Malaysia Christians to preserve 'defaced' Bibles

Five thousand Bibles that were defaced by authorities will be preserved as "museum pieces" at Malaysian churches, a reminder of problems encountered by Christians in this Muslim-majority country, officials said Thursday.

The announcement is the latest twist in a dispute between Christians and the government over tens of thousands of imported Bibles seized by Malaysian customs authorities, some since early 2009. The books violate a government ban on non-Muslim texts that use the word "Allah" as a translation for God. (AP)