MP SPEAKS Last Saturday’s seizure of Christian CDs and books containing the word “Allah” is totally wrong and completely unacceptable.

The impoundment of hundreds of compact discs and books containing the word “Allah” belonging to a Sabahan Christian, highlights the failure of PM Najib Razak’s cabinet’s 10-point solution to protect the rights of Christians.

It also confirmed the hypocrisy of the assurance of the federal government that the court verdict on Allah ban will not affect East Malaysians.

The Sabahan had imported the items from Indonesia and was at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2, en route to Sabah, when the confiscation happened.

The incident is a clear violation of the 10-point solution as well as the freedom of religion in Sabah declaration engraved on the Sabah Batu Sumpah.

It has been reported that the Najib administration issued the 10-point solution shortly before the Sarawak state election in 2011.

The policy statement was to end a Home Ministry blockade of shipments of Christian holy scriptures in the Malay language containing the word “Allah.”

The shipment was seized at the international budget airport terminal in Sepang on Aug 15, 2007, while in transit. They were later returned to the Sabah church on January 25, 2008.

Doubtful solution

Following the Bible seizure incident at Bible Society of Malaysia’s premises at Petaling Jaya early this year by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) – a blatant violation of the 10-point solution – doubts were raised if the policy was still valid.

In May this year, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Joseph Kurup reiterated that the government’s 10-point solution still stands.

Kurup ( left ) said the PM confirmed the government would hold on to the 10-point solution and would use it to resolve Sabah Sijil Injil Borneo (SIB)’s predicament over the use of the word “Allah” to refer to God in Christian publications.

But the latest seizure is a clear and blatant violation of the 10-point solution. So how could this happen?

In response to the raid that happened to the Bible Society of Malaysia premises, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Nancy Shukri said that Putrajaya remained committed to the 10-point solution which was signed with Sabah and Sarawak, but had no control over religious issues in the states.

That was unfair washing off the hands by the federal government. What is going to be the excuse this time?

In June this year, DAP Secretary General Lim Guan Eng has said that the federal government’s assurance that East Malaysia will not be affected by the Federal Court’s “Allah” ruling is nothing but hypocrisy as the Barisan Nasional has “no record” of keeping its promises to Sabah and Sarawak.

Last Saturday’s incident has now proven that he was right in telling East Malaysians not to trust BN’s assurance.

The seizure is totally wrong and completely unacceptable.

The federal government must firstly apologise over its failure to implement the 10-point solution; and, secondly, to immediately return the confiscated materials.

TERESA KOK is DAP national vice chairperson and MP for Seputeh.