Lim lambasts Hisham over Teo comment

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has lambasted Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein for disrespecting women and non-Muslims over the latter’s recent comment against a fellow DAP parliamentarian.

Lim, who is DAP national secretary-general, said Hishammuddin’s comment that Teo was “dirty” and her visit to a surau  a “disaster” for the Muslim community was “inappropriate and unnecessary”.

“It is not appropriate and unnecessary for a minister, what more the country’s leader to utter such a statement,” Lim said in Penang today.

“The statement had been directed to a non-Muslim and a woman; he must retract it as he has gone overboard and it is extreme,” he added.

Lim (right) said Hishammuddin was not improving the situation by making such a disrespectful statement.

He added that efforts must always be made to foster unity between peoples of different traditions and cultures.

“We must also strive to bridge the gap between men and women, so for Hishammuddin to make this statement against Teo is disrespectful to others, especially women,” he said.

Hishammuddin was reported on Monday to have said he was shocked that Teo had the support of PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat over her visit to a surau, voicing concern that the incident could confuse Muslims.

He said Teo had no business to be inside Surau Al-Huda as she was deemed dirty and warned of what disaster to expect next.

Hishammuddin (left), an Umno vice-president, also said it was clear that DAP was adopting an extreme approach by questioning the rights and privileges defended by Malay leaders and the rulers.

Furore over visit to surau

Teo, who is a first-term MP, drew major brickbats from Umno politicians, pro-Umno blogs and Malay dailies over her visit to a surau in Serdang on Aug 22.

Her critics claimed that she had committed a grave insult to Muslims for speaking in the prayer hall, which is considered off-limits to non-Muslims.

The Selangor Religious Council said it will issue Teo a written reprimand, while Teo said she plans to write to the Selangor sultan to apologise and explain her action.

Her actions, however, are backed by at least two religious scholars - a former mufti and the current mufti of Selangor - who have noted that non-Muslims are not barred by Islam from entering its houses of worship.