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KUCHING: The Sarawak Association of Churches (ACS) has asked a PAS legislator to retract his statements on the Bible in Parliament and to apologize.
The president of the ACS, Archbishop Simon Poh, said that insensitive statements with strong accusations against another religion should not remain uncorrected.
He said ACS objected to Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh’s claims that no religion allowed its followers to consume alcohol and that the “Kitab Injil” or Bible had been distorted or changed.
Pasir Puteh’s deputy had made the remarks during a debate on driving under the influence in Parliament on Wednesday (August 26).
Although the PAS deputy scholar cited these (claims) as coming from his Ph.D. research in comparative religion and was using them to make his point against alcohol consumption during his debate on the Transportation (Amendment) Bill By Road 2020, ACS strongly condemns insensitive statements against other religions and in particular against Christianity, “Poh said in a statement late Friday (August 28).
He said ACS viewed Nik Muhammad’s claim as a “direct insult” to the Bible, which Christians consider sacred, adding that it is also inflammatory and disrespectful to people seeking to live in harmony in Sarawak and Malaysia.
“ACS respects the right of each person to their opinion. When this becomes an insult to religion, ACS strongly rejects such a form of religious imposition of Congressman Pasir Puteh on Christianity and other religions,” he said.
Poh added that political leaders should set the example of civility and work for harmony for the common good, while issues should be addressed in a rational and civilized manner.
He said that crossing the border into religious sensitivity with insults against the teaching of any religion was “totally unacceptable.”
“The ACS reiterates that debates in Parliament must be based on rational reasoning and facts, not on religious sentiments or opinions,” he added.
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