Bible Society duo freed on bail after 90mins

Bible Society Malaysia (BSM) chairperson Lee Min Choon and his office manager Sinclair Wong were both released on bail at the Damansara police station today after spending 90 minutes at the station following the seizure of Malay Bible texts from their Damansara office.

Police have told the duo that they would need to report to the Selangor Islamic Department (Jais) on Jan 10 to further assist in investigations, though it remains unclear whether court charges will be brought on them for possessing the Bibles.

They were bailed by the society’s secretary-general Simon Wong, and Lee later said that he was “surprised” at the raid given it was inconsistent with the 10-point solution that the government came up with for Christians in 2011.

Lee and Sinclair are being investigated under the Selangor Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Among Muslims) Enactment 1988, which prohibits non-Muslims from using the word ‘Allah’.

Lee said that the move by Jais and the police to seize the texts was a definite violation of freedom of religion.

"We hope that the spirit of tolerance that we have fostered can be preserved.

"This is adding spark to what is already a volatile situation between Christians and Muslims in the country," he added.

DAP's Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua (left), who was also present at the police station, said that Jais officers have acted in an "overzealous and misguided" manner.

"Now the country's leadership has to put its foot down and stop the circus," he said.

"This could further deteriorate relations between races. This was started by the federal government and it is up to them to stop it," he added.

Pua also said that the government, though, seems "determined to bow" to the interests of extremists in the country, which further risks racial harmony.