DAP Senator Adrian Lasimbang today challenged PAS MP Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh to repeat his remarks about Christianity and alcohol consumption while campaigning in Sabah next week.

“I challenge him to come to Sabah during the state elections to campaign for his brother Umno and rakan sekatil (bed partner) PN. He can repeat the same statement he made in parliament as many times as he likes,” the Sabah DAP leader said in a tweet.

He said this in response to the Pasir Puteh MP’s refusal to apologise for saying that the Bible had been “distorted” last week in parliament.

“Why should I apologise? I am not wrong. I based what I said on the knowledge that I learnt, the facts that I received,” Zawawi told The Malaysian Insight yesterday.

“It is also mentioned in the Quran. You can’t say that the Quran is wrong. That is why I am confident,” said Zawawi, who heads the Islamist party’s Dewan Ulama, or jurist council.

Rather than say sorry, Zawawi said he would prefer to explain himself in an interfaith dialogue.

“Those who think my statement is false should hold a harmonious dialogue with me on the condition that it is open to all.

“I will present my facts and arguments, and the public can judge for themselves. (This is) so that we can find the truth in these old texts, such as the Bible, on what really happened.

“Christians can also present their arguments. We will find the truth.”

The Sarawak Churches Council has asked the lawmaker to retract his remarks and apologise, saying that Zawawi had violated the federal constitution, which provides for freedom of religion.

Archbishop Simon Poh called Zawawi’s remarks extreme and disrespectful to Christians.

Zawawi made the offending statments while debating a bill to amend the Road Transport Act to increase the penalties for drink-driving.

He said the government’s move to amend the law should not be viewed as a religious issue as no religion allowed its followers to drink alcohol.

“From what I have learnt studying comparative religion, no faith allows its believers to drink alcohol. No religion. Not Buddhism, Hinduism or any others allow it. 

“This should not be a sensitive issue for those of other faiths,” Zawawi had said.

Zawawi was interrupted by Beruas MP Ngeh Khoo Ham, who said the PAS MP was wrong in that other religions allowed the imbibing of alcohol but not to the point of intoxication.

Wine, for instance, is used in the Christian ritual of the Eucharist and was featured in the Last Supper, Ngeh said.

Zawawi rejected Ngeh’s explanation, arguing that “before the Bible was distorted, Christianity had forbidden alcohol”.

Zawawi said he learnt this in his studies on comparative religion.

On Thursday, Bandar Kuching MP Kevin Yii demanded that Zawawi take back his remarks on the basis of parliamentary standing orders. – August 30, 2020.