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News Legal/General News 'Jais followed SOP on raid' 
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 ©The New Straits Times (Used by permission)By EUNICE AU SEIZURE OF BIBLES: Exco says dept should have informed state govt before proceeding SHAH ALAM: THE Selangor government yesterday said the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) had complied with standard operating procedures in carrying out a raid on the Bible Society of Malaysia recently. State Islamic Affairs, Agricultural Modernisation and Rural Development Committee chairman Sallehen Mukhyi said the department was above board in investigating BSM after receiving complaints. "I am not denying that Jais' action was right. It had carried out its duty in accordance with the SOP and the enactment, but certain things have to be fine-tuned," he said after a two-hour meeting with Catholic weekly Herald editor Father Lawrence Andrew at the former's office in Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah building here yesterday. Present were Klang member of parliament Charles Santiago, Seri Andalas assemblyman Xavier Jayakumar and Bangi assemblyman Dr Shafie Abu Bakar. Sallehen said there was a need to review the SOP to include informing the state government before proceeding with actions related to religious matters. "The state government must be informed and invited to discuss such matters because they involve other religions. We will discuss the SOP as well as leakage or loose conditions. "We will revise them so that it (a similar controversy) does not happen again." Sallehen said he would also seek an explanation from the Home Ministry on the contradictions between the Selangor Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Among Muslims) Enactment 1988 and the implementation of the 10-point solution, which allows the publication and import of Bibles in Bahasa Malaysia in Peninsula Malaysia. "We are guided by the 10-point solution but there is also the existing Selangor enactment. There is a contradiction and we must resolve this. Which is more important? The 10-point solution or the state enactment?" Last Thursday, Jais officials had confiscated more than 300 copies of Bibles in Bahasa Malaysia when they raided BSM's premises. Under Enactment 1988, the word "Allah" is among 35 words banned from use by non-Muslims. Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah had last year decreed that people in the state must comply with the prohibition on the use of the word "Allah". Yesterday, Selangor Umno Liaision Committee chairman Datuk Seri Noh Omar said the enactment, being a state law, should supercede the 10-point solution. "If the state enactment contradicts the Federal Constitution, the latter overrides the former. However, the state enactment should override the 10-point solution." Noh said the only recourse left was either to challenge the validity of the enactment in court or to amend it. Jais enforcement director Mohd Shahzihan Ahmad said the SOP did not require the department to inform the state government before conducting raids. "There is no need to inform the state government as we have the authority to carry out raids under the law." Meanwhile, police recorded a statement from Andrew at the state police headquarters here yesterday. His lawyer, Francis Pereira, said police told them the investigation was classified under Section 4 of the Sedition Act. Set as favourite Share Email This Comments (0)
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