SARAWAK Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Abdul Karim Hamzah said he is ashamed of Muslims – such as activist and politician Badrul Hisham Shaharin – who apparently have little confidence in the faith of others.

“Don’t tell me Muslims are so low in their faith (that when) you take them to the church, they immediately want to convert,” Karim said in defence of Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh’s Jom Ziarah Gereja programme.

“As a Muslim, I feel ashamed of people who make such claims. It is not as simple as that,” Karim said, branding Badrul, also known as Chegubard, and other religious hardliners “stupid” for having a shallow mindset.

He also accused Badrul of using religion for political mileage.

When speaking to reporters in Kuching today, Karim said there are plenty of cases where Muslims, including himself, have attended mission schools but have never renounced their faith.

“I am a product of a mission school.”

Karim attended the Catholic-run St Joseph’s school in Kuching and even took up Bible studies as a subject for his Senior Cambridge exam, the predecessor of the SPM.

He said the years spent in the school did not make him less Muslim.

“It did not convert me nor made me leave Islam.”

Instead, he said it made him understand people of other faith better.

He added that the aim of the Jom Ziarah Gereja programme was to foster and promote interfaith understanding and harmony by taking youths to visit different houses of worship.

“It is good for anyone of different faiths to understand the faith of the others.

“I believe this was the minister’s intention. I never discussed this subject with her but I feel when she planned it, she wanted to make Malaysians much more harmonious and tolerant.

“She has good intentions but she has been misconstrued by Chegubard and other hardliners for political mileage.”

Karim said it was “totally ridiculous” to see the controversy had gone to such an extent that she was questioned by the police. – March 22, 2023.