Facebook community page Penang Kini apologised over a posting featuring a woman in a tudung holding a dog at an adoption drive at Penang Times Square last Sunday.

This comes after organiser, a local animal rights group Save our Strays (SOS) demanded an apology from Penang Kini for tarnishing the charity event.

"We apologise over misunderstanding about our posting.

"We were only questioning why the Muslim woman hugged the dog in public for no reason, an act which is clearly wrong in Islam. It is demeans Islam.

"We have no problem and support programmes to care for stray animals," Penang Kini said in a posting at about midnight March 10.

Penang Kini on March 9 posted a photograh of a woman in a tudung carrying a dog at the event. 

The caption reads: "HOT!!! A programme for Muslims to touch dogs has spread to Penang. Where is Malik Kassim?'"

(PANAS!!! Program orang Islam peluk anjing dah menular ke Penang! Mana Malik Kassim?)

Abdul Malik Kassim is the Penang executive council member in charge of Islamic affairs.

The Shafie Islamic school of thought, adhered to by most Malaysian Muslims, considers the dog to be impure.

SOS founder April Sham said the adoption drive had nothing to do with religion, nor was it an event for Muslims to touch dogs as portrayed in the Facebook page.

April said the charity event  was in collaboration with a group of students from Han Chiang School.

"The organisers of the event have clearly stated in a press conference several days before the event that the event is only for non-Muslims," April told Malaysiakini .

"(But) the event is open to all. We cannot stop people from coming," she added when asked if there were Muslims who came to the event.

Not a dog-patting event

April said the event was not like the 'I Want to Touch a Dog' do which courted controversy in Kuala Lumpur last year.

The event organised by Syed Azmi Alhabshi caused a stir within the Muslim community, with the organisers receiving death threats.

The event was to teach Muslims how to cleanse themselves after touching dogs.

"All I can say is that they are very low class. They can always contact the organisers to clarify their concerns, but no one has contacted us," April said of the Penang Kini posting.

The organisers from Han Chiang were also contacted by someone claiming to be police.

However, April said she called the man claiming to be police and believes the caller is "a fake".

"He told me he wanted to know about an FB posting showing the photo of a Malay girl carrying a dog at the event.

"When I told him to contact our lawyers, he said he will do so. However, he did not even ask me for the contact numbers for our lawyers," she said.