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SABAH political leaders have condemned the actions of an UMNO delegate who allegedly made sexually charged jokes about Catholic priests and nuns while speaking at the recent 2026 UMNO General Assembly (PAU).
President of United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO), Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau, stated that Catholic priests and nuns should not be the subject of sexual jokes or ridicule from the stage of a major national political assembly.
According to Tangau, who is also the Member of Parliament for Tuaran, whether the remarks were intended as a joke or a jibe, they were inappropriate as they offended the Christian community nationwide.
"The speaker in question ought to acknowledge his error in judgment, retract the false reference to Psalm 129, and offer an unconditional public apology to Catholics and the entire Christian community," he stressed in a statement today.
He made these remarks following a speech by an UMNO delegate who used a story involving a priest and a nun—including a reference to Psalm 129—as part of his address.
Reports on the speech indicated that the story was used to illustrate the importance of remaining focused and knowing the goals one wishes to achieve.
Meanwhile, former Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak echoed Madius's sentiments, describing the remarks as inappropriate and insensitive to the feelings of Christians in the country.
According to Salleh, who is also the Sabah UMNO Treasurer, sexually suggestive jokes involving Catholic nuns and priests are unacceptable, and the UMNO leader involved should offer a public apology.
"The UMNO leader in question should offer a sincere, public apology. This is not a matter of politics; it is a matter of respect, responsibility, and understanding boundaries that should not be crossed.
"In Sabah, Muslims, Christians, and followers of other faiths have lived together in mutual respect for a long time.
"We must continue to preserve this spirit of tolerance and harmony. When something is wrong, we must have the courage to say it is wrong, regardless of who committed the act," he said in a post on his official Facebook page. – September 14, 2026
