Religion should never be used as a joke, mocked or belittled as such actions could invite disrespect towards Islam, says DAP Johor vice-chairman Senator Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali.
He said Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh’s position on the issue deserved credit, despite rarely agreeing with Akmal’s political approach.
Sheikh Umar said the way non-Muslims accept and respect Islam was closely linked to how Muslims themselves presented the religion to others.
He added that interactions, responses and attitudes towards other religions should be guided by wisdom and understanding rather than anger or emotion, particularly in a multiracial society like Malaysia.
“I believe Malaysians do not want religion to be used to insult, provoke or humiliate others,” he said in a social media post on Tuesday.
Sheikh Umar said his position had remained consistent, including during previous controversies involving the alleged “trampling of the soolam” incident and the issue surrounding “tahlil arwah Anthony Loke”.
“The background may be slightly different, but the basic principle is the same,” he said.
He added that Islamic teachings warned Muslims against insulting the beliefs and places of worship of other religions, as doing so could provoke them into insulting Allah and Islam without knowledge.
“Moga kita semua memperbaiki diri dan belajar sesuatu,” he said.
Akmal had earlier stressed that religion should not be treated as a subject for jokes following controversy over remarks by an Umno representative involving a priest and nun during the recent Umno general assembly.
Akmal said the matter was sensitive and would undoubtedly provoke anger if a similar joke involved an imam and Muslims.
The controversy erupted after Sepang Umno chief Datuk Noorazli Said, who is also the Umno Selangor spokesperson, recounted a joke involving a priest and nun and made reference to a Psalm from the Bible.
