Redeem yourself by resigning as a minister, Baru asks Nancy

KUCHING, Oct 11, 2014: Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian today urged Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nancy Shukri to do the honourable thing by resigning from her ministerial post for her poor judgment and explanation not to prosecute Islamist extremist Ibrahim Ali.

"I hope that Nancy will try to redeem herself by apologising to all Malaysians for her poor judgment and tender her resignation for failing us," he said in a statement to express his shock at Nancy's explanation for the decision of the Attorney-General not to prosecute Ibrahim.

Baru (picture) said that by making such a statement, she is perceived to be defending a known extremist like Ibrahim Ali.

"This will undoubtedly embolden him and his ilk to carry on with their hateful supremacist agenda,"  he asserted.

"As a fellow lawyer, I am appalled that Nancy has tried to defend her earlier statement by invoking the Federal Constitution.

"What sort of twisted logic is she applying to find in the Federal Constitution justification for insulting people of a different faith and calling for their holy books to be burnt?

"A purported defence of one's religion cannot be used to exculpate one's blatant breach of the law. A wrong under the law is a wrong," Baru, who is also the Ba'Kelalan State Assemblyman, said.

In her written parliamentary reply, Nancy had said Ibrahim had not been charged for calling Bibles to be burned as he was merely defending Islam.

Following the reply, Nancy came under severe criticisms from the public and on social media, prompting her to issue a statement on Thursday night, saying that it was the A-G Chambers' decision not to charge Ibrahim as his threat was in line with Article 11(4) of the Federal Constitution.

Baru, in criticising Nancy, said that when she was appointed the Law Minister, Sarawakians were heartened that there would be someone in the Prime Minister's Office who understood and appreciated the true meaning of racial and religious harmony, and that she would speak up on issues that are important to all Malaysians.

"We expected that she would rise above religious bigotry and stand on the side of the law. It is obvious that our hopes were misplaced.

"Nancy was entrusted to protect the rights of all Malaysians, but she has now joined the list of ministers who are ministers for the BN and Muslims foremost," Baru added.

"An elected representative who chooses not to engage her mind in basic critical analysis of what is right and decent, and instead allows herself to be a used as an apologist for pathetic religious extremists does not deserve to hold office as a minister.

"Not only should the Christians not support her, any reasonable voter should not support such stand. I am thankful that there are right-minded Malaysians of all religions who have condemned the statements made by Nancy.

"I fully echo the statements of the CFM and Bishop Paul Tan on the matter, and I commend Land Development Minister and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president James Masing for being the first BN minister to speak his mind.

" Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and our Chief Minister Adenan Satem should reprimand her for her inexcusable blunder," Baru said.