Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kuala Lumpur (Agenzia Fides) – Over 15,000 Bibles have been confiscated by the Malaysian police and will not reach churches nor homes of the faithful. This is what Fides has learned from Church sources in Malaysia, where the Christian community has been left in shock and concern from the event.
The authorities confiscated the Bibles and other printed material coming from Indonesia, as they used the word “Allah” to refer to God. The Indonesian-language Bibles were being sent to Christians in the Sarawak region, as Indonesian is very similar to Malaysian. In both the languages, the word “God” is translated “Allah.”
There is a conflict on this issue, between the government and the Christian community, which after various authorizations, etc. has now reached the halls of the courts (see Fides 2/3/2009). The Malaysian judges are now the ones to decide whether it is licit for Malaysian Christians to use the word “Allah” in their publications, to refer to God.
Muslim groups maintain that the use of the word “Allah” is exclusive to Islam, while Christians affirm that in the Malaysian language, the only term for “God” is “Allah.” The Catholic Church has decided to take the issue to court, affirming that it is unconstitutional to apply linguistic or worship restrictions to Christians who use the Malaysian language.
Of Malaysia's 26 million inhabitants, 47.7% are Muslims, and 8.3% are Christians (830,000 of whom are Catholics), and there are also Hindus, Buddhists, and members of the traditional religions. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 30/10/2009)
