Its editor, Father Lawrence Andrew, said that they were protected by the Federal Constitution.

"We will see if this contravenes the constitution," he said when contacted yesterday on the conditions that came with the approval of its annual printing permit.

Asked on the need for the Herald to continue publishing in Bahasa Malaysia, he said it was Malaysians of the Christian faith who wanted the version.

"This is a language that the government has promoted to us as our national language, and one that most of us grew up with," he said, adding that his office received the approval letter through fax at 6pm on Tuesday.
He also said the fears that its Bahasa Malaysia version could erode the faith of Muslims were unfounded.