Umno leaders call on Sepang chief to apologise over Catholic clergy joke

Umno leaders Salleh Said Keruak and Dr Akmal Saleh have urged Sepang Umno chief Noorazli Said to issue an apology following a joke he made during the party's general assembly. This call for accountability comes after Sabah MP Wilfred Madius Tangau expressed his disapproval of Noorazli's remarks at the event. Salleh, a former Sabah chief minister, stated in a Facebook post that sexual jokes involving religious figures, such as Catholic nuns and priests, are entirely inappropriate and that the Umno leader should apologize openly and sincerely.

He emphasized the importance of treating religion and religious figures with respect, irrespective of political considerations. Akmal Saleh echoed these sentiments, stressing that religion should never be the subject of jokes, and comparing the incident to the potential outrage if the joke had targeted an imam and Muslims. He also pointed out that the spirit of tolerance and harmony among Muslims, Christians, and people of other faiths in the state must be upheld.

Tangau has specifically called on Noorazli to apologize to the Catholic community for the joke and for misrepresenting Psalm 129 from the Bible, which does not contain the referenced verse. The Catholic Lawyers' Society of Kuala Lumpur has announced it will file a police report against Noorazli, urging him to retract the remarks, offer a comprehensive apology to the Catholic community, and refrain from using religious texts or figures in political rhetoric or humor.