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Malaysia

• Refused the Right to Convert

  In 1998, Azlina Jailani became a Christian and adopted the name Lina Joy. She then began a process to have her religious status changed from Muslim to Christian on her identity card; a process which has now taken six years.

  According to Compass Direct, Lina Joy's case was rejected in May 2001, when a judge ruled, "As a Malay, the plaintiff exists under the tenets of Islam until her death." He also ruled that, since this was a religious matter, the case should be heard by the Islamic Sharia court, rather than the secular court. Since Islamic law declares that conversion from Islam is punishable by death, Joy knew that a Sharia court would not rule in her favour. She appealed the decision, on the basis of the Malaysian constitution which guarantees freedom of religion. Her case was heard by the Court of Appeal on October 14 and a decision is expected shortly.

  Under Malaysian law, apostates from Islam can face a three year sentence in a "faith rehabilitation center," where counselors try to persuade them to return to Islam. If they fail to repent in that time, they could face an additional six years. A similar case was heard by the High Court in July 2004, which upheld the sentence of four converts to Christianity.

  Pray for Lina Joy and other Christians facing discrimination and prison for their faith in Jesus Christ. Pray for strength to endure and the wisdom and faith to stand.

  For more information on persecution of Christians in Malaysia,click here.

• Ban on Iban-Language Bible Lifted

  A ban which called the Iban-language Bible a "detriment to public peace" has been lifted by the acting prime minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. The ban was lifted because of an appeal from church leaders who explained that the Bible had been in use in Sarawak for 15 years. In lifting the ban, the prime minister reiterated that the ministry would ban books and magazines which are "disseminating extremist views and teachings on any religion."

  Original Persecution and Prayer Alert story published April 16, 2003:
  (News report April 25, 2003 - Bernama News Agency)

• Iban-Language Bible Banned

  Iban-speaking Christians in the state of Sarawak in north-west Borneo are asking the government to clarify why the Malaysian Home Ministry has put the Iban-language Bible, "Bup Kudus" on a list of 35 books banned for being detrimental to public peace. According to the official news agency of Malaysia, BERNAMA, the Association of Churches in Sarawak has asked for an explanation, saying, "To find Bup Kudus banned now has caused confusion, fear, anxiety and alarm among the Christian community in Sarawak."

  Bup Kudus was first published in 1988 and is the only complete Bible in the Iban language. While more educated church members may understand English, rural churches in particular depend on the Scriptures in their native language.

  Pray that there will be a positive response from the government and that the Word of God will be available to the Iban-speaking people.