BY TANIA LAM & SARAH HAFIZAH CHANDRA
KUCHING: Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian has expressed sadness that in the period leading up to the election, there are those who misused their parliamentary privileges to bring up issues which intentionally or unintentionally caused disharmony in the country.
“We cannot stop people from making those statement inside Parliament, abusing the privilege.
“In Parliament, I cannot go and switch off their microphones. They intentionally and unintentionally want to divide us,” he said in alluding to Pasir Puteh MP Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh’s insensitive remarks about the Bible.
Dr Sim said that Sarawak was doing so well and had multiracial and inter-religious harmony, pointing out that this may be one of the factors which led to the intention of trying to divide Sarawak.
He emphasised that all Sarawakians must stay united and not fall into a “trap of intentional provocation”.
Meanwhile, Dr Sim said that those who were bigots and extremists in racial and religious matters were not welcome in Sarawak.
“These bigots are not welcome – which means they will be on the blacklist from entering Sarawak.
“Not just Nik Muhammad; any of those who are bigots in terms of racial and religious matters – you are not welcome in Sarawak,” he said, adding that this was Sarawak’s policy in the past, present and future.
