The Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) has expressed dismay that there was no “sincere and fulsome” apology from Pasir Puteh MP Dr Nik Muhammad Zawawi Nik Salleh over his comments that the Bible was distorted and altered.
CFM chairman Archbishop Julian Leow Beng Kim said it is disappointing that more than two months after disparaging the Holy Scriptures, the PAS lawmaker could not find it in himself to apologise sincerely for his appalling and unfounded charge about the Bible.
“Instead, under the guise of a classic non-apology – and even that, tendered only at the prompting of the Dewan Rakyat speaker – he compounded his affront by claiming that he had intended ‘to defend the original form of the Bible that was revealed to Jesus without any alterations’,” Leow said in a statement today.
Nik Muhammad retracted and apologised in Parliament last week for his controversial remarks about alcohol consumption and the Bible made four months ago.
During the previous Parliament sitting in August, Nik Muhammad had claimed during a debate on the Road Transport (Amendment) Bill 2020 to propose heavier fines for drink driving offenders, that the Bible was manipulated.
“So, I apologise if anyone was hurt, it was not my intention. What I intended to do is to defend the original form of the Bible that was revealed to Jesus, without any alterations, which led me to defend it,” Nik Muhammad had said after being ordered to retract his statement and apologise by Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun.
Leow said Nik Muhammad is ignorant as the Bible is about Jesus and is not something that was revealed to Jesus.
“His further audacious and fallacious pronouncements fly in the face of a consensus of considered views of venerable, globally acknowledged, multilingual Bible scholars over centuries after studying thousands of ancient manuscripts and historically reliable texts, many on public display at national libraries and even online.
“The member of parliament has to date cited no authority and produced not a shred of evidence for his wild and grossly offensive and insensitive claims of ‘alterations’ and manipulations of the Bible.
“That he, an elected official, chose to engage in divisive discourse in the august House at a time when our nation needs to unite to surmount the challenges posed by a deadly global pandemic, is an absolute disgrace,” he said.
Leow said Nik Muhammad’s unsubstantiated claims display an utmost disregard not only for the well-being of the Christian community but also for the harmony and common good of Malaysians and little understanding of nation-building and inter-racial and religious respect.
CFM urged Malaysians to study with humility and respect, the scriptures of other faiths and to promote mutual respect for the faith of the other.
“Respect begets respect. Let us be peace-makers and bridge-builders to each other’s communities of faith,” Leow added. – TMI