PROMOTING religious hatred will be made a criminal offence through amendments to the Penal Code, said the minister in charge of religious affairs, Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa.

“We hope to amend the law in the next Parliament session to make promoting religious hatred a criminal offence,” he said after speaking at a ceramah in Kantan Permai, Semenyih, last night.

The amendment will be brought to Parliament in the March 11 to April 11 session, he said.

Mujahid, who is also Amanah vice-president, told reporters that it will not be a new law but an addition to the Penal Code.

“We want to make it very clear that promoting religious hatred will be punishable by law, whether it is insulting Islam or other religions.” 

He said he has also requested the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to act against those who insulted Islam.

A 68-year-old man was arrested in Temerloh two nights ago for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad in a Facebook post.

Using a Facebook profile named “Foo Sing Wai”, the man had posted a caricature depicting a naked Prophet and a girl identified as Aishah.

The post of two revered figures in Islam riled many Muslims who then lodged reports with the police and MCMC. – February 20, 2019.