KUCHING: Politics must never be built upon insults, fear or hatred towards people of other races and religions, says Tamin assemblyman Christopher Gira Sambang.
Gira, who is also Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Youth chief said as a Catholic, he was deeply disappointed by and strongly disagreed with the religious faith remarks made during the recent United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) general assembly.
“Religious leaders, sacred texts and the teachings of any religion must never be used as material for insulting, indecent or sexually suggestive jokes, especially on a national political platform,” he said in a statement.
Gira said the Sarawak government under Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) had shown clear commitment to safeguarding non-Muslim interests through the Unit for Other Religions (UNIFOR), which funds the construction, repair and upgrading of non-Muslim houses of worship as well as mission schools.
He said in 2026 alone, the state government allocated RM90 million to non-Muslim houses of worship and RM30 million to mission schools, proving that religious harmony in Sarawak was translated into concrete policies and support rather than mere slogans.
He urged political leaders from Malaya to learn from Sarawak and Sabah on how people of different religions, races and cultures could live together with mutual respect.
He called on the leader concerned to retract his remarks and apologise to the Catholic community and all those offended.
Gira appealed to all Malaysians to uphold the spirit of the Rukun Negara, particularly belief in God and courtesy and morality, to preserve a peaceful and united Malaysia.
