A Christian group says the proposal does not address the problems faced by the Christian community.
PETALING JAYA: The 10-point proposal to solve the long-running dispute between Christian groups and the government over the import of the Al-Kitab (Malay language bible) is merely a short-term solution, the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) said.
CFM chairman Bishop Ng Moon Hing said in a statement that the Christian community has the right to use any language to read the bible.
“The bible is our holy scripture and it is our right to read, study and pray with it in the language of our choice as freedom of religion is enshrined under our Federal Constitution,” he said.
The Home Ministry caused a furore in the Christian community when it seized 35,000 copies of the A-Kitab in Port Klang (in 2009) and Kuching Port (on Jan 12, this year).
The Al- Kitab caters largely to native Christians in Sabah and Sarawak.
Ng said the 10-point solution did not resolve the Christian community’s problems that be traced to three laws that are still in force
The three laws are:
* The 1982 prohibition of the Al-Kitab under Internal Security Act 1960 (ISA) on the grounds that the bible is prejudicial to national interest and security of Malaysia.
* The 1986 administrative order prohibiting the use of the term “Allah” in Christian publications on the grounds of public order and prevention of misunderstanding between Muslims and Christians.
* The guidelines of the Home Ministry’s Quranic publication text control division prohibiting the use of the word “Allah”.
‘Confusing and unacceptable’
Ng also described the 10-point solution that the government came up just days before the Sarawak election as a “one-policy, two-countries” approach that is “confusing and unacceptable”.
He, however, expressed his intention to resolve the matter as stated in point nine of the solution, where the government expressed its “commitment to work with the Christian groups and all the different religious groups in order to address inter-religious issues…”
Another Christian group, Council of Churches Malaysia Youth, had also rejected the 10-point solution last week.
After much public pressure, the government agreed to release the bibles but not before stamping the Home Ministry’s official seal on them, along with a “For Christians Only” label.
This angered the importers who refused to collect the bibles, with numerous Christian groups accusing the government of desecrating the holy books.
The Al-Kitab controversy has also become an election issue in the Sarawak where almost half of the population are Christians.
PETALING JAYA: The 10-point proposal to solve the long-running dispute between Christian groups and the government over the import of the Al-Kitab (Malay language bible) is merely a short-term solution, the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) said.
CFM chairman Bishop Ng Moon Hing said in a statement that the Christian community has the right to use any language to read the bible.
“The bible is our holy scripture and it is our right to read, study and pray with it in the language of our choice as freedom of religion is enshrined under our Federal Constitution,” he said.
The Home Ministry caused a furore in the Christian community when it seized 35,000 copies of the A-Kitab in Port Klang (in 2009) and Kuching Port (on Jan 12, this year).
The Al- Kitab caters largely to native Christians in Sabah and Sarawak.
Ng said the 10-point solution did not resolve the Christian community’s problems that be traced to three laws that are still in force
The three laws are:
* The 1982 prohibition of the Al-Kitab under Internal Security Act 1960 (ISA) on the grounds that the bible is prejudicial to national interest and security of Malaysia.
* The 1986 administrative order prohibiting the use of the term “Allah” in Christian publications on the grounds of public order and prevention of misunderstanding between Muslims and Christians.
* The guidelines of the Home Ministry’s Quranic publication text control division prohibiting the use of the word “Allah”.
‘Confusing and unacceptable’
Ng also described the 10-point solution that the government came up just days before the Sarawak election as a “one-policy, two-countries” approach that is “confusing and unacceptable”.
He, however, expressed his intention to resolve the matter as stated in point nine of the solution, where the government expressed its “commitment to work with the Christian groups and all the different religious groups in order to address inter-religious issues…”
Another Christian group, Council of Churches Malaysia Youth, had also rejected the 10-point solution last week.
After much public pressure, the government agreed to release the bibles but not before stamping the Home Ministry’s official seal on them, along with a “For Christians Only” label.
This angered the importers who refused to collect the bibles, with numerous Christian groups accusing the government of desecrating the holy books.
The Al-Kitab controversy has also become an election issue in the Sarawak where almost half of the population are Christians.
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