Section 2. Interpretation. (CONTROL AND RESTRICTION OF THE PROPAGATION OF NON-ISLAMIC RELIGIONS TO MUSLIM ENACTMENT 1988

ENACTMENT NO. 1 OF 1988
CONTROL AND RESTRICTION OF THE PROPAGATION OF NON-ISLAMIC RELIGIONS TO MUSLIM ENACTMENT 1988

Section 2. Interpretation.

In this Enactment, unless the context otherwise requires-

"authorised officer" means a public officer authorised under section 10 to exercise the powers of an authorised officer under this Enactment;

"non-Islamic religion" means Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism, or any variation, version, form, or offshoot of any of the said religions, and includes any creed, ideology, philosophy, or any body of practices or observances, which has as one of its characteristics the worship of some spiritual or supernatural being or power, whether real or supposed, or which purports to have as its aim or one of its aims the attainment of spiritual enlightenment, spiritual existence, being a creed, ideology, philosophy, or body of practices or observances which is not recognised by the religion of Islam as belonging to it;

"Public Prosecutor" means the Attorney-General, and includes (within the scope of his authority) a Deputy Public Prosecutor appointed under any written law relating to criminal procedure;

"publication" means any book, magazine, pamphlet, leaflet, or any other reading material, whether printed, typed, handwritten, or otherwise produced, and any reproduction thereof by any means, and includes any sound-recording material;

"State" means the State of Melaka;

"State Authority" means Melaka State Executive Council.

(2) For the purpose of this Enactment, a publication shall be held to be one concerning a non-Islamic religion if it is or contains what to the followers or members of that religion is a holy or fundamental book, or one the essential texts of that religion or if in essence it is a publication which-

(a)

treats of history, tenets, teachings, characteristics, fundamentals, observances, rites, rituals, virtues, dogmas, ordinances, or organisation, of that religion;

(b)

treats of any being, power, person, or thing worshipped or revered by the followers or members of that religion especially;

(c)

comprises stories, tales, legends, fables, or anecdotes based on, emanating from, or forming the basis of, that religion;

(d) seeks to lead persons to any knowledge or source of knowledge concerning any of the matters mentioned in the foregoing paragraphs (a), (b) and (c);

(e) seeks to persuade, influence, or incite persons to become followers or members of that religion or to learn or inquire about that religion; or

(f) possesses any combination of the cbaracteristics mentioned in the foregoing paragraphs (a) to (c),

(3) Notwithstanding that a publication is a publication concerning a non-Islamic religion by reason that if falls under paragraph (a), (b), or (c) of subsection (2), it shall not form the subject of an offence under this Enactment if the publication as a whole is in the interest of the religion of Islam or of Muslims as Muslims,