Parti Rakyat Sarawak VP Joseph Salang: Sarawak Christians should not make fools of themselves over al-Kitab

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Press statement by Teresa Kok, Selangor State Senior EXCO and MP for Seputeh in Kuala Lumpur on 25 March 2011

Joseph Salang’s statement that Sarawak Christians “should not make fools of themselves” reveals the arrogance typical of Barisan Nasional leaders drunk with power

Parti Rakyat Sarawak Vice President Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum’s statement that Christians in Sarawak “should not make fools of themselves” over the impounding of the al-Kitab is appalling but not surprising. He merely demonstrates the arrogance typical of Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders who are so drunk with 53 years of unbroken power that they have become completely cold and oblivious to the suffering of the people on the ground.

According to The Malaysian Insider*, Joseph Salang made that heartless statement with regard to Sarawakians attending prayer rallies organised by Sarawak Ministers Fellowship to pray for the release of the al-Kitab. The first rally held at the Christian Accumenical Worship Centre in Kuching on 23 March 2011 drew nearly 3,000 Christians, which indicates the gravity of this issue. (* http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/christians-should-not-make-fools-of-themselves-over-alkitab-says-sarawak-bn-leader/ )

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In making that statement, Joseph Salang shows that he couldn’t care less about Malaysians’ constitutional right to freedom of religion and that he has absolutely no sympathy for Sarawak Christians’ grievance. Their al-Kitab has been impounded by the Home Ministry for over two years, defaced with a “For Christians” stamp and then a “For Christianity” stamp, and until recently threatened with being stamped with serial numbers as well.

Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein even had the gall to mock the Christians when he said, “You (Christians) can even say the Bibles are smelly after being kept for so long,” during his press conference on 17 March 2011.

As for Joseph Salang, his statement reveals himself to be lacking in culture despite being the Deputy Minister for Information Communication & Culture. If he had any culture, he would be able to appreciate that the al-Kitab, in whatever language, is the holy book for Christians. Human decency tells us that holy books must be accorded due respect, regardless of what one’s personal religious convictions may be.

Thus, the oppressive manner in which the Government has restricted access to and defaced the al-Kitab exposes 1Malaysia for the fraud that it is. No amount of justification by the Government can make this transgression right. Joseph Salang’s cruel statement only adds salt to the wound.

I urge Joseph Salang to wake up from his stupor of BN power, recognise the pain that BN is causing Christians throughout the country, and apologise unreservedly for his most arrogant statement.

I further urge all the BN component parties in Sarawak – Parti Rakyat Sarawak, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, Sarawak United People’s Party, Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party – to wake up from their coma, denounce outright the impounding and defacing of the al-Kitab, call for their immediate unconditional release and the removal of all restrictions upon future imports of the al-Kitab, as Pakatan Rakyat leaders have done.

Failing which, the people of Sarawak will plainly see that the BN component parties in Sarawak have yet again kowtowed to BN leaders in Putrajaya and sold out their fellow Sarawakians for political gain.

Teresa Kok

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Kenyataan akhbar oleh Teresa Kok, EXCO Kanan Negeri Selangor dan Ahli Parlimen Seputeh di Kuala Lumpur pada 25 Mac 2011

Kenyataan Joseph Salang bahawa penganut Kristian di Sarawak “tidak harus memperbodohkan diri mereka sendiri” mempamerkan kesombongan pemimpin-pemimpin Barisan Nasional yang sudah mabuk kuasa

Kenyataan Naib Presiden Parti Rakyat Sarawak Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum yang mengatakan bahawa penganut Kristian tidak harus “memperbodohkan diri mereka sendiri (should not make fools of themselves)” dalam isu penahanan buku-buku al-Kitab amat mengecewakan tetapi langsung tidak menghairankan. Beliau cuma mempamerkan kesombongan yang biasa dipamerkan oleh pemimpin-pemimpin Barisan Nasional (BN) yang sudah terlampau biasa berkuasa selama 53 tahun sehinggakan mereka langsung tidak peka dan tidak peduli akan kesengsaraan rakyat biasa.

Menurut The Malaysian Insider*, Joseph Salang telah mengeluarkan kenyataan tersebut mengenai penyertaan penganut Kristian di Sarawak di dalam “prayer rally” anjuran Sarawak Ministers Fellowship untuk berdoa agar al-Kitab yang ditahan dilepaskan serta-merta. “Prayer rally” yang pertama telah diadakan di Christian Accumenical Worship Centre di Kuching pada 23 Mac 2011 dan berjaya menarik hampir 3,000 penganut Christians. Ini menunjukkan betapa pentingnya isu ini bagi mereka. (* http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/christians-should-not-make-fools-of-themselves-over-alkitab-says-sarawak-bn-leader/ )

Kenyataan Joseph Salang menunjukkan bahawa beliau langsung tidak hormat terhadap hak warga Malaysia untuk mengamalkan agama pilihan sendiri seperti yang termaktub di dalam Artikel 11 Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Beliau juga tidak simpati terhadap aduan penganut-penganut Kristian di Sarawak. Beliau harus sedar bahawa al-Kitab mereka telah ditahan oleh Kementerian Dalam Negeri selama lebih dua tahun, dirosakkan dengan cop “For Christians” dan kemudiannya cop “For Christianity”, dan sehingga beberapa hari yang lalu, dikenakan cop nombor bersiri.

Menteri Dalam Negeri Hishammuddin Hussein pula menghina penganut Kristian apabila beliau berkata, “Kamu (penganut agama Kristian) boleh juga mengadu bahawa al-Kitab sudah jadi busuk kerana disimpan begitu lama,” ketika sidang akhbarnya pada 17 Mac 2011.

Kenyataan Salang, menunjukkan bahawa beliau kurang berbudaya walaupun beliau menyandang jawatan Timbalan Menteri Penerangan, Komunikasi dan Kebudayan. Sekiranya beliau berbudaya, beliau akan dapat mengamati bahawa buku al-Kitab merupakan buku suci bagi penganut agama Kristian. Mereka yang berbudaya hormat terhadap apa-apa buku-buku suci, tanpa mengira kepercayaan diri sendiri.

Oleh itu, tindakan Kerajaan menghalang akses terhadap al-Kitab dan merosakkan al-Kitab membuktikan sekali lagi bahawa 1Malaysia merupakan suatu pembohongan. Sebarang alasan yang diberikan oleh Kerajaan tidak boleh diterima sama sekali. Jadi, kenyataan Joseph Salang memperkecilkan aduan penganut Kristian bagaikan menabur garam di luka.

Saya menggesa Joseph Salang agar bangun dari mabuk kuasa BN, akui bagaimana tindakan BN salah terhadap penganut agama Kristian di seluruh negara, dan minta maaf atas kenyataannya.

Saya juga menggesa kesemua parti komponen BN di Sarawak – Parti Rakyat Sarawak, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, Sarawak United People’s Party, Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party – bangun dari koma mereka, kutuk sekeras-kerasnya penahanan dan perosakan al-Kitab, seru agar al-Kitab dilepaskan serta-merta tanpa sebarang syarat, dan seru agar segala sekatan terhadap pengimpotan buku al-Kitab pada masa depan dimansuhkan, seperti bagaimana pemimpin-pemimpin Pakatan Rakyat telah lakukan.

Jika Joseph Salang gagal berbuat demikian, rakyat Sarawak akan dapat lihat dengan jelas bahawa parti-parti komponen Sarawak sekali lagi sudah akur terhadap pemimpin-pemimpin BN di Putrajaya dan telah menjual hak dan maruah rakyat Sarawak demi kepentingan politik peribadi mereka.

Teresa Kok