The Malaysian Gurdwara Council today backed Christian Malaysians in opposing the home minister's order that the words 'For Christians Only' and ‘by order of the Minister of Home Affairs', as well as a serial number, be stamped on the inside cover of each copy of the Al Kitab.

These requirements imposed by the home ministry are offensive as any person who respects the Holy Scripture of any religion will be insulted by this action, council president V Harcharn Singh said in a statement today.

"We stand in solidarity with our fellow Christian brothers and support their decision not to take delivery of the endorsed copies until the conditions imposed are withdrawn," he said.

Last week, Putrajaya decided to release the 30,000 copies of the Malay language Bible impounded for about two years in Kuching and in Port Klang.

However, the copies were stamped with the home ministry order without the consent of the importers.

NONE Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein ( right ) has defended the decision to place the ministry stamp on copies of the Al Kitab that were impounded, saying it was not "defacement" but standard practice.

Harcharn also said the Sikh community was heartened to learn that a large section of the Muslim community did not condone the home ministry action.

Last Friday, PAS Ulama Council chief Harun Taib called for the unconditional release of copies of the Al Kitab which have been impounded since January 2009.

Yesterday, PKR Wanita chief Zuraida Kamaruddin said BN leaders were focusing on the wrong target by ordering that the Malay language Bible be stamped with 'For Christians Only' and serial numbers.

She also applauded the church group's decision not to collect the copies that have been stamped.

Apart from Zuraida, several BN and Pakatan Rakyat politicians last week also took the common ground of calling on the government to allow the Malay language Bible to be circulated without conditions.