Bibles imported from Indonesia: Please let sensible heads prevail

"The situation was not due to the books or the material but the pending appeal by the Catholic Herald over the use of the word "Allah" in its publication."

"The appeal has yet to be heard by the court to resolve the bigger issue of content one way or the other"

"In respect of the bibles from Port Klang and Kuching Port, the ministry have since sought and obtained the advice of the Attorney-General and the two matters are being resolved amicably with the parties concerned, based on this advice, in the next few days"

"I urge all parties not to listen to wild allegations and speculations. As always, the ministry will act based on the law," 

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein 13 March 2011 

The Bible in "BM" would not be an issue if  KDN approval had been sought and given before its import. As it is the 30,000 shipment of Bibles from Indonesia had arrived in both Kuching and  Port Klang and the KDN had no choice but to impound it as ostensibly it did not meet with the Ministry's terms and conditions. 


Salahkan siapa? the KDN or those who did not abide by Authority rules. This is simply a matter of goods that are imported without having the necessary approval of the relevant Government agency. Unfortunately this issue has been hijacked by the opposition politicians and with that any sense of objectivity is lost. 


The KDN Minister  came out with a strong statement out lining the facts of the matter which is not about religion or Bahasa Malaysia but its about the LAW ....but only after the PKRs,the KITAs and of course the DAPs had their say unfortunately.

Bibles issue being resolved amicably, says Hishammuddin

Published: Sunday March 13, 2011 MYT 11:34:00 AM

PETALING JAYA: The issue of the impounding of 30,000 Bibles at Port Klang and Kuching Port is being resolved amicably with the parties concerned, based on advice from the Attorney-General.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the situation was not due to the books or the material but the pending appeal by the Catholic Herald over the use of the word "Allah" in its publication.

"The appeal has yet to be heard by the court to resolve the bigger issue of content one way or the other.

"In respect of the bibles from Port Klang and Kuching Port, the ministry have since sought and obtained the advice of the Attorney-General and the two matters are being resolved amicably with the parties concerned, based on this advice, in the next few days.

"I urge all parties not to listen to wild allegations and speculations. As always, the ministry will act based on the law," he said in a statement here on Sunday.

Hishammuddin was commenting on the controversy over the impounding of the Bibles following calls by the Sarawak government for the books to be released immediately.

In 2009, the High Court had ruled that the Catholic Church had the constitutional right to use the word "Allah". However, the ministry filed an appeal against the High Court decision in February 2010 and won a stay, until the case is dealt with by the Court of Appeal.

Hishammuddin assured Christians that the bibles had not been destroyed and that the matter was being resolved rationally to avoid it turning into an "emotive and polemic" issue.

He also claimed that during the Sibu by-election last year, there had been rumours that some irresponsible groups were seizing, destroying and burning the Bibles.

"These lies were clearly intended to stoke religious and racial emotions for political considerations.

"In the last few days, the Opposition, DAP, including Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and PAS have begun to raise the matter again, obviously due to talks of the upcoming state elections in Sarawak," he said.

For the sake of racial and religious harmony let cool heads prevail, those responsible for the import of the Bible from Indonesia should be patient, listen and work with the KDN, have meetings, have many closed door meetings, do not take this into the political domain or the media nobody wins all Malaysians will lose if this matter is not solved sensibly.


The KDN minister said "These lies were clearly intended to stoke religious and racial emotions for political considerations. In the last few days, the Opposition, DAP, including Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and PAS have begun to raise the matter again, obviously due to talks of the upcoming state elections in Sarawak," 

I think the PDRM in agreement with the KDN should use the ISA on people who incite racial or religious hatred among Malaysians. If there is a good time to use the ISA, it is now, if the incitement do not stop after the clear warning of the Home Minister.