Unity minister calls for police probe over Umno man’s Catholic ‘joke’

National unity minister Aaron Ago Dagang has urged the authorities to investigate an Umno division leader’s lewd “joke” involving the Catholic clergy.

Aaron said the case should be probed under Sections 298 and 298A of the Penal Code for uttering words with the intent to wound religious feelings and causing disunity on grounds of religion.

In a statement, he said the case should also be investigated under the relevant provisions of the Communications and Multimedia Act.

“Regardless of the intention behind an analogy, jokes that touch on religious institutions, clergy, sacred scriptures or beliefs should never be made and cannot be considered a small matter.

“Religion is not a joke. Matters that hold sacred value and are respected by a community must never be used as material for sexually themed jokes.

“The freedom to speak, politic or make jokes does not mean freedom to offend the religious sensitivities of others. This principle must apply to all regardless of religion, ethnicity, position or political beliefs,” he said.

Aaron acknowledged Sepang Umno chief Noorazli Said’s apology for his speech, and expressed hope that the episode would be an important lesson to all.

Noorazli drew brickbats over the “joke” he made in a speech at the Umno general assembly on Saturday. It revolved around a priest and a nun and hinged on a punchline erroneously attributed to Psalm 129.

A police report was filed against him, and Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh, Sabah Umno treasurer Salleh Said Keruak and Tuaran MP Wilfred Madius Tangau demanded that he apologise.

The Umno divisional leader said yesterday that he was “prepared to apologise” if he had “caused misunderstanding or offended the feelings of any party, especially Christians”.

Several hours later, he amended his Facebook post to say that he apologised, instead of saying he was “prepared to apologise”.