Ending the Bible grab with no apologies, but a warning

Christians in Sarawak should be grateful, one supposes, now that Selangor has returned 351 copies of Malay- and Iban-language Bibles that were seized more than 10 months ago.

The bibles that were seized by the Selangor Islamic Department (Jais) from The Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) on January 2 were returned to Christians in Sarawak today through the Association of Churches in Sarawak (ACS) in a ceremony at the Selangor palace in Shah Alam.

They were handed to Sarawak Christians and not to the peninsula-based BSM as part of the condition that such material was not to be distributed in Selangor, especially among Muslims, a statement from the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) later said.

"This settlement is to respect each other's religious beliefs and maintain the sensitivity of various religions in the country," Mais chairman Datuk Mohamad Adzib Mohd Isa said in a statement today.

There were no apologies for seizing the Bibles, which were meant for Christians in Sarawak anyway. None. Just a warning not to distribute the Bibles in Selangor.

Now, why would the authorities reframe the narrative knowing full well that the Bibles were never for distribution in Selangor? Why the warning, as if they are doing everyone a favour by returning the Bibles which they wrongly seized?

Instead of being magnanimous and saying sorry, they have changed the genesis of this episode.

After all, it is Putrajaya's cabotage policy that precludes direct imports to Sabah and Sarawak for such bulky items. All these items have to be brought through a port in the peninsula before being distributed to other parts of the country, including Sabah and Sarawak.

Why blame the BSM for bringing in the Bibles through Port Klang when it has to follow government policy on imports?

The least that the Selangor authorities can do is regret what happened, knowing full well that the Christians are a minority in the country and would not dream of breaking state laws.

And apologise for the misunderstanding. But, no: the Christians have to turn the other cheek and be grateful for tender mercies.

That should never be the case for any Malaysian, to be grateful for what is a right under the Federal Constitution. Perhaps, one day, the authorities can learn to match deeds with the fine words they used today. – November 14, 2014.

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