If the govt now ordered the release of 35,000 Malay language bibles (Alkitab), it should in principle equally withdraw the appeal against High Court (Justice Lau Bee Lan)’s 2009 decision favouring the Herald’s use of the word “Allah” in its publication.
Contrary to what Father Lawrence Andrew (Herald’s editor) said that the two issues are distinctly separable, it is really not.

They are both inextricably linked to 1986 Cabinet decision and the law then passed and gazetted, to ban the word “Allah” in Christian religious literature.

That decision/law is ostensibly justified on the constitutional ground (Article 11(4) ) prohibiting “propagation of any religious doctrine or belief among persons professing the religion of Islam” – of which the underlying argument assumes that if the Alkitab uses the same description of the Almighty as Muslims the latter could be so influenced to be converted!

Whether that argument is tenable or flawed is not the focus here.

The focus is that the govt appears to flip flop because its decision proceeds (as always) on political expedience than principle.

For eg according to Idris Jala the government could now release the Alkitab based on a 1982 gazette under the ISA which allows limited and controlled importation and circulation on the condition that the books are stamped “For Christians Only ”.

One wonders how an earlier gazette (1982) could override a later 1986 gazette.

It may be or political expedience (S’wak elections) that the govt now ordered the release of 35,000 Malay language bibles (Alkitab).

What happens after the elections? Next round may see a different official response – that the 1986 law overrides the 1982 gazette!