I read with disgust the report on Zunar's cartoon published in Harakah . For all my disagreement with much of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's policies and his autocratic style of leadership, the caricature is an insult too far.

I am afraid this blunder of Zunar may have cost PAS some Muslim votes, namely the floating Muslim voters who may dislike the prime minister, but are not yet convinced of a better alternative arising from within the opposition camp.

Using a pig, an unclean creature according to Islam and Judaism, to disparage a political rival of Islamic faith does nothing but alienate those on the middle ground.

Furthermore, why has Zunar implied that the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) is attributed to pigs? Does the fact that most Sars cases are found among Chinese suggest that the cause of the disease lies in pork consumption, the lack of evidence to the contrary notwithstanding?

If so, may I remind Zunar that Germany is one of the biggest pork consuming countries in the world - the Germans' relish of pork is testified to by their world-famous pork knuckles.

Interestingly, Germany is also a nation renowned for excellent public health and high standards of hygiene.

Pig-rearing and pork consumption per se may not be the main culprit of the killer virus, but poor hygiene and primitive pig farming methods definitely play havoc with public health in general, as is the case with the farming industry in China.

I also wonder why Zunar contributed his controversial cartoon to Harakah instead of malaysiakini ? Would it be because the latter has a more multiracial appeal that, by having it published in PAS' mouthpiece, he could receive the intended effects and still keep non-Muslims in the dark?

If such is the case, was he not trying to reinforce the stereotype among the Malays that pork consumers (I am one) are 'unclean'? Am I reading too much into this episode and seeing racial connotations here?

All in all, this is the most tactless and tasteless cartoon of Zunar that I have ever seen. I suppose the biggest beneficiary will be the MCA. The caricature is now a tool in hand for the Chinese party to scare wary Chinese voters into voting for BN again come the next general election.

Talk more about election strategy then.