Boycott Utusan, PAS tells Muslims

Two caricatures carried in the June 15 edition of Umno-owned Malay daily is a slight against Islam, says state chief after 200 party members protest after Friday prayers

IPOH Perak PAS held a demonstration against Umno Malay daily Utusan Malaysia for allegedly insulting Islam in two caricatures in its June 15 edition and called for a boycott of the paper.

In one of the caricatures, a religious officer tells a rape victim that she must produce four witnesses as proof of the incident, while the other shows a police officer telling the same victim that she can lodge a police report without any conditions.

About 200 PAS supporters, after attending Friday prayers at Masjid Negeri, gathered outside the mosque amidst heavy police presence to protest against Utusan’s slight against Islam.

State PAS chief Abu Bakar Hussain, information chief Mohd Akmal Kamarudin and party assistant secretary Safarizal Saleh took part in the demonstration which lasted 20 minutes.

Safarizal said that there was no need to produce four witnesses under Islam in the case of a rape as witnesses were only required for zina (illicit intercourse).

“It shows Utusan’s lack of knowledge of Islamic law. It has insulted the religion,” said Safarizal.

Amidst shouts of ‘Hancur Utusan! (destroy Utusan) and ‘Boikot Utusan’ (Boycott Utusan )’, the protesters demanded Utusan apologise to Muslims.

The crowd also set alight copies of the June 15 edition of Utusan.

Abu Bakar said Utusan had not only insulted Islam with its caricatures but also refused to apologise for it. PAS had given the newspaper seven days notice to apologise .

Abu Bakar wants the Home Ministry to investigate Utusan Malaysia over its insult to Islam and take action against the Umno newspaper

He urged Muslims to teach Utusan Malaysia a lesson by boycotting the daily.