KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 13 — A PAS delegate representing Sabah today reminded party leaders to be mindful of their statements or remarks when commenting on sensitive issues.
Dr Ali Akhbar Gulasan who was speaking while debating the president's policy speech during the PAS Muktamar today, said PAS is often branded by its critics as a party of the peninsular and does not translate well across east Malaysia.
In order to avoid such misconception, Dr Ali stressed that the party and its leaders must be careful when issuing statements that seem to go against East Malaysia’s diverse cultural and religious stance.
“I humbly apologise especially to the party leaders [but] please be careful when you issue statements, be extremely careful when you issue statements.
“We, who are in Sabah and Sarawak have to deal with a multiracial society. Perhaps such languages are suitable in Terengganu, Kelantan and Kedah, it is not suitable in Sabah and Sarawak,’’ he said, without specifying the purported statement.
Dr Ali said PAS could be sidelined if it is not sensitive towards the sentiment of the society in East Malaysia.
Last month, Pasir Puteh MP Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh of PAS received a huge public backlash over his remark during a debate on the Road Transport (Amendment) Bill 2020 to propose heavier fines for drink driving offenders on August 26.
Zawawi, who professed to have studied comparative religions made a sweeping statement during a debate on drink driving and even told Beruas MP Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham, a Christian, that Jesus Christ forbade the consumption of alcohol and that the Bible was later “manipulated.”
Following his remarks, Zawawi had refused to apologies on the matter, stating that his statement was “right” and instead said he would rather hold a dialogue on the issue.
