'Allah' issue: Cabinet stands by its 10-point solution - Khairy

The government remains committed to the 10-point solution pertaining to the usage of the word Allah in Bahasa Malaysia Bibles.

In a report from Bernama, Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the stand was made during the Cabinet’s weekly meeting yesterday.

"These were among the three decisions which were agreed upon by the Cabinet, pertaining to the issue, during its weekly meeting yesterday.

“Our (Cabinet) position is clear. The Federal Government is committed to the 10-point solution. But the 10-point solution can’t supersede the state enactment of religious issues,” Khairy told reporters Thursday.

He said in order for any discourse to happen, the issue must be addressed at state-level first as it is a state issue.

Concerning the seizure and raid by the Selangor State Religious Department (JAIS), Khairy said the Selangor Government must take steps to resolve the issue.

He said the federal government had no power to interfere in the case of the seizure of Malay language Bibles at the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) by JAIS early this month.

Khairy said this was because the jurisdiction of religious affairs - except for Sabah, Sarawak, Melaka and Penang - was under the respective state religious enactment.

Khairy said the Cabinet had also agreed that the temperature of the issue must cool down first, before the next step is taken.

The 10-point solution which was made in 2011, prior to the Sarawak state election, allowed Christians in Sabah and Sarawak to use the word 'Allah' in their Malay-language Bible.