Bible Society Malaysia has decided to move its headquarters from the state of Selangor to the capital Kuala Lumpur amid tensions over religious freedom.

In January, the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) raided Bible Society headquarters and seized 300 Bibles because they contained the word “Allah” (the Arabic word for “God”).

The Islamic agency argues Bible Society Malaysia broke Selangor law, while other groups say the word is allowed as long as it isn’t used to convert Muslims.

There’s been an ongoing row over Christians using the word “Allah” since a court found a Catholic newspaper to have breached the law by publishing the word last year.

Church in Kuala Lumpur.

Freedom of religion is written into the constitution of Malaysia, including the “right to profess and practice… religion”. But it also gives state and federal governments the power to “control or restrict the propagation of any religious doctrine or belief among persons professing the religion of Islam”.

In 2011 the Prime Minister released a “10 Point Solution” aimed at appeasing Christian groups, wherein he granted permission for the Bible to be imported into Malaysia in all languages including Malay, as well as to be printed locally. However the state of Selangor hasn’t adopted the plan.

“Bible Society Malaysia (BSM) had called for and hoped that Selangor State EXCO [Legislative Assembly] will follow the good example of the Federal Government by adopting the Ten Points Solution in their administration that will put an end to inter-religious tensions in the state of Selangor. Unfortunately, this has not been forthcoming,” the Bible Society said in a press release.

BSM headquarters have now moved to Kuala Lumpur where the Ten Points apply. “Bible Society Malaysia hopes to avoid incidents like that of January 2 that could disrupt the operations of BSM in supplying Bibles to Christians and churches throughout Malaysia.”

In a blog post entitled “Counting the Cost” Chairman of BSM, Lee Min Choon recently outlined the convictions and fines facing those who want to do God’s work in Selangor. Among them, a year in jail for anyone found to be “persuading, influencing or inciting a Muslim to change faith”.

“There may still be many who want to do the work of God in Selangor and who are prepared to suffer the consequences,” he wrote.

“For those whose religious conviction tells them that they must follow God rather than man, I say to you that you have not chosen a wrong path but that you walk in the footsteps of the martyrs, the apostles and Jesus Christ Himself.”