KOTA KINABALU, Sept 14 — Two Sabah leaders have called on Sepang Umno chief Datuk Noorazli Said to apologise over his controversial remarks concerning christianity and the Bible at the recent Umno general assembly.
Tenom MP Datuk Arthur Kurup said Noorazli’s remarks were “highly inappropriate” and did not reflect the maturity expected of a political leader, while Tuaran MP and Tamparuli assemblyman Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau described the joke as “grossly inappropriate and offensive”.
Kurup, in a statement, said political differences did not give anyone the licence to make light of another person’s religion and beliefs for the sake of laughter or applause.
“Malaysia was built on the foundations of a multi-racial and multi-religious society. After more than six decades of living together as a nation, it is deeply disappointing that there are still leaders who choose to turn religion into material for political jokes.
“Politics has its limits, freedom of speech comes with responsibility, and religion is not something to be made light of,” he said.
Kurup also reminded political leaders that matters involving the 3Rs — race, religion and the royal institution — should not be touched on indiscriminately.
He said Barisan Nasional, of which Umno is a component party, was founded on principles of unity, stability and solidarity among Malaysians of different races and religions.
“We cannot speak about unity at one moment while, at another, allowing the religion of others to be turned into material for political jokes.
“We must uphold this principle consistently, not only when it benefits us,” said the BN Sabah chairman.
Tangau, meanwhile, called on Noorazli to apologise to the Catholic community over the remarks.
“Sacred Scripture, Catholic priests and religious sisters should not be sexualised or ridiculed from the stage of a major national political party,” Tangau said in a Facebook post.
He also urged Noorazli to acknowledge his “poor judgment”, withdraw the reference to Psalm 129 and offer an “unqualified public apology” to the Catholic and wider Christian community.
The controversy arose after Noorazli made a joke at the Umno general assembly on Saturday involving a priest and a nun, with its punchline attributed to Psalm 129 in the Bible.
However, the purported passage does not appear in Psalm 129.
In a Facebook post following the criticism, Noorazli said the point he was trying to convey through the joke was the importance of focus, perseverance and wisdom in achieving one's goals.
“It was never meant to insult, belittle, or demean anyone or a religion,” he said.
He said the joke was intended as an analogy and that the episode had taught him to be more cautious when using analogies in future.
