Pakatan Rakyat parties in Penang have jointly lodged a police report against a doctored photograph of Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng slaughtering a cow for consumption by Muslims, which is making the rounds over the Internet.

State DAP Youth secretary Ng Wei Aik, who lodged the report on behalf of the coalition at the Patani Road district police station today, urged the police to thoroughly investigate the damning picture implicating Lim in a sacrificial Islamic ritual.

NONE Ng, ( right ) who is Komtar assemblyperson, said the photo was an "evil creation" as it was not Lim, but former Perak Menteri Besar Nazir Jamaluddin of PAS, who was slaughtering the cow during a Hari Raya Haji event in Perak in December 2008.

"Replacing Nizar with Lim is meant to confuse the people and intended to undermine the existing close relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims," he told reporters after filing the report.

"We urge the police to probe the matter and take the necessary action against the creator of the photograph, who is spread malice against the Chief Minister," he added.

However, Ng said, the action by the alleged Umno cybertrooper, known only by the moniker "PAS Beruk" (monkey), would not destroy the existing good relationship among the Pakatan members.

PAS has never stooped so low

On Tuesday, Malaysiakini   had reported that a doctored photograph of Lim in the act of slaughtering a cow had been posted on the Internet.

The picture, released to the public by Federal Territory PAS Youth chief Herman Samsudeen, is said to be designed by an Umno cybertrooper.

lim guan eng slaughters cow 310810 lim guang eng nizar jamaluddin Bearing the tagline "Are we willing to see things become like this? What excuse is there to justify DAP's action?", the photograph, Herman said, was a fake it was actually Nizar who was slaughtering the cow.

Lim is facing an uphill task in countering this newest accusation.

He has publicly denounced the allegation, accusing his detractors of attempting to destroy his image and the good relationship between DAP and PAS.

Meanwhile, PAS Tanjong division commissioner Yacoob Omar said the party had never resorted to such slanderous techniques even though it has been in the opposition for 50 years.

"We do not play with religious issues because these will definitely incite anger among the Muslims," he said.

"This doctored photo has touched on a religious practice ( ibadat ) and is actually an insult ( penghinaan ) to Muslims," he added.

Yacoob said in practice, only those of the Muslim faith are allowed to slaughter a sacrificial cow ( korban ) for the consumption of Muslims.

"Non-Muslims are not allowed to do this; and if they do slaughter a cow, we cannot consume it," he added.