Selangor’s BN opposition has expressed support for the Selangor Islamic Affairs Council (Mais), which is refusing to return over 300 copies of the Bible seized from the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) in January.

State opposition leader Mohd Shamsudin Lias said Mais and its enforcement arm, the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais), acted in line with the Selangor Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Among Muslims) Enactment 1988 to uphold the Islamic faith.

“As a Muslim assemblyperson, I support (Jais’ action)... We support Jais unless the enactment is amended,” Shamsudin said when asked on the matter today.

He was responding the statement by Mais chairperson Mohamad Adzib Mohd Isa ( right ), who last Saturday declared Mais will not return 321 copies of the Malay language Bible and 10 Iban language Bible taken during a Jais raid on the BSM.

Mohamad Adzib also disagreed with Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail’s decision to close the case .

According to Shamsudin, both Mais and Jais are not going against Gani’s instructions, as he said Jais merely returns the items to Mais to take “further action” in accordance with the law.

“As an enforcement agency, they are merely enforcing the law (the enactment).

“As an enforcement agency abiding by the rule, they have the right to seize the (Bible),” Mohamad Adzib said.

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