By The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 31 – Selangor executive councillor Teresa Kok asked Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein today to retract his statement and apologise to Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching for calling her “dirty.”
Kok said the Home Minister’s remarks would only promote racial hatred.
“With that disparaging statement, Hishamuddin is once again fanning the flames of racial discontent like how he openly supported the Shah Alam cow head protestors last September. He backtracked later only upon public uproar,” said the DAP organising secretary.
“Hishamuddin must immediately retract his statement and publicly apologise to Teo Nie Ching or he and 1Malaysia will forever have no credibility in the eyes of the public,” she added.
Hishammuddin had said yesterday that Teo should not have been allowed into a surau as she “was deemed dirty”.
He also said that it was disastrous for PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat to encourage Teo to visit more mosques.
“I question where Hishamuddin received the knowledge and moral authority to judge anyone to be dirty, least of all Teo Nie Ching who entered the surau in sincerity and with an open heart, and only because the surau leaders invited her in. She has already issued a humble public apology to all concerned,” said Kok.
“I shudder to think if Hishamuddin considers Teo Nie Ching dirty because she is non-Muslim or simply because she is female,” she added.
Teo’s visit to a Kajang surau last week drew the ire of Umno as well as Malay rights pressure group Perkasa, with the latter calling for a ban on non-Muslims from entering mosques and suraus.
The Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) also claimed that the visit had displeased the Selangor Sultan.
The National Fatwa Council, however, had decided on March 1 that non-Muslim tourists may enter mosques and prayer rooms with the condition that they receive permission from the respective management and ensure that their actions do not violate the sanctity of the mosque.
Hishammuddin under fire for his remark on Serdang MP
Kok said the Home Minister’s remarks would only promote racial hatred.
“With that disparaging statement, Hishamuddin is once again fanning the flames of racial discontent like how he openly supported the Shah Alam cow head protestors last September. He backtracked later only upon public uproar,” said the DAP organising secretary.
“Hishamuddin must immediately retract his statement and publicly apologise to Teo Nie Ching or he and 1Malaysia will forever have no credibility in the eyes of the public,” she added.
Hishammuddin had said yesterday that Teo should not have been allowed into a surau as she “was deemed dirty”.
He also said that it was disastrous for PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat to encourage Teo to visit more mosques.
“I question where Hishamuddin received the knowledge and moral authority to judge anyone to be dirty, least of all Teo Nie Ching who entered the surau in sincerity and with an open heart, and only because the surau leaders invited her in. She has already issued a humble public apology to all concerned,” said Kok.
“I shudder to think if Hishamuddin considers Teo Nie Ching dirty because she is non-Muslim or simply because she is female,” she added.
Teo’s visit to a Kajang surau last week drew the ire of Umno as well as Malay rights pressure group Perkasa, with the latter calling for a ban on non-Muslims from entering mosques and suraus.
The Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) also claimed that the visit had displeased the Selangor Sultan.
The National Fatwa Council, however, had decided on March 1 that non-Muslim tourists may enter mosques and prayer rooms with the condition that they receive permission from the respective management and ensure that their actions do not violate the sanctity of the mosque.
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