Saturday, January 19, 2008

Malaysia Confiscates Christian Children’s Books

Adding to the furore over whether non-Muslims have the right to use the word “Allah” in their publications and religious practice, on January 11 online news agency Malaysiakini reported that officials confiscated English-language Christian children’s books because they contained images of prophets.

The government reportedly said Internal Security Ministry officials confiscated the books because their illustrations of prophets offended the sensitivities of Muslims. Islam, which shares some prophets in common with Christianity, prohibits the portrayal of prophets.

Enforcement officials of the Publications and Al-Quran Texts Control Department under the Internal Security Ministry, headed by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, reportedly confiscated the books from three MPH bookstores in Johor Bahru, Senawang and Ipoh in mid-December.

The books have been sent to the department’s headquarters in Putrajaya for investigation. Managers of the MPH bookstores reportedly said they will wait for the Internal Security Ministry’s decision on the books.

In a statement released on January 17th , the Rev. Dr. Hermen Shastri, general-secretary of the Council of Churches Malaysia questioned how the books could be offensive to Muslims when they were not meant for them.

In the strongly worded statement about the seizures, Shastri said government officials “have no right and have overstepped their bounds by confiscating Christian literature.”

He urged the prime minister and his Cabinet to take immediate action to put a stop to such seizures and to “amend administrative rules and regulations especially in the Internal Security Ministry that give a free hand to enforcement officials to act at their whim and fancies.”

At the same time, the debate over whether non-Muslims can use the word “Allah” in publications and religious practice was stoked when the Internal Security Ministry told the Sun on Wednesday (January 16) that it had confiscated a total of 163 publications comprising 18 titles from bookshops nationwide.

A ministry official told the daily that the seizures were made because the word “Allah” was used in the books. But Deputy Internal Ministry Minister Johari Baharum reportedly said that the ministry did not target Christian books.

“We do routine checks all year long,” he said. “We don’t only seize Christian books, but other [religious] books as well.”

The deputy minister said use of the words, “Allah” (Arabic for God), “baitullah” (mosque in Mecca), “solat” (prayer) and “kaabah” (Islamic shrine in Mecca) are exclusive to Islam, according to Gazette PU (A) 15/82 and circular KKDN S.59/3/6/A dated December 5, 1986.

In a letter to the press, Gayathry Venkiteswaran, executive director of the Centre for Independent Journalism, argued that “seizing more than the needed copies for investigation while the titles are not banned, denies the right of the people to access the book and is clearly high-handed.”

The right of non-Muslims to use the word “Allah” in their publications and practice of their religion is being tested in two court cases by the publisher of the Herald, a Catholic newspaper, and the Evangelical Church of Borneo, Sidang Injil Borneo. (Compass Direct News)

***** Is there no end to this blatant display of religious fascism?
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9 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Political BIGOTS!

11:35 AM GMT+8  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Very sad,disgusting and worrying. No wonder al queda has a base here.

11:50 AM GMT+8  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

clear violation of the article on freedom to practice ones religion in the federal constitution. thank you barisan nasional and pak lah.

12:12 PM GMT+8  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

PAS is definately looking like a better alternative for not only the Muslims but also for the Non-Muslims!
This will not end. Wait until after the GE, it will only get worse & they will have 4 or 5 good years after that to unleash the full extent of these Religious Zealots!
Basically they are telling the Non-Muslims that we are not welcome here in Malaysia. They are telling us to convert or go!

1:01 PM GMT+8  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What are the views of the lesser components of BN? Malaysia Cowards Association? No views. Why vote for these "no-views" BN parties while UMNOputra bahaves worse than PAS?

Yes, a vote for DAP, PKN and PAS is "against" UMNOputras. Make it happen and refute OKTing's view that a vote for DAP is NOT against UMNO.

madmonk

4:36 PM GMT+8  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If UMNOputras have faith in Allah, they shouldn't hv acted like God of Allah, deciding for Allah name, terms of God, and what God's people do and don't. C'mon, enough is enough.

11:34 PM GMT+8  
Blogger Monsterball said...

Folks, the potential implication of these seizures is very scary for the future of freedom of religion in Malaysia.

Strictly speaking all non-Muslims are Infidels, and there's a ton of opportunities for Muslims to be "offended" if they chose to read any Non-Muslim religious publication.

If that's the criteria for the Quranic text control morons to seize books, I'm afraid its going to be open season to ban many Christian, Buddhist, Hindu books and also many general discussions on philosophy and religion.

11:24 AM GMT+8  
Blogger bibliobibuli said...

some of the titles that were picked up can't seem to find the others from the list i have

this is very very scary and needs a strong response. it is not acceptable! if these guys get away with this, they will push the next thing and so on.

6:39 PM GMT+8  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Didn't the Nazis do stuff like this when they were in power?!

4:19 PM GMT+8  

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