It has been barely two weeks since two newspapers were punished for publishing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad. Now, English daily New Straits Times (NST) has been accused of a similar offence.

The newspaper has been accused of insulting the prophet with the publication of a cartoon in its 'Life & Times' section in yesterday's edition.

The cartoon shows a sidewalk caricaturist offering to draw caricatures of the Prophet. The accompanying caption described the man as having achieved his goal of being the 'most feared man in the world'.

At least two separate police reports on the NST cartoon have been lodged in Kuala Lumpur.

Speaking to reporters at the Brickfields district police headquarters, Confederation of Malaysian NGO's (Mapan) spokesperson Izham Nayam said that the cartoon was biadap dan kurang ajar (rude and uncouth).

"The cartoon seems to be made to purposely insult the Prophet [...] we appeal to the prime minister to take stern action against those responsible," said Izham, who is also training director for the Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia (PPIM)

During a press conference held in the police station's compound, Izham at least twice called for action to be taken against NST Group Editor Brendan Pereira.

In a separate statement, Mapan acting president Dr Ma'omor Osman said those responsible for the publication of the NST cartoon should be put under the Internal Security Act (ISA) or have police action taken against them.

'Stern warning'

PAS Youth chief Salahuddin Ayub said the NST cartoon had touched a raw nerve among Muslims and would prolong the current controversy surrounding several caricatures of the Prophet published by a Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten .

"I am very disappointed because it happened in our country. We should have learned from the insolence of those Western newspapers," he said after lodging his police report on the NST cartoon at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters this afternoon.

PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa said that the party was issuing a "stern warning" to the New Straits Times and would be monitoring the matter closely.

On a related issue, he announced that PAS would participate in a worldwide protest on March 3 against the offending caricatures published by Jyllands-Posten .

The Malaysian leg of the protest will see PAS mobilising its members nationwide after Friday prayers.