KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, April 27, 2003 — The ban on possession of the Iban-language Bible in this country has been lifted. That word comes from local news sources, which also indicated that in lifting the ban, the government advised caution in translating religious works.
The Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) publishes the Iban Bible. Dr. Victor Wong is General Secretary of the BSM. "The ban on the Iban Bible was lifted by the Acting Prime Minister (also Home Minister) when representatives of the Christian Fellowship Malaysia, Council of Churches Malaysia, Roman Catholic Council, National Evangelistic Church Fellowship (and) the leaders of Association of Churches in Sarawak (Iban leaders) met at 1300 hours on April 22, 2003," Dr. Wong said in response to a recent e-mail query.
The announcement was not made public until late Friday however, when the Bernama news agency quoted Acting Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as saying, "I have decided that the ban be lifted with immediate effect."
Iban Bible banned for being 'detrimental to the public peace'
The Iban-language Bible, known as the Bup Kudus was among 35 books banned by Malaysia's Home Ministry April 9, for being "detrimental to the public peace", in this largely Muslim nation.
The ban made printing, importing, production, reproduction, sale, circulation, distribution and possession of the Bup Kudus illegal. Offenders found guilty of violating the ban were subject to jail terms and/or fines.
Iban is the name of both a people group and of the language spoken by the largest of 27 indigenous ethnic groups in Sarawak province on Borneo Island. The Iban have had access to the entire Bible in their own language since 1988, when the local Bible Society first published Bup Kudus.
The Bup Kudus has been a 'special gift' to the Ibans
Wong said the Bup Kudus has been a special gift to the Ibans, “who were formerly fierce warriors, living dangerously in the bondage of animism.”
He continued, "It was the sacrificial work of missionaries and churches that these fierce warriors were tamed by the Word of God."
Wong said when he first heard of the ban he was, "flabbergasted". And while never officially informed of the specific nature of the Home Ministry's objections to the Bible, Wong said, "The Acting Prime Minister, who is also the Minister of Home Affairs, cited that in the Iban language, 'God' was translated as Allah Tala, (pronounced Alataala in Iban language) while Allah was used in (the) Arabic Koran.
The concern over the Bible apparently stemmed from the fact it might cause confusion to Muslims.
According to news reports Friday, Abdullah said the issue in question, (i.e., the use of the word Allah Tala), "had been resolved".
The suggestion: print a disclaimer on the front cover
Wong, in referring to the April 22 meeting said, “(The Acting Prime Minister) mentioned that the Bup Kudus might be read by a Muslim accidentally. Anyway, (he) suggested that the publisher state on the front cover, ‘This is a translation of the Bible in the Iban language.’”
When asked if the Bible Society would be prepared to make any changes to the Bible, which were requested by the government, Wong indicated his organization had discussed the implications of such a directive.
“We are aware if we follow their proposal, we are stating that the Iban Bible is inferior to other Bibles. (Islam has only one version of the Koran. It does not tolerate other translations as equal to the Arabic version),” Wong explained.
Bible Society's true mettle has yet to be tested
Wong went on to admit that his organization's "true mettle" has yet to be tested. When asked what the Bible Society would do if the government were to request changes to the actual text of Scripture, he responded, "So far the Bible Society of Malaysia has made its publishing policies very clear to the churches. We will not compromise the text, just to enhance distribution ... but we will cross the bridge when we come to it, as the saying goes.
"We would need to consider the ramifications of how we can serve the church at large and yet not be servile to its need, but attempt to come alongside it so that we may be able to help it in its mission and mandate."
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