MIRI: A senior lawyer here, Datuk Lawrence Lai has condemned the baseless seditious statement by Pasir Puteh MP Nik Muhammad Zawawi Nik Salleh, in alleging that the Christian Bible was “distorted or changed (dipesong ataupun diubah)” when debating amendments to increase penalty for drink driving in Parliament on Wednesday.
“I strongly condemn the baseless seditious statement,” he said in a statement on Sunday.
Adding insult to injury, the PAS MP said Christians have no right to feel offended when told that Christians had taken offence to his remarks, according to a Malaysiakini report.
“They (Christians) have no right to be offended. What I said was not an accusation but a fact!” Nik Muhammad was quoted as saying.
Lai reiterated that the Federal Constitution and Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) guaranteed religious freedom for all Malaysians.
“Every Malaysian has a constitutional right to practise his/her religion freely, everyone must respect others of different faith. In simple layman terms, a Christian must not insult any other religion including their Holy Books, similarly, a Muslim must not insult other religions, including their Holy Books,” he said.
He pointed out that in a multi religious society like Malaysia, when the MP made such baseless accusation, he was not only insulting Christians but had committed sedition by inciting serious disturbances, social unrest and deep dissatisfaction among Christians and all right-thinking Malaysians.
“The MP should retract his insults to Christians made in Parliament and apologise for the remarks,” Lai stressed.
He hoped that the police and Federal Attorney General would conduct speedy investigation on the Pasir Puteh MP.
