Dog-trainer Maznah to be freed from remand BUT her troubles not over yet - Latheefa

UPDATED KUALA LUMPUR - Animal lover Maznah Yusof, who found herself in serious trouble over a 'dog' video said to be insulting to Muslims, will be released from police remand today, thanks in no small to the huge public uproar that followed what was perceived to be her unfair arrest.

However for Maznah, a dog-trainer who had uploaded a 3-year-old video clip of her dogs including footage that showed her bathing one of the canines, the battle is not over yet.

"It is not a victory although it is better than spending another day in remand. Also, the authorities did not release her unconditionally, which is what they should have done," one of Maznah's lawyer Latheefa Koya told Malaysia Chronicle.

"What they did was instead to to bring her to the Magistrates' court again to execute a bond under Section 118 of the CPC (Criminal Procedure Code)."

Maximum political mileage and red faces in Umno

Political watchers following the case say Prime Minister Najib Razak's government may be just taking a breather before deciding on how best to exploit Chetz's case for maximum political mileage.

Maznah hit the national headlines earlier this week after a media lynching from the Malay press controlled by Najib's Umno party. She was condemned for her 'dog' video and accused of making fun of Islam where proximity to dogs - such as having contact with canine saliva - is discouraged.

At that point in time, the media did not know she was a Malay-Muslim and branded the video as an another example of how the non-Malays were disrespecting Islam.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin jumped onto the bandwagon, warning there would be "tensions" in the country if Islam was insulted. The DPM's comment prompted another storm of protest - this time from non-Muslims who demanded to know if Muhyiddin was suggesting that other religions could be insulted.

When it was revealed that Maznah was a Muslim, the perceived political opportunism backfired badly on Muhyiddin, causing red faces among the Umno hardliners as the Opposition and leaders of other religions demanded that an apology be made to the non-Muslims.

Maznah has denied she had intended to insult Islam, saying she "loved her religion".

Fear for Maznah's safety, rising racism and religious bigotry

Meanwhile civil society leaders have expressed concern for safety.

"I am deeply worried for her safety as well as about the threats she has been receiving," Malaysiakini has reported former Bar Council chair Ambiga Sreenevasan as saying.

In recent weeks, Najib's government has been roiled by a spate of gangland-style assassinations in addition to public indignation over the rising use of racial and religious politicking to curry favor with certain ethnic groups.

Not only has the Najib administration drawn fire for the spike in violent crimes but criticism is swelling over its perceived use of the race and religious card.

To many, it appears that Najib's Umno party - which is due to hold its internal poll in October - was trying to stir up Malay sentiment against the Chinese and Indian communities, especially in the aftermath of the worst-ever general election result for the ruling Umno-BN coalition.

Whether Umno and its leaders admit it or not, the Maznah case which comes hot on the heels of another racism-tainted episode involving bloggers Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee has again reignited concern, if not despair, over the widening polarization in the country.

"Malaysia will be celebrating our 56th National Day in a month’s time but there will be nothing much to celebrate if the country continues to hurtle towards greater racial and religious polarisation in the country," warned DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang.