Malaysian leader says newspapers 'insensitive' over cartoons

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today accused a local newspaper and foreign publications of being insensitive for reprinting Danish caricatures of Prophet Mohammed.

Abdullah, who chairs the 157-nation Organisation of the Islamic Conference, said press freedom had its boundaries and newspapers must take into account the rights and sensitivities of other groups.

Unbridled freedom could lead to chaos and suffering for everybody, he warned.

“Issues such as integrity and religion must be approached with care. We know that matters pertaining to religion are sensitive,” he was quoted as saying by the national Bernama news agency.

Abdullah said he was incredulous that despite Muslim outrage around the world, newspapers in several countries had decided to reprint the Danish cartoons.

He called the Malaysian newspaper Sarawak Tribune “insensitive and irresponsible” for publishing one of the drawings on Saturday, warning that action would be taken against it if it failed to provide a satisfactory explanation.

“I am surprised. They didn’t think things through. In a way, they have been irresponsible as they know this kind of action can lead to ill feelings,” he said.

Abdullah, who has condemned the drawings but urged Muslims to remain calm, said Malaysia has no plans for now to boycott Danish products.

The Sarawak Tribune, in remote Sarawak state on Borneo island where Muslims are a minority, has apologised over the publication of one of the drawings by an editor on duty, who has resigned amid outrage among Muslims in the country.

It is the only newspaper in the mainly Muslim country to have reprinted any of the caricatures, which first appeared on September 30 in The Jyllands-Posten daily, one of Denmark’s largest newspapers.

The government has summoned the Sarawak Tribune’s senior management to explain why it violated guidelines under its printing permit, and warned its license may be suspended or withdrawn.

All newspapers in Malaysia are required to have government licences, which must be renewed each year and restrict them from printing pictures of violence, sex or anything contentious regarding religion or race.