Wisma Putra summons Swedish ambassador over desecration of Quran

 

Swedish-based Iraqi refugee, Salwan Momika, had threatened to bury a copy of the Quran. (AFP pic)

PETALING JAYA: Wisma Putra has summoned the ambassador of Sweden to Malaysia to condemn the desecration of a Quran outside the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm a few days ago.

The incident had sparked outrage in several Muslim countries.

In a statement tonight, the foreign ministry reiterated to ambassador Joachim Bergström that Malaysia was disappointed that the Swedish government had allowed such a “vile act” – the third of its kind – to take place.

“Although the burning of the Holy Quran failed in the recent incident, the provocative act of stomping on the Holy Book still caused immense distress and offended millions of Muslims worldwide.”

It was reported that a Swedish-based Iraqi refugee, Salwan Momika, had threatened to bury a copy of the Quran.

In the event, he dropped, kicked and stepped on the Quran outside the Iraqi embassy but did not set fire to it. Momika, a self-described atheist, was given police permission to carry out the protest.

Apart from triggering protests in Muslim-majority nations, the episode also saw Iraq expelling the Swedish ambassador.

Wisma Putra also said it told Bergström that freedom of speech must be exercised with responsibility, and there must be due regards for religious sensitivities.

“Such acts of disrespect towards any religion have the potential to incite religious hatred and undermine the harmony and peaceful coexistence among people of different faiths.

Ads by Kiosked

“In this regard, Wisma Putra urged the Swedish government to reassess the fairness and equal application of freedom of speech and to take immediate and necessary measures to end ‘structural Islamophobia’.”

On Jan 21, Danish far-right politician Rasmus Paludan, who also has Swedish citizenship, set fire to a copy of the Quran.

Last month, Momika burned pages of the Quran outside a Stockholm mosque. - FMT