The Malaysian Insight

IT is not enough that the senior citizen who recently posted a caricature of Prophet Muhammad has been charged, Muslim protestors in Penang said.

“The issue is not one ‘ah pek’ (‘uncle’ in Hokkien) alone. There are more and more people trying to insult the Prophet,” Azdy Mohd Arshad said at a gathering to defend Islam outside the Kapitan Keling Mosque in Penang after Friday prayers earlier this afternoon.

Azdy from the Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS) Penang chapter, was one of the speakers at the gathering of some 200 people.

“This gathering is to warn others from doing the same,” he said, as the crowd shouted “takbir” and “Allahuakbar”.

“Pay attention, police. Don’t spin our statements. We are not calling for some riot. We are not telling people to attack other people or their religions.

“We are here to defend our rights, our religion and the Prophet from being insulted. We are not against other faiths.”

Police were present at the gathering.

Azdy said a memorandum was sent to the state governor last weekend by local Muslim groups seeking his help in bringing up the issue at the Conference of Rulers.

“We want the authorities to be more vigilant of issues like this and not wait until the people find out about the insults and lodge police reports.

“The government also has to enhance the existing laws to curb this. Five years’ jail is not enough. The laws should be reviewed for heavier penalties so these incidents don’t happen again,” he said.

Azly also demanded that Attorney-General Tommy Thomas be removed for allegedly “failing to do his job fairly”, in fixing bail for the senior citizen who allegedly insulted Islam at an “insufficient” RM20,000.

The 68-year-old man has claimed trial to two charges in relation to insulting Islam. He faces five years’ jail for each charge and fines up to RM50,000, in convicted. He was granted bail at RM20,000.

“We will continue to protest if the government doesn’t enhance the laws,” Azly said.

Earlier this week, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa said the cabinet will discuss proposed amendments to the Penal Code to enhance punishments for those who insult religions, which would then be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat this month.

This failed to satisfy some of the speakers at the protest, such as Penang Surplus Welfare Association chairman Sofian Mohd Zin, who slammed the de facto minister in charge of Islamic affairs for defending other religions.

“(The proposed amendments) are not just for Islam but for all religions. We want to ask Mujahid his portfolio. He is the minister in charge of which religion?

“He is in charge of Islamic affairs. He doesn’t need to defend other religions. That is the unity minister’s job,” Sofian said, referring to P. Waytha Moorthy, whose portfolio is national unity and social wellbeing.

Simultaneous protests were held on mainland Penang, including at Masjid Jamek Seberang Jaya, where a larger crowd was gathered.

Similar protests over insults to Prophet Mohammad were also held in several other states and Kuala Lumpur after Friday prayers today. – March 1, 2019. 
 

 

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