Bibles in Malay allowed: PM

No ban on Malay-language Bibles: PM

KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 (AFP) - Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Tuesday there was no ban on Bibles published in the Malay language but they must be stamped with the words "Not for Muslims".
He was responding to questions after a minister told parliament last week that the government did not allow editions of the Bible published in Malay to be distributed as it could be construed as an effort to spread Christianity among Muslim-Malays.
"There should not be any concern. I met all the leaders of the various church denominations in my office before when I was deputy prime minister," said Abdullah, who became prime minister in October 2003.
"I said your Bible is your Bible, I'm not going to ban your Bible even though the Bible is written in Malay," he told reporters.
However, Abdullah said the Malay Bible must have the words "Not for Muslims" printed on the front and can be distributed only in churches and Christian bookshops.
The government imposed a shortlived and controversial ban on the Bible published in the language of the indigenous Iban tribe in 2003 but lifted it after a protest and an appeal by Malaysia's Council of Churches.
Some 60 percent of Malaysia's population are Muslims, while there are large ethnic-Chinese and Indian minorities who practice other religions including Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism.




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