips said the government’s announcement that it will release 35,000 Malay-language bibles being held at two ports, was no soccour as there was no reason for the authorities to hold back the scriptures in the first place.
“Religion is an individual’s personal matter. It is important we respect their rights to worship and the language they use for that
purpose,” said Phillips.
Yesterday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Idris Jala announced that the government would release the Malay-language bibles impounded at the Klang and Kuching ports.
The scriptures were imported from Indonesia by the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) in March 2009.
Asked on suggestions how to avoid such incidents in the future, Phillips said it was better for everyone to put this episode behind and move forward.
“However, I hope that the government would not seize Malay-language bibles in the future.
“If not, Malaysians would doubt the government’s sincerity in protecting the people’s choice of worship,” he said.
PETALING JAYA: The government should respect religious freedom and the language used for worship, said the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism.
Its president Thomas Phillips said the government’s announcement that it will release 35,000 Malay-language bibles being held at two ports, was no soccour as there was no reason for the authorities to hold back the scriptures in the first place.
“Religion is an individual’s personal matter. It is important we respect their rights to worship and the language they use for that
purpose,” said Phillips.
Yesterday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Idris Jala announced that the government would release the Malay-language bibles impounded at the Klang and Kuching ports.
The scriptures were imported from Indonesia by the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) in March 2009.
Asked on suggestions how to avoid such incidents in the future, Phillips said it was better for everyone to put this episode behind and move forward.
“However, I hope that the government would not seize Malay-language bibles in the future.
“If not, Malaysians would doubt the government’s sincerity in protecting the people’s choice of worship,” he said.
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