An English language daily, The Star has been hit by yet another police report, this time by the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) for allegedly insulting Islam.
The report also also implicated Sisters in Islam (SIS).
Mais lodged the report at Section 11 Shah Alam police headquarters against the Star's managing editor P Gunasegaram for an article entitled 'Persuasion, not compulsion', a commentary on the recent caning of three Muslim women, and against SIS for an online press statement on same issue.
Last Tuesday, a group of Muslim NGOs had filed several police reports against Gunasegaram over the same matter.
Star has since taken down its article from its website but SIS's website still carries its statement.
Mais secretary Mohammed Khusrin Munawi (centre in photo) who made the police report, said in a press statement that they were urging the authorities to take action against them under the Sedition Act, for stirring up discontent among Muslims in Malaysia.
'Do not interfere'
The statement also called for their publishing licence to be revoked.
Speaking to reporters later, Khusrin said: “Those who do not understand Syariah law, particularly non-Muslims, should not interfere in the affairs of Islam.”
When asked why Mais pursued the matter despite an apology from the newspaper yesterday, he said that it was not enough.
Khusrin said that Mais' action was to show where they stood on the issue, even though similar police reports have already been made.
The series of police reports comes in the wake of a Feb 17 Home Ministry announcement that three Muslim women had been caned by the Syariah Court for extramarital sex.
The punishment was carried out despite a similar sentence still pending for Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarnor for consuming alcohol which has been delayed due to fierce opposition by human rights groups.
Apology not enough
Meanwhile, Associated Press reported senior Home Ministry official Abdul Razak Abdul Latif as saying that the ministry had found the article published in The Star may threaten "public order".
According to Abdul Razak, the newspaper has been given 14 days to offer an apology and explanation before the ministry decides whether it will take any action.
He added that the printed apology, which was published by The Star the day after the article appeared, was not enough to settle the matter.
In previous cases involving other newspapers, top editors were required to resign from their posts.
news courtesy of Malaysiakini
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