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©The Sun (Used by permission)
by Pauline Puah

PETALING JAYA (Jan 16, 2008):The Internal Security Ministry has confiscated 163 publications comprising 18 titles from bookshops nationwide, said its Deputy Minister Datuk Johari Baharom.

He told theSun on Monday (Jan 14) that according to a preliminary report, 28 books (eight titles) were seized from Perak, six (four titles) from Pahang and 29 (six titles) from Negri Sembilan and Malacca.

Johari said the operations were carried out to ensure all publications would not disseminate materials that might tarnish public order and morality.

“We also want to ensure that all publications did not create public confusion or breach the laws or jeopardise the interest of the public and the country,” he said.

He said the the ministry is studying the content of the books seized and would return them to the owners if they were found not breaching the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA).

Under the PPPA, the internal security minister has absolute powers to grant, suspend or revoke a publishing permit.

A ministry official confirmed that the seizures were made because the word “Allah” was used in the books.

Johari said the ministry did not only target on Christian books in the operations.

“We do routine checks all year long. The operations are on-going. We don‘t only seize Christian books but other (religious) books as well,” he said.

Asked if the operations would create dissatisfaction among non-Muslims, Johari said the matter should not be made an issue as the policy has been adopted by the cabinet since 1986.

In the Gazette PU (A) 15/82 and the circular KKDN. S.59/3/6/A dated Dec 5, 1986, the use of the words “Allah”, “Baitullah”, “Solat” and “Kaabah” was exclusive to Islam.

On whether the ministry would carry out more operations after this, Johari said the ministry conducts the operation discreetly (secara senyap) and periodically.
“This is to ensure publications which have breached the PPPA would not be distributed or sold in the market,” he said.

Last month, Sidang Injil Borneo (SIB) also known as the Evangelical Church of Borneo, filed for a judicial review against the Internal Security Minister’s decision to stop it from importing Christian books which contain the word “Allah”.

It is also seeking a declaration that Christians have the constitutional right to use the word “Allah” in all their religious publications and practices, and not just within the church.

SIB was prevented from importing children’s books that contained the word “Allah” and was informed by the ministry that the use of the words “Allah”, “Baitullah”, “Solat” and “Kaabah” was exclusive to Islam.

The Catholic church’s weekly publication Herald had also filed a suit to challenge the government’s directive preventing it from using the word “Allah”.

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