Malaysian Christians are disturbed by their government’s confiscation of two boxes of Bibles taken from a Malaysian citizen returning from a trip to the Philippines. According to Compass Direct News, Malaysian Christians are troubled by the government’s disregard for press and religious freedom.
Compass reported, “Online news agency Malaysiakini reported that upon arrival at the airport, Juliana Nichols was asked to open boxes and declare their contents. Despite producing a letter from her parish priest stating that the English Bibles were meant for use in her church, the officer told Nichols the texts needed to be cleared with the Internal Security Ministry’s Control Division of Publications and Al-Quran Texts.”
The Compass report added that Rev. Dr. Hermen Shastri, general secretary of the Council of Churches of Malaysia released a statement stating that, “the Bible is Holy Scripture for Christians” and “no authority on earth should deny Christians the right to possess, read and travel with their Bibles.” Shastri called for the immediate release of the Bibles and an official apology from the customs department. This incident is the latest in a series of seizures of Christian literature by the Malaysian government.
The Voice of the Martyrs provides assistance to Malay believers such as Christian literature to encourage believers and tools to witness to Muslims. VOM encourages believers around the world to pray for the people of Malaysia, especially Malay-Muslim converts who are cut off from meeting with a larger fellowship of believers.
