Sarawak MP calls for police reports over religious joke

KUCHING: Puncak Borneo MP Datuk Willie Mongin has urged Catholics and Christians nationwide to lodge police reports over a sexually suggestive joke involving Catholic religious figures.

He made the call after Datuk Noorazli Said reportedly used a Catholic priest and nun in a joke during the recent UMNO general assembly.

Willie said religious figures, religious life and scripture should never be sexualised or turned into material for political humour.

“I call on all Catholics and Christians throughout the country to lodge police reports and take legal action against Datuk Noorazli Said,” he said in a statement today.

He said Malaysians and the government must send a clear signal that anyone exploiting issues involving race, religion and royalty (3R) should face firm action.

Willie, who is also a Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Supreme Council member, said the matter went beyond differences in humour or whether the remarks were intended as a joke.

“When religious figures, religious life and scripture are made the subject of sexually suggestive jokes, it crosses the boundaries of decency and respect that should be upheld in a multireligious country like Malaysia,” he said.

He also questioned the reference to Psalm 129 in the joke, saying its actual content did not carry the meaning portrayed.

“Scripture is not something to be distorted for laughs. Priests and nuns are not characters to be sexualised or ridiculed to make a political analogy,” he stressed.

Willie said Sarawak had long demonstrated that people of different religions could coexist peacefully through mutual respect and assistance.

He warned against allowing the ridicule of religion to become normalised in politics, saying the same standards of respect should apply to all faiths.

“If we want our own religion to be respected, then we are also obliged to respect the religions of others,” he added.

Willie acknowledged that Noorazli had subsequently expressed willingness to apologise if his remarks had caused misunderstanding or offence, while maintaining that he had no intention of insulting any religion.

However, he said any apology should be clear, open and unconditional, particularly to Catholics and the wider Christian community offended by the remarks.

He also supported the authorities assessing the matter professionally and fairly, including its dissemination on social media, if there were grounds for investigation under relevant laws.

Willie called on political leaders to exercise greater responsibility when speaking about religion, regardless of political differences.

“We can differ in parties and opinions, and debate policies, the economy, development and the country’s future.

“But the people’s religion must not be turned into a political plaything,” he said.