PETALING JAYA: The incident where a student allegedly insulted Islam requires a thorough investigation by the Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA), says Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah.
The Paya Besar MP and Deputy Economy Minister condemned the incident and said that strict and appropriate disciplinary action must be taken in accordance with university regulations and the law.
Shahar said actions that insult or disrespect the holy scriptures of any religion was unacceptable and went against the values of harmony, mutual respect and understanding that was upheld in Malaysia.
He also urged all parties to remain calm and allow for the university to investigate without any interference.
“The Al-Quran is sacred to Muslims, and any form of desecration deeply hurts the sentiments of the Muslim community.
“At the same time, Malaysia is a multicultural and multi-religious nation built on mutual respect. We must protect this foundation at all costs,” he said in a statement.
Shahar said institutions of higher learning must not only be centres of academic excellence, but places where values of respect, responsibility and unity are instilled among students.
“Any form of provocation, retaliation or attempt to inflame racial and religious sentiments will only harm national unity,” he added.
He stressed that the actions of one should not be the stain borne by many.
“Malaysia’s strength lies in its diversity. Our economic stability and positive growth trajectory today is not achieved by chance.
“They are the result of decades of peaceful coexistence, cooperation and mutual trust among Malaysians of different races and religions,” he said.
He said investors choose Malaysia because we are known for stability, moderation and social harmony.
“These are critical foundations for sustainable economic development,” he added.
Shahar emphasised that maintaining social cohesion is not only a moral responsibility, but also an economic imperative.
On Feb 25, a UMPSA student was detained to assist in investigations for allegedly insulting Islam on social media.
Prior to that, an image showing an adult male’s foot stepping on the Quran, along with a screenshot of a social media post allegedly by the UMPSA student, had gone viral online.
