Christian importers of Bibles detained by Malaysian officials are up in arms over the conditions set by the government to release the Bibles. Among the conditions is that the holy books must be defaced with official stamps. In March, the Ministry of Home Affairs stamped the words \"This 'Good News' Bible is for Christian use only\" on 5,100 Bibles without consulting the importer, the Malaysian Bible Society, who initially refused to pick them up because they disapproved of the conditions.<\/p>\n
However, the Bible Society has since collected them to, as it says, \"prevent the possibility of further desecration\" - but the Bible Society will not sell them. Instead, they will be \"respectfully preserved as museum artifacts and as the heritage of the Malaysian Christian Church.\"<\/p>\n
A further 30,000 Bibles detained since January 12 remain in the port after the Sarawak State Home Department told the local branch of the Gideonites that they could collect them if the organization would stamp them. The Gideonites have so far refused to do so, and a spokesman said on April 5 that officials had already mutilated the stamped books.<\/p>\n
The government has made several attempts to appease the Christian community. On April 2, it released a ten-point statement that included lifting restrictions so that Bibles in Malay and other indigenous languages can be printed locally and imported into the country. No conditions were placed on such Bibles in the states of Sarawak and Sabah, but in West Malaysia, Bibles must have the words \"Christian publication\" and a cross printed on the front of the volume.<\/p>\n
Most Christians remain skeptical. Bolly Lapok, an Anglican priest, told online news agency Malaysia Insider that \"it's an assurance, but we have gotten such assurances before.\"<\/p>\n
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