MELAKA: An immediate apology must be issued by the person who made a joke about priests at the recent Umno general assembly, says Datuk Dr Akmal Saleh.
The Umno Youth chief said matters about religion should not be turned into a joke.
"If the joke had been about an imam and Muslims, we would be angry.
"If we get angry when something similar is done to us, then we should not do the same to others.
"I urge this individual to apologise publicly to all Malaysians," he said in a Facebook post on Monday (Sept 14).
He said individual did not in any way reflect Umno's position and was his personal opinion.
Sabah Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Arthur Kurup said Sepang Umno division chief Datuk Noorazli Said should issue an immediate apology.
He said Noorazli must issue an unconditional apology without giving further reasons for the offensive and hurtful speech, particularly to Malaysian Christians.
“I must firmly state that the speech was highly inappropriate, excessive, and does not reflect the maturity of a political leader,” the Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president said in a statement on Monday.
“Political differences never give anyone a license to ridicule another religion or the beliefs of its followers for the sake of laughter or applause,” he said, condemning Noorazli’s speech last Saturday (Sept 12) that made vulgar remarks about Christianity, priests, nuns and the Bible.
“We may differ in political views, criticise policies, and debate firmly. But when religion and the beliefs of others are made into jokes, we cross the line of propriety and responsibility as leaders. Claiming it was ‘just a joke’ should not be used as an excuse to dismiss the impact and sensitivities caused,” said Kurup.
