By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Sept 15: Sacred scriptures and religious figures must never be abused as props for cheap political comedy, warned Association of Churches in Sarawak (ACS) chairman Reverend Bishop Datuk Danald Jute.
Expressing “deep disappointment and righteous indignation,” Danald condemned a senior UMNO leader over remarks made during the recent UMNO General Assembly, describing them as deeply insulting to the Christian community.
‘‘The use of a crude, sexually suggestive joke targeting Christian priests and nuns, together with the fabrication and mockery of a passage falsely attributed to Psalm 129 of the Holy Bible, crossed the boundaries of basic human decency and mutual respect.
“Sacred scriptures and consecrated religious figures of all religions are not material for cheap political comedy, nor should they ever be abused to score fleeting political popularity,” he said in a statement today.
He also questioned whether similar remarks targeting Muslim religious figures or the Holy Quran would have been met with the same response, arguing that they would likely have triggered immediate public outrage, condemnation and possible law enforcement action.
“What if a non-Muslim had publicly uttered crude sexual jokes about Muslim Imams or fabricated verses from the Holy Quran?
“Why should the sacred boundaries of the Christian faith be treated with such casual contempt?” he asked.
Therefore, ACS is demanding an immediate, explicit, and unconditional public apology from both UMNO and the politician involved, as well as a pledge not to repeat the offense.
With Malaysia Day falling tomorrow, the ACS chairman urged politicians across all parties to abandon divisive, faith-disparaging rhetoric, warning that Malaysia stands at a crucial crossroads and calling for greater understanding and acceptance among its diverse communities. — DayakDaily
