just minishorts.

Elections are around the corner. Early March they say, and that parliament is about to be dissolved at anytime now. The signs are everywhere, the campaigning, the sudden generosity. Times like this is when you hope its election season all the time, because the roads are being tarred and well, in some places, the local governments do crazy things like changing road signs.

And then this.

Here is a statement from the Council of Churches Malaysia:

Confiscation of English Bibles in Malaysia

It has been brought to our attention that a Malaysian Christian has suffered much spiritual anguish and indignation as she had her English Bibles confiscated by the Custom Officers at the airport (LCCT) recently, when she returned from a visit to Manila, Philippines.

The Custom Officer had insisted that the English Bibles had to be sent to the Internal Security Ministry’s Control Division of Publications and Al-Quran Texts (Bahagian Kawalan Penerbitan dan Teks Al-Quran), for clearance.

The Council of Churches is flabbergasted that such acts are happening in our country with such frequency and impunity.

We want to state categorically that the Bible is Holy Scripture for Christians. No authority on earth should deny Christians the right to possess, read and travel with their Bibles.

The Council of Churches calls for the immediate release of the Bibles with an official apology by
the Custom Department of Malaysia.

We call upon the Prime Minister, who is also the Internal Security Minister to make a clear and unequivocal statement to assure Christians in the country that they will not be subject to such harassment and that their holy books will not be subject to the scrutiny of the Control Division of Publications and Al-Quran Texts of the Internal Security Ministry.

For a country that has celebrated, cultivated and sustained fifty years of religious freedom and harmonious living between all faith communities, this latest episode is another example of how the unilateral actions of certain government agencies are undermining the government’s stated claims of protecting religious freedom in the country.

Rev. Dr. Hermen Shastri,
General Secretary
Council of Churches of Malaysia
4th February 2008.

Wah lau what is this? Bible also cannot keep?! Few weeks ago they said that non-Muslims are not allowed to call God 'Allah', even though Arabic is not exclusive to Muslims alone. Then God knows how many times has the issue on Bahasa Malaysia bibles cropped up. Its a bit much right?

Then again I know of weird people who will only pray in a strange version of English, or will only read the KJV of the Holy Bible (yang lain tu heretical because not original). Nevermind that Jesus didn't preach the Good News in English, neither were the first bibles written in English, but we have weird people like that. And it's annoying being in their space because die die also they won't admit defeat. So we have grace that goes like, 'Holy Father in heaven, just want to thank Thee for Thine gracious offerings at this table, may Thine name be blessed as we partake of this nourishings…'

If you were an anal purist for example you'd probably start pointing out that even that version of English is tercampur aduk and well…

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I digressed. The truth is I'm furious. Bad enough you're saying that Bibles are only limited to English, its troubling that we're now not allowed to read it right? Of course who can forget some incredulous suggestions that non-Muslims be tatooed. Tsk tsk, so insecure. So forgive me for being crude, but since your faith is so almighty and the one and only one then why are you guys so insistent that you have to take to such drastic means to acquire Allah's pleasure? (Oh forgive me, I used the word God in Arabic…)

So what holy scripture do you own, the rest of you? A Chinese version of the da bei zhou (The Great Compassion Mantra)? Or has it been 'anglicized' so to speak? Or do you have Bahasa Malaysia translations of Buddha's great journey? Be careful yah, nanti some Great Reformation starts to take place in Malaysia and all these materials get confiscated or something.

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Frankly, I'm very keen on declaring that, 'Its Election time lah yoh, don't lah do stupid things,' to the powers that be… but then I am reminded to be grateful. Its GREAT that these things are happening to us now DESPITE the Election season. At least we (the non-Muslims) are called to stand up for our rights. Malaysia is our country (I didn't add 'too' because its irrelevent), and mati-mati also I won't let some overzealous nutheads bastardize Her sovereignity.