Catholic lawyers’ society to lodge police report over Umno leader’s joke
Catholic lawyers’ society to lodge police report over Umno leader’s joke
The Catholic Lawyers’ Society of Kuala Lumpur says Noorazli Said’s remarks may attract scrutiny under laws governing sedition and religious offences.
The society highlighted the potential legal implications of Noorazli’s joke, saying it could attract scrutiny under laws governing sedition and religious offences, given its “capacity to incite disharmony and disrespect towards a religious community”.
It said the offending remarks, uploaded and shared by Noorazli or other parties online, might also constitute an offence under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (CMA).
Section 233 of the CMA criminalises the improper use of network facilities or services to transmit content that is “obscene, indecent, false, menacing or offensive in character with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass another person”.
The joke involving a priest and a nun, told by Noorazli at the Umno general assembly last Saturday, hinged on a punchline he attributed to Psalm 129 in the Bible, but which is not actually contained in the chapter.
“CLS wishes to place on record that Psalm 129 contains no such content. The psalm speaks of deliverance and the triumph of the righteous over affliction and oppression.
“Noorazli’s fabricated attribution is not only factually false but constitutes a distortion of sacred scripture for the purpose of a crude joke, causing offence to the Catholic community and the wider Christian faith,” the society said in a statement today.
It also said that Noorazli’s remarks demeaned the clergy by portraying them in a lewd and disrespectful manner.
“Such conduct before a large public audience at a national political assembly is wholly inappropriate and unbecoming of any elected representative or party leader,” it said.
CLS called on the authorities to investigate the matter accordingly, and for Noorazli to retract his statement, issue a full apology to the Catholic community, and refrain from using religious texts or figures as material for political rhetoric or humour.
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Umno leaders call on Sepang chief to apologise over Catholic clergy joke
Umno leaders call on Sepang chief to apologise over Catholic clergy joke
Salleh Said Keruak says religious figures must always be treated with respect, while Dr Akmal Saleh says religion should not be made the subject of jokes.
Sabah Umno veteran Salleh Said Keruak said in a Facebook post that he fully agreed with Tangau’s stand on Noorazli’s remarks.
“Whatever the intention, making sexual jokes involving Catholic nuns and priests is unacceptable. Religion and religious figures must always be treated with respect.
“The Umno leader concerned should apologise openly and sincerely. This is not about politics. It is about respect, responsibility, and knowing where the line should be drawn,” he said.
Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh also called on Noorazli to apologise publicly, saying religion should not be made the subject of jokes.
“Imagine if the joke about the priest had instead been directed at an imam and Muslims. Surely, we would also be angry.
“If we would be angry at being treated that way, we should not treat others in the same manner,” he said in a Facebook post.
Salleh, who is also a former Sabah chief minister, said Muslims, Christians and people of other faiths have lived together in the state in “mutual respect for generations”.
“This spirit of tolerance and harmony is something we must continue to protect. When something is wrong, we should have the courage to say so, regardless of who is involved,” he said.
Noorazli’s joke involving a priest and a nun hinged on a punchline he attributed to Psalm 129 in the Bible, but which does not actually appear in the chapter.
Earlier today, Tangau, who is the Tuaran MP and Tamparuli assemblyman, called on Noorazli to apologise to the Catholic community for the joke and for falsely referencing the Bible.
The Catholic Lawyers’ Society of Kuala Lumpur later said it would file a police report against Noorazli over the joke and called on him to retract his remarks, issue a full apology to the Catholic community, and refrain from using religious texts or figures as material for political rhetoric or humour.
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