PAS protests outside daily's office over 'monkey business' cartoon

Some 100 PAS members and supporters protested outside Nanyang Siang Pau's office in Petaling Jaya this morning over a cartoon which depicted the Islamic party's president Abdul Hadi Awang and Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia as monkeys.

Addressing the crowd, PAS Youth central assistant secretary Nurul Islam Mohd Yusof accused the century-old newspaper of stoking religious tension and urged the Home Ministry to pull the plug.

However, PAS Youth information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari, after meeting and submitting the protest memorandum to Nanyang's editorial management, said the shutdown demand was a personal opinion.

"The demand is still in discussion as we have to consider Nanyang has apologised. It is a personal opinion. We will determined our stand later," he said.

Gathered outside the front gate of the office, the protesters also gave the thumbs down sign for the publication.

Yesterday, Nanyang, which is owned by timber tycoon Tiong Hiew King, apologised for the cartoon and retracted it.

The cartoon lampooned the speaker, Abdul Hadi and other parliamentarians over the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355) issue

[More to follow]

-Mkini