Malaysia poised to enact partial ban on Bibles with ‘Allah’
May 29, 2015
Malaysia’s federal government has drafted guidelines that would ban the importation of Malay-language Bibles in which God is translated as “Allah” into the more populous part of the nation.
Since the 17th century, Christians in what is now Malaysia have used the word “Allah” to refer to God. The nation includes Peninsular Malaysia, where 80% of people live, and East Malaysia, on the island of Borneo, which has a greater Christian presence.
The Malaysian Insider reported that the guidelines permit East Malaysia’s Christians to bring their Bibles into Peninsular Malaysia for “personal use.”
The government has banned the use of “Allah” in the nation’s Catholic newspaper, and years of legal appeals have proved unsuccessful.
The Southeast Asian nation of 30.6 million is 61% Muslim, 20% Buddhist, 6% Hindu, 5% Protestant, and 4% Catholic. Islam is Malaysia’s official religion.
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