The government has been told to stop adding more restrictions on the distribution of the Malay language Bible or Alkitab, and to enforce the cabinet's 10-point solution, which was introduced in 2011.

Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) today lamented the increasing limitations on religious freedom in the country, citing the recent cross protest in Taman Medan, Selangor, last month ( picture below ) and the controversies surrounding the Alkitab.

"Worse, it is now proposed that the import of the Alkitab be subject to newly-announced administrative requirements and procedures in Sabah and Sarawak, albeit in draft form for discussion.

"The latest edition of these administrative requirements contain outright prohibitions on the import of the Alkitab into Peninsular Malaysia, save for personal use, in total violation of the Federal Constitution’s protection for freedom of religion," CFM chairperson Reverend Eu Hong Seng ( photo ) said in a statement.

Eu said the new standard operating procedures (SOP) on the Alkitab "negates the very guarantee of freedom of religion and the right to manage one’s own religious affairs" and therefore, CFM "rejects" the SOP.

He added that instead of building religiously self-confident communities having mutual respect in this multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, and multi-religious nation, there is progressive layering of fear, tension and suspicion.

“Our nation is in dire need of encouraging respectful discourse and dialogue to promote mutual understanding and widen perspectives,” the CFM chairperson added in the statement.

Putrajaya last month unilaterally introduced new curbs on the import of the Alkitab, under the Home Ministry’s new SOP. It also affects the import and use of other Christian publications in the Malay language.

The minister in charge of national unity in the Prime Minister's Department, Joseph Kurup, who unveiled the SOP last week, was quick to assure church leaders that the BN is “sworn” to protect their freedom of religion, as guaranteed by the Federal Constitution.

However, it was reported that this was far from the truth as the new SOP specifically targets Christians and concerns mainly the import and use of the Alkitab, with importers now having to apply to the Quranic Text Division of the Home Ministry for import approval.

This follows the public misunderstanding created last October, when the Customs Department seized 574 Christian items comprising 133 book titles, 419 CDs and five DVDs at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2, brought in from Medan, Indonesia, by Sabahan Maklin Masiau.

Hold discourse, train relevant authorities

Eu added that instead of Malaysia striving towards building religiously self-confident communities that mutually respect the multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious society in the country, there have been progressive layering of fear, tension and suspicion.

“Our nation is in dire need of encouraging respectful discourse and dialogue to promote mutual understanding and widen perspectives.

“The CFM is against this shrinking of public space for religious expression and increasingly religious extremism,” he said.

Following this, it proposed three ways to resolve the matter:

All relevant authorities, departments and agencies must exercise their duties and conduct their activities properly and promptly, without prejudice or preference, abide by the Federal Constitution to ensure that the freedom of religion of the minority communities are respected and that incidents such as the removal of the Cross and confiscation do not occur again;

Ensure adequate education and sensitivity by the civil service, especially those on the frontline who engage with the public, so that they do accord the necessary respect to all religions without bias or favour, regardless of their religious convictions; and

The federal cabinet should uphold the 10-point solution on the Alkitab and not impose any further restrictions, including the latest proposed SOP on the use, publication, and import of the Alkitab. This new SOP should be withdrawn and the CFM rejects the SOP on the publication and distribution of the Alkitab as it negates the very guarantee of freedom of religion and the right to manage one's own religious affairs.

CFM further urged federal and state lawmakers to take into account the sentiments of non-Muslims in the implementation of hudud.