JAKIM lodged a police report against Raja Petra

The Department of Islamic Development (Jakim) and several Muslim bodies lodged a police report here on Friday against Malaysia Today website editor Raja Petra Kamarudin for allegedly insulting the Malays, Muslims and Islam.

Director-general Datuk Wan Mohamad Sheikh Abdul Aziz said the department wanted authorities to take action against the editor, who is already facing charges of criminal defamation.

"There are articles on his website, which are clearly insulting Islam and the Prophet. Such views expressed will affect the good relationship Muslims are trying to build with those from the other religions and the Government's agenda.

"These will also hamper the Prime Minister's efforts to see more inter-religious understanding," he told reporters when met at the police station.

The allegedly offensive articles cited by Jakim were "I promise to be a good, non-hypocritical Muslim" and "Not all Arabs are descendants of the Prophet".

Among others, Raja Petra wrote "only Muslims pretend to be good when they are actually bad" and compared Prophet Mohammad to Osama bin Laden.

Wan Mohamad said the department had been monitoring Raja Petra's activities and blog since it was first established on the Internet.

"Action against Raja Petra is necessary because Jakim may not be able to control the anger of the Muslims, particularly when the articles came so soon after the Bar Council forum on Conversion to Islam," he said.

Besides Jakim, the other Muslim bodies that lodged the report were Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah, Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department, Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia and Federal Territories Ministry and the Federal Territory Islamic Council.

The department, he warned, was also monitoring articles on several blogs and websites, and had identified several others whose writings were offensive.

It was reported that all 21 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the country had been ordered by the Communications and Multimedia Commission (SKMM) to block Raja Petra's website. The notices were sent out on Tuesday in accordance with Section 263 of the Communications and Multimedia Act.

The Government had since denied that it issued a directive to SKMM to block the access.

Wan Mohamad denied that the report was "politically motivated".

"It's up to the public to perceive what they want," he said.

Excerpt from http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/9/5/nation/20080905142912&sec=nation