KUCHING, Sept 1: Sarawak PKR condemns the recent statement by Pasir Puteh MP Nik Muhammad Zawawi Nik Salleh that the “Bible has been corrupted or manipulated”.
Josephine Mawat who is part of the Sarawak Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) state leadership council (MPN) in a statement today, asserted his statement was completely unacceptable and an insult to Christians everywhere, and Nik Muhammad Zawawi should immediately retract his callous remarks.
She also urged the Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) MP to make a public apology to all Christians.
“Such blatant disregard for the beliefs of other races and religions has no place in multi-cultural Malaysia. It also goes against the spirit of Malaysia’s Independence and “Merdeka” which emphasised mutual respect, tolerance and harmony amongst all communities.
“We also call on Dewan Rakyat speaker (Datuk) Azhar Azizan Harun to use Standing Order 36(10)(c) to take disciplinary action against YB Nik Muhammad Zawawi for his statement and demand an apology as it is deemed a grave insult to the religious beliefs of all Christians,” she added.
Josephine revealed Sarawak PKR Sarawak fully supports the statement by Association of Churches in Sarawak (ACS) chairman Archbishop Simon Poh that Nik Muhammad Zawawi should retract his statement and make a public apology to all Christians.
“We invite the Pasir Puteh MP to visit us in Sarawak to learn the fundamentals of peaceful and respectful engagement and religious tolerance in Sarawak. We in Sarawak hold firm to the saying, ‘No matter how many times the teeth bite the tongue, they will still stay and work together’.
“Therefore we are willing to extend the spirit of forgiveness to Pasir Puteh MP Nik Muhammad Zawawi for his comments. However he too must recognise the mistake he has made and be willing to apologise in a spirit of humility for the sake of national peace, harmony and unity,” she added.
At the same time, Josephine pointed out that all forms of religious bigotry and intolerance in Sarawak and Malaysia should be rejected.
“We call on the Sarawak state government and component parties in Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) to also reject PAS over their complete disregard and disrespect for the religious beliefs of Sarawak’s Christian community and to cease any form of co-operation with PAS in the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government with immediate effect,” she added. — DayakDaily
