PAS has become an extremist party following a series of disrespectful statements against non-Muslims, said Lim Guan Eng.

Lim was commenting on the controversial statement by Pasir Puteh MP Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh, who said the Bible had been altered and distorted.

“DAP strongly condemns Nik Muhammad for offending Christians. Such incidents would not have happened under the late Nik Aziz Nik Mat leadership.

“When the moderate Nik Aziz was still alive, no such insults would have been made by PAS against Christians and the Bible.

“After the demise of Nik Aziz, PAS has become more extremist and thus ignored, but the situation is different now that they are part of the federal government,” said Lim who is DAP secretary-general.

Nik Abdul Aziz was the former Kelantan menteri besar and PAS spiritual leader from 1991 until his death in 2015.

Nik Zawawi allegedly insulted Christians when he said in Parliament last week that the Bible is “distorted”.

He made the remarks while debating a bill to amend the Road Transport Act to increase penalties for drink-driving.

He said no religion allows its followers to drink alcohol and because of that, Perikatan Nasional’s move to amend the law should not be a religious issue.

He also refused to apologise to Christians after an outcry on social media.

Lim said the current PN leadership should be ashamed of being so frightened of PAS by not censuring the party and taking action against its MP.

“If the present government still upholds the guarantees afforded to non-Muslims in the federal constitution, then this PAS MP should not be allowed to escape for making such offensive remarks.

“The utter silence of PN and national leaders, as well as their failure to demand that action be taken, speaks volumes of how subservient the present government leaders are to PAS,” he said.

Zawawi’s statement angered Christians with the Association of Churches in Sarawak (ACS) demanding that he retract his remarks in the Dewan Rakyat.

ACS chairman Archbishop Simon Poh said Nik Zawawi’s remarks crossed the boundary of religious sensitivity and was an insult to all Christians.

Yesterday, the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) chairman Archbishop Julian Leow said PAS, as a member of the government, should denounce the MP’s behaviour while the authorities should investigate his “offensive conduct”.

Earlier today, the Sabah Council of Churches said the MP should be investigated for sedition as his remarks have hurt the feelings of other races and the Christian communities. – September 1, 2020.