Christian group wants Mais and Jais officials banned from Sarawak

Following the seizure of the Malay and Iban language bibles by religious authorities in Selangor, Christians in Sarawak are now demanding the state government prohibit the entry of Selangor religious authorities into Sarawak.

According to the Malaysian Insider, state PKR Vice-Chairman See Che How also lodged a police report against the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) and the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) in Kuching on Tuesday.

See, together with several Christian group leaders, made the report following both the bodies’ refusal to return the bibles that had been seized by Jais from the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) office on January 2.

The group are also urging the state government ban the entry of individuals who have been labelled as religious extremists in other states.

The Christian group are demanding that the state government prohibits the entry into of Jais and Mais officials involved in the raid into Sarawak, especially Mais Chairman Datuk Mohd Adzib Mohd Isa.

“They are religious extremists and they should be banned from entering the state and they deserved to be banned,” See said to the Malaysian Insider.

See added, the move was in line with the new Sarawak Chief Minister, Tan Sri Adenan Satem’s policy of prohibiting religious extremists from entering the state.

Also present was PKR Mas Gading chairman, Boniface Willey Tumek and his secretary Francis Teron who had questioned Mais’ actions.

“Does Mais have more power than the Selangor state government and the Attorney General’s office to determine criminal prosecution?” they asked.

Anger among the Christians in the state had been heightened after the two Selangor state religious departments refused to return the Malay and Iban language Bibles that had been seized although they had been directed to do so by the Attorney-General’s office.

Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail had previously said that no charges would be made against BSM and that his office considered the case as closed.

However Mais remained firm in its stand, saying they are very concerned over any attempt to tarnish the sanctity of Islam by misusing Quranic terms of names, a move it believes could be used for proselytising.

Mais is also asking the deputy public prosecutor to seek a court ruling to dispose of the 321 Bibles that had been seized.

The Bibles had been destined for Sarawak and Sabah under the 10-point agreement that allows the importation and use of such Bibles.