Hostile attacks against Christianity and the Bible as well as vernacular schools by members of the Perikatan Nasional(PN) administration is also an attack against the Federal Constitution which guarantees such rights of minorities. DAP strongly condemns PAS Pasir Puteh MP Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh for offending Christians by alleging that the Bible had been altered and distorted.
Zawawi further insulted Christians when he declined to apologise, saying that Christians have no right to feel offended and claimed that what he said was not an accusation but “a fact”. Zawawi has ignored the fact that the Federal Constitution clearly states that Islam is the religion of the Federation but non-Muslims have a right to practice and profess their own religion. Such fundamental rights of course has a consequential effect of disallowing insults to religions. Further, I have been told by my Muslim friends that Islam forbids any insult or degradation of other religions.
Such open disrespect of Christians does not represent Malaysia, especially coming from a MP of an Islamic party that is openly hostile to non-Muslims. When the moderate former Kelantan Menteri Besar Allahyarham Datuk Seri Nik Aziz was still alive, no such insults would have been made by PAS against Christians and the Bible. After the demise of Allahyarham Datuk Seri Nik Aziz, PAS have become more extremist and thus ignored, but the situation is different now that they are part of the Federal government.
The utter silence of PN party and national leaders as well as their failure to demand that action be taken, speaks volumes of how subservient the present government leaders are to PAS. Fortunately, Sabah caretaker chief minister Shafie Apdal has shown his leadership capability of representing all Malaysians, by warning PAS of the deadly dangers that extremism could wreck on the country, and said national harmony should not be put at risk for the sake of achieving power.
Shafie acknowledged that the statement has “angered” the Christian community, but said such statements do not help the country progress. This is a first statement by a Malay-Muslim party leader against PAS and reassures Malaysians that there are still rational, right-thinking and moderate Malay Muslim leaders like Shafie willing to protect and defend the Federal Constitution.
If the present government still upholds the guarantees afforded to non-Muslims in the Federal Constitution, then this PAS MP should not be allowed to escape for making such offensive remarks. Current Ministers and Deputy Ministers, especially government party leaders, should be thoroughly ashamed for being so frightened of PAS and their failure to act against this PAS MP.