Puncak Borneo MP urging Christians nation-wide to lodge police report and pursue legal action against Umno divisional leader

KUCHING, Sept 15 2026: Puncak Borneo Member of Parliament Willie Mongin today called upon Christians nationwide to lodge police reports and pursue legal action against Umno Sepang divisional head Noorazli Said over his lewd remarks against the Christian priest and nun.

Caption: Puncak Borneo MP Willie Mongin reminds that religions must not be made a tool for political games.

He said Malaysians and the government must send a clear signal that firm action will be taken against any individual who exploits 3R (Race, Religion, and Royalty) issues for the sake of the unity of Malaysia.

"At the same time, I urge all political leaders to exercise greater responsibility when addressing religious matters," he said in a statement.

He warned that religions must not be made a tool for political games.

"Malaysia is built upon diversity. Sarawak, under the leadership of the GPS coalition, stands as a prime example of how people of various religions and backgrounds can coexist peacefully when we choose to respect one another. 

"We must not be willing to hurt the feelings of thousands or even millions of believers simply to garner a laugh in a political hall," Willie said, asking politicians to respect religions, religious figures, Holy Book and the followers.

He said he strongly condemns the remarks made by Noorazli Said who used the characters of a Catholic priest and a nun as the subject of a sexually-charged joke during the recent Umno general assembly.

He said to him it is not a matter of differing senses of humor or whether the statement was intended merely as a joke.

"When religious figures, religious life, and Holy Scripture are turned into subjects of sexualized humor, it crosses the boundaries of propriety and the respect we ought to uphold in a multi-religious nation like Malaysia.

"Even more concerning is that the joke was delivered on the stage of a national political assembly and subsequently linked to Psalm 129. 

"That reference was highly misleading, as the actual content of Psalm 129 bears no resemblance to the scenario depicted in the joke.

"Holy Scripture is not something to be distorted for the sake of a laugh. Priests and nuns are not characters to be sexualized or mocked to illustrate a political analogy," Willie said.

He emphasised that, as an elected representative from Sarawak, he  deeply understands the importance of maintaining harmony within a society comprising diverse religions, races, and cultures. 

"In Sarawak specifically, we have long demonstrated that religious differences are no barrier to living together in peace, mutual respect, and cooperation. 

"Therefore, we cannot allow the culture of making light of religion to become normalized in politics," Willie said.

"If we desire respect for our own religion, we are duty-bound to respect the religions of others. Freedom of speech is not a license to insult or disparage the beliefs of others. Political freedom does not grant a leader the licence to use religion as fodder to elicit applause and laughter from an audience," Willie said.

Sarawak DAP Youth lodging police report against an Umno divisional leader

KUCHING, Sept 15 2026: Sarawak DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) today lodged a police against an Umno divisional leader for creating a joke on the Christian priest and nun.

Caption: The Sarawak DAPSY leaders after lodging the police report. From left are:Lesley Chong,(treasurer). ⁠George Lam (secretary), ⁠Soo Tien Ren (deputy chief) and ⁠Daphne Chong (publicity secretary)

Sarawak DAPSY urged the police to conduct a professional, transparent and impartial investigation to determine whether the remarks by Umno Sepang division chief Noorazli Said contain any elements that may constitute an offence or threaten public harmony.

"Sarawak DAPSY views seriously the remarks made by Noorazli Said during the 2026 Umno general assembly, where a Catholic priest and a nun were used as subjects of a sexually suggestive joke and subsequently linked to Psalm 129," a statement issued by Sarawak DAPSY said.

"Regardless of whether the remarks were intended as political humour, religion should never be trivialised or used in a manner that could offend or demean the faith of others," the statement said.

It added that this is particularly important in Sarawak, where a significant portion of the population is Christian and Christianity is an integral part of the lives and communities of Sarawakians. 

"Any remarks that ridicule religious figures, scripture or Christian beliefs should not be taken lightly," the statement said.

It stressed that the religious sensitivities of Sarawakians must be respected, regardless of religion, race or political affiliation. There must not be double standards when it comes to respecting different faiths.

"We cannot condemn the mocking or insulting of one religion while remaining silent when the faith of another community is ridiculed," the statement said, adding that respect for religion cannot and should never be selective or dependent on political affiliation. 

It said when political leaders normalise making fun of another community’s beliefs for political entertainment or applause, "we are taking the risk in disrupting the racial and religious harmony that Malaysians have worked so hard to build."

THe statement said freedom of speech and political expression must come with responsibility, stating that political leaders, in particular, must exercise greater care when making references to religion, as their words can have a significant impact on social harmony. 

"No political agenda should ever be an excuse to ridicule another person’s faith.

"We may disagree politically and debate policies, but religion must never be used as a tool for political entertainment. If political leaders can publicly ridicule another person’s religion for the sake of laughter or political mileage, what message does that send to the next generation and to all Malaysians? 

"Sarawak DAPSY, therefore, calls on all political leaders to respect the faith and beliefs of the people, and in this particular case, the religious sensitivities of Sarawak’s Christian community and all other Christian communities around the nation," the statement said.

PBK president reminds politicians, especially from Malaya, not to make religion as target of political joke

KUCHING, Sept 15 2026: Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) Voon Lee Shan today reminded politicians, especially those from Malaya, not to make religion as a target of political jokes and provocation.

Caption: PBK presidet Voon Lee Shan says that what Noorazli Said has uttered during an Umno general assembly recently reflects a disturbing level of insensitivity and recklessness in Malaysian politics. 

He said Umno divisional leader Noorazli Said's disrespectful joke is an affront to all Christians, adding "enough is enough".

"Religious faith is not a subject for vulgar jokes or political theatrics, pointing out that Holy Bible is sacred to millions of Christians, including the vast Christian population of Sarawak. 

"A political leader, particularly one holding public office or exercising political influence, should understand that words and actions involving religion carry serious consequences," Voon said in a statement.

He added what Noorazli has uttered during an Umno general assembly recently reflects a disturbing level of insensitivity and recklessness in Malaysian politics. 

"Differences in religion must never become an excuse for ridicule, provocation or humiliation. Political leaders have a responsibility to protect mutual respect and social harmony, not undermine them," he said.

Voon told Umno politicians that Sarawak has long demonstrated that people of different races and religions can live together, share meals, celebrate one another's festivals and respect one another's faith. *Our religious diversity is not a weakness; it is one of Sarawak's greatest strengths.

"We Sarawakians will not accept the importation of divisive racial and religious politics that threatens this harmony.

"I, therefore, demand that the Umno leadership formally and publicly apologise to Christians throughout Malaysia, and in particular to the Christian community in Sarawak, for this disgraceful conduct. 

"The matter should not be dismissed as a mere misunderstanding. When a sacred religious text is used as the subject of a vulgar joke, the appropriate response is accountability and a sincere apology—not excuses," Voon said, adding that he strongly condemns the conduct of the Umno leader who made a vulgar and deeply disrespectful joke involving the Holy Bible during a solemn assembly.

"Let me make this absolutely clear that the utterance of the Umno leader was not merely an insult to the Catholic Bible. The Bible is the Holy Book of Christians of all denominations.

"Any act or joke that desecrates, mocks or treats the Holy Bible with contempt is therefore deeply offensive to Christians as a whole," Voon fumed.

Values of mutual respect among people of various religions must not remain mere slogan, premier stresses

KUCHING, Sept 15 2026: Premier Abang Johari Openg has stressed the importance of values of mutual respect and inclusivity among  people of various religions that must not remain mere slogans. 

Caption: Premier Abang Johari Openg says that places of worship are not merely venues for religious observance; they also serve as spaces for character building, educating the younger generation, conducting charitable activities, and strengthening the community. 

He said the values ​​must be translated into governance. 

"It is based on this principle that the Unit for Other Religions (UNIFOR) was established by the Sarawak Government in 2017," he said in his speech read by deputy Douglas Uggah at the thanks giving ceremony in conjunction with Malaysia Day celebration. 

He said UNIFOR is not merely a channel for financial aid, saying that it reflects the Sarawak government’s approach to ensuring that communities of other religions are respected, given the space to flourish, and enabled to contribute to the state's development.

THe premier said the Sarawak government, to date, has approved a total of RM685 million through UNIFOR, including RM565 million was allocated for the construction, maintenance, and upgrading of places of worship for other religions, and RM120 million for the continued development of mission schools. 

He added the Sarawak government has allocated RM120 million to UNIFOR for this year. 

"Of this sum, RM90 million is designated for places of worship for other religions and RM30 million for mission schools; this includes an additional RM10 million specifically for STEM projects," he added. 

"For the First Phase of this year alone, a total of RM34,879,500 has been approved for 148 projects involving places of worship for other religions across Sarawak," he said. 

Abang Johari said the allocation is not solely about buildings; it is an investment in communities.

The premier also said that places of worship are not merely venues for religious observance; they also serve as spaces for character building, educating the younger generation, conducting charitable activities, and strengthening the community. "

"When we strengthen societal institutions, we also bolster our social capital. This is the type of development we seek—development that goes beyond the construction of physical infrastructure. We must also build trust, foster societal values, and strengthen the bonds between people," he stressed.

Letter to Editor: An UMNO' leader's remarks deeply inappropriate, offensive and regrettable against the Christians, says Baru Bian

I wish to express my strong support for and solidarity with the statement issued by the Catholic Lawyers' Society of Kuala Lumpur (CLSKL) concerning the remarks made by Sepang UMNO chief Noorazli Said during the UMNO Annual General Assembly on 12 September 2026. 

Caption: Ba'Kelalan State Legislative Member and lawyer Baru Bian

I find the remarks deeply inappropriate, offensive and regrettable for several reasons. First, the remarks were made at a political party's national convention.

 A political convention is a public and important platform where leaders and delegates should discuss matters concerning the nation, the economy, the welfare of the people and the future of Malaysia. 

A sexually suggestive joke involving a priest and a nun is wholly out of place in such a forum. Political leaders, particularly those speaking before a national audience, have a responsibility to uphold standards of decency, dignity and public morality.

 Second, the remarks publicly demean persons and institutions belonging to a religion other than one's own. Malaysia is a multi-religious nation. 

The freedom to practise one's faith carries with it the corresponding responsibility to respect the faith, sacred institutions and religious leaders of others. 

One does not have to belong to the Catholic faith to respect a Catholic priest, a nun, or the religious vocation which they have chosen. 

Likewise, Christians should respect the religious beliefs and sacred persons of Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and followers of other faiths. 

Third, the remarks are offensive to Christians, and particularly to Catholics. Priests and consecrated religious persons are not legitimate objects of sexual ridicule. 

They represent a sacred vocation within the Catholic Church and deserve the same basic dignity and respect that we would expect others to extend to our own religious leaders and institutions. 

As a Christian, I therefore find it necessary to speak out. Silence in the face of the public humiliation or degradation of another person's faith can itself contribute to the erosion of mutual respect among Malaysians.

 Fourth, the attribution of the alleged joke to Psalm 129 is factually wrong. There is simply nothing in Psalm 129 that says what was attributed to it.

 Psalm 129 is a biblical psalm concerning the affliction of God's people and God's deliverance from oppression. 

It contains no such story or reference involving a priest and a nun. 

What is particularly troubling is that no verse from Psalm 129 was actually identified or quoted to substantiate the claim. 

To invoke the name of a biblical Psalm without reference to any actual verse, and then attribute to Scripture words and ideas which are not there, is not merely inaccurate. 

It risks making a mockery of the Bible and of the sacred Scriptures held dear by Christians throughout the world. 

This is why I consider the matter more serious than merely an unfortunate joke. 

Religious scriptures should never be used as props for crude political humour. 

Whether it is the Bible, the Quran, the Bhagavad Gita, the teachings of Buddhism, or the sacred texts of any other faith, our religious texts should be treated with respect. 

Political rhetoric must never cross the line into ridiculing or deliberately misrepresenting what another faith holds sacred.

I am also concerned about the wider implications of such remarks for Malaysia's fragile but precious tradition of religious and racial harmony. In two days, the country will be celebrating Malaysia Day, and it is a sad and sobering fact that after 63 years, we are still grappling with religious and racial bigotry, especially within the political domain. 

The first principle of the Rukun Negara is "Kepercayaan Kepada Tuhan" (Belief in God), while another principle calls for "Kesopanan dan Kesusilaan" (Good Behaviour and Morality). 

These principles are not merely words to be recited at official functions. They should guide our conduct, particularly that of those entrusted with leadership.

 Malaysia does not need political leaders who gain attention by ridiculing the religion of others. We need leaders who build bridges, protect mutual respect and bring Malaysians together despite our differences.

 I therefore strongly support the call by the Catholic Lawyers' Society of Kuala Lumpur for the offending remarks to be withdrawn and for a full and public apology to be made. 

At the same time, I believe that this matter should not become an excuse for further religious confrontation. 

The appropriate response is one of firmness, truth and respect. 

We should condemn the conduct and the remarks, while continuing to uphold the dignity of every person, regardless of political party or religious affiliation. 

As Malaysians, we must be able to disagree politically without insulting one another's faith. 

Freedom of speech is not a licence to ridicule another person's religion. Political humour is not a licence to demean sacred persons or institutions. 

And public office carries with it a responsibility to exercise restraint, wisdom and respect. I therefore join the Catholic Lawyers' Society of Kuala Lumpur in calling upon Mr Noorazli Said to: 
1.Immediately retract the offending remarks;
2.Issue a full and public apology to the Catholic community and to all Christians who have been offended; 
3.Acknowledge that Psalm 129 contains no such passage as attributed to it; and 
4.Exercise greater responsibility and sensitivity when referring to the sacred beliefs, scriptures and religious leaders of other faiths. 

I make this statement not as an attack upon any political party or individual, but as a matter of principle, religious respect and the preservation of harmony in our country.

If we expect others to respect our faith, we must also respect theirs. Malaysia belongs to all of us. Let us therefore speak and act in ways that strengthen, rather than weaken, the bonds of mutual respect, understanding and peace among our people.–