The police will return the 31 hymn books with the word 'Allah' seized in Johor a fortnight ago to the Catholic church tonight.
However, Father Cyril Mannayagam said he will not accept them if they are stamped or a limit is set on their circulation.
"If any conditions are set, I won't receive them," he said when contacted.
Mannayagam (right) said he received a phone call from the police informing him to collect them at the Ledang police station in Tangkak, Johor, at 8pm.
"I had asked to collect them this morning itself, but they said 8pm," he added.
The hymnals are titled 'Kepujian Kepada Tuhan Allah' and are meant for Orang Asli parishioners.
Mannayagam was taken in for questioning for more than four hours on Dec 5, after sending the books for photocopying at a local store.
He was investigated under Section 298A of the Penal Code, but that section was in 1988 declared unconstitutional and struck out.
The section relates to the offence of causing disharmony, disunity or feeling of enmity, hatred or ill-will, or prejudicing the maintenance of harmony or unity on grounds of religion.
Lawyers worked hard to secure release
Mannayagam will be accompanied by the Catholic Church's lawyers tonight.
"The lawyers have been working hard on this and have written to the higher authorities for the release (of the hymnals)," he said.
They were meant for a Christmas service for the Orang Asli community on Dec 7.
The Federal Court in a 4-3 majority decision in June dismissed
the Catholic Church's application for leave to appeal the Court of
Appeal on the use of the word 'Allah' in the Catholic weekly, the Herald.
The Court of Appeal overturned a High Court decision quashing a Home Ministry ban on the use of the word 'Allah' by the Herald.
Enactments in 10 states, including Johor, ban the use of the word 'Allah' by non-Muslims, even if it is not used for propoagation to Muslims.
Last month, the Selangor religious authorities returned copies of the Bible containing the word 'Allah' siezed from Bible Society of Malaysia in January and imposed a strict condition that they are not distributed in Selangor.
This condition was also stamped on the holy books, to BSM's dismay.
However, Father Cyril Mannayagam said he will not accept them if they are stamped or a limit is set on their circulation.
"If any conditions are set, I won't receive them," he said when contacted.Mannayagam (right) said he received a phone call from the police informing him to collect them at the Ledang police station in Tangkak, Johor, at 8pm.
"I had asked to collect them this morning itself, but they said 8pm," he added.
The hymnals are titled 'Kepujian Kepada Tuhan Allah' and are meant for Orang Asli parishioners.
Mannayagam was taken in for questioning for more than four hours on Dec 5, after sending the books for photocopying at a local store.
He was investigated under Section 298A of the Penal Code, but that section was in 1988 declared unconstitutional and struck out.
The section relates to the offence of causing disharmony, disunity or feeling of enmity, hatred or ill-will, or prejudicing the maintenance of harmony or unity on grounds of religion.
Lawyers worked hard to secure release
Mannayagam will be accompanied by the Catholic Church's lawyers tonight.
"The lawyers have been working hard on this and have written to the higher authorities for the release (of the hymnals)," he said.
They were meant for a Christmas service for the Orang Asli community on Dec 7.
The Federal Court in a 4-3 majority decision in June dismissed
the Catholic Church's application for leave to appeal the Court of
Appeal on the use of the word 'Allah' in the Catholic weekly, the Herald.The Court of Appeal overturned a High Court decision quashing a Home Ministry ban on the use of the word 'Allah' by the Herald.
Enactments in 10 states, including Johor, ban the use of the word 'Allah' by non-Muslims, even if it is not used for propoagation to Muslims.
Last month, the Selangor religious authorities returned copies of the Bible containing the word 'Allah' siezed from Bible Society of Malaysia in January and imposed a strict condition that they are not distributed in Selangor.
This condition was also stamped on the holy books, to BSM's dismay.
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