The move by exco member Elizabeth Wong to take up Bible Society of Malaysia's (BSM) case with the Attorney-General's Chambers, instead of it being done by the exco-in-charge Sallehin Muhyi, has come under fire from MCA.

 

According to Wong, she had on Friday, written to the attorney-general, requesting that it instruct the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) to return copies of the Bible it confiscated from BSM in January.

 

"Despite the fact that Jais falls under the purview of the state exco for Islamic affairs Sallehin Mukhyi, he is seen to be doing nothing at all to help resolve this tension. Why is this so? 

 

"Apparently, Sallehin is either trying to evade responsibility, or he no longer cares whether or not the unconstitutionally seized Bibles are rightfully returned to BSM, as he considers the issue not relevant to Islam," said MCA central committee member Ng Chok Sin.

 

Wong ( right ) is the state executive councillor in charge of tourism, consumer affairs and environment.

 

Ng, who is also MCA religious harmony bureau deputy chairperson, called Wong's letter a "charade", saying that if the Selangor government was serious, the letter should come from Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim or Sallehin.

 

"Non-Muslims around Malaysia, including BSM, are tired of this endless play-acting and empty promises by the Selangor state government. 

 

"Selangor has been evading responsibility since the first day; asking the cabinet to state its stand on the usage of 'Allah' by non-Muslims, claiming that the Home Ministry has the authority to release the confiscated Bibles, and it is now asking BSM to write to the attorney-general," Ng said.

 

Wong had made the request to the attorney-general after the Selangor government came under fire for Khalid's remarks asking BSM to seek the return of the Bibles on its own.

 

'State gov't should order Jais'

Meanwhile, Petaling Jaya Utara MCA chairperson Tan Gim Tuan said the Bibles are in the hands of Jais under Selangor and therefore the state government should directly order the agency to release the holy books.

 

"If it is an issue of Jais refusing to heed the Selangor state exco’s order, then disciplinary action must be taken against Jais as it is a serious issue when a state department refuses to listen to the state government," he said. 

 

Jais had in January raided the BSM office and confiscated more than 300 copies of the Bible in the Iban and Malay languages for using the word 'Allah' to refer to God.

 

The Islamic agency had relied on the Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Amongst Muslims) Selangor Enactment 1988, which bans non-Muslims from using the word 'Allah', for its action.