Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein says there is &ldquo;some basis&rdquo; to
 
 Utusan Malaysia's
 
 report that there is a conspiracy to make Christianity the official religion of the country and install a Christian prime minister.


 Hishammuddin said this in view of new evidence provided in a police report lodged in Penang today.


 It is believed that he was referring to a police report this morning by Mohamed Razali Abdul Rahman, a DAP member, who attended the function mentioned in the report.


 Yesterday, the ministry issued
 
 Utusan
 
 a letter of reprimand over its front page article on May 7 titled
 
 'Kristian Agama Rasmi?'
 
 &nbsp; (Christianity the official religion?).


 The letter was handed to
 
 Utusan's
 
 editor-in-chief Aziz Ishak yesterday, when he was called to the Home Ministry to give an exaplanation on the report.


 <img align="right" alt="NONE" height="282" src="https://i.malaysiakini.com/338/12c9fe742b4fb40d18bc3f7fc79e1af8.jpg" width="200"/>
 Hishammuddin (
 
 right
 
 ) said Aziz's explanation was similar to the police report lodged today.


 "He (Aziz) was saying that there is some truth to what is reported, and today I was informed that there is a police report (lodged) that there is some basis to (the
 
 Utusan
 
 report)," Hishammuddin told reporters at the launch of National Anti-Drug Agency's Cure and Care Service Centre in Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur.


 &ldquo;I understand that there is police report saying that what was reported by
 
 Utusan
 
 did happen so this is what I&rsquo;m stressing on, let's not be emotional on issues that touch on religion and race, let the authorities handle (it), the police specifically, to investigate. (For) the issues that we are looking at, the truth takes time,&rdquo; he said.


 &ldquo;There are two sides to the coin, DAP can say one thing but the police report says otherwise. (News) reports that are sensational and ignite the sentiments of the people only bring chaos. So I hope the police is allowed to investigate.&rdquo;


 He agreed that
 
 Utusan
 
 had a similar role to play in avoiding reports on sensitivities.


 The minister added that the police were probing the overall issue, including
 
 Utusan
 
 and two bloggers, over their allegations about the plot.


 
 Utusan
 
 &rsquo;s report, which was based on two blog postings by pro-Umno bloggers, said Christian pastors were in cahoots with DAP and were committing sedition for questioning constitutional provisions.


 &ldquo;It&rsquo;s about whether it happened, on the issue of reporting, issue on the role of the bloggers, issue of people that were at the function. It cuts across the board. We are not pointing fingers at anybody,&rdquo; Hishammuddin said.


 
 


 &lsquo;It&rsquo;s about finding the truth&rsquo;


 Asked about accusations of biased action against other media, in this case in circumstances where their reports contravened the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA) and whether the ministry felt the reprimand letter was enough, Hishammuddin said:


 &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know, but it is not about finding fault, it is about finding the truth. What I&rsquo;m stating here is when we are finding the truth, don&rsquo;t get emotional when it comes to race and religion, do not politicise it and don&rsquo;t make it a polemic directive.


 &ldquo;This time it might be
 
 Utusan
 
 , tomorrow it might be (Chinese language newspaper) Sin Chew (Jit Poh), the day after it might be one of the websites.


 &ldquo;A Chinese issue today might be a Malay issue tomorrow, a Christian issue the day after that and a Hindu issue the week after.


 &ldquo;It is not easy running a country that is multiracial and multi-religious, if we go on only looking at issues like this&rdquo;.


 He also denied that Umno&rsquo;s political bureau had a hand in deciding
 
 Utusan
 
 &rsquo;s editorial direction.


 Hishammuddin urged all media to be careful and sensitive in reporting matters on race and religion and not merely publish sensational news.


 He said the media should have an internal mechanism to decide the boundaries when it comes to reporting on race and religion.


 &ldquo;If there is a problem, you have to have your own internal mechanism to check each other,&rdquo; he said.


 &ldquo;If we take action against
 
 Utusan
 
 , what about the allegations against the Chinese papers? Then the Chinese papers will say what about the contents of the Tamil papers. And the Tamil papers will then look at the English papers. It will never end,&rdquo; he said.


 
 Witness comes forward
 
 
 <img align="left" alt="NONE" height="200" src="https://i.malaysiakini.com/363/dd6989450fe156f8c9d25922e87c6a99.jpg" width="300"/>
 Mohamed Razali, 42, (
 
 left
 
 ) lodged the report today at the George Town police station in order to help police investigations.
 
 
 According to
 
 TV3's
 
 
 Buletin Utama
 
 , he is a member of DAP's Jelutong branch and was present at the thanks giving function, where the alleged conspiracy was hatched, at a hotel in Jalan Macalister.
 
 
 "I am here to explain what really happened (during the function) because I was present.
 
 
 "I made the police report because I am very disappointed with the reports which have been made by those who don't know what really happened.
 
 
 "Thus, I made this police report and I leave it to the police to perform further investigations on this issue," he said, without going into the details of his report.
 
 
 Asked why he took so long to come forward, Mohamed Razali replied: "I felt it was necessary after (seeing) all the reports that were not true. As a Muslim, I feel it is my responsibility to come forward and tell what really happened."
 
 
 Mohamed Razali had entered the police station at about 9am and left about three hours later.
 
 
 It was learnt that most news organisations were in the dark that Mohamed Razali would lodge the report this morning, but
 
 Utusan
 
 and
 
 TV3
 
 were present.
 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/164070" target="_blank">
 </a>
 
 
 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/164057" target="_blank">
 
 Police receive new account of 'Christian conspiracy'
 
 </a>
 
 
 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/164035" target="_blank">
 
 MCA: Presumptuous to assume Utusan's guilt
 
 </a>
 
 
 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/163996" target="_blank">
 
 PM-Christian meet raises more questions
 
 </a>
 
 
 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/164051" target="_blank">
 
 Christians who met Najib were 'victimised'
 
 </a>
 
 
 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/164015" target="_blank">
 
 Christian plot allegation part of larger narrative
 
 </a>
 
 
 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/164047" target="_blank">
 
 Pakatan, BN leaders: Home Ministry too lenient
 
 </a>
 
 
 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/163998" target="_blank">
 
 Christians need not pledge over a non-issue
 
 </a>
 
 
 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/164001" target="_blank">
 
 Najib should reprimand Hisham and Rais, too
 
 </a>
 
 
 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/163997" target="_blank">
 
 Will Utusan also pledge to respect all religions?
 
 </a>
 
 
 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/164000" target="_blank">
 
 Still awaiting Najib to meet Utusan
 
 </a>
 
 
 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/164016" target="_blank">
 
 Detain those who challenge Islam's position: BH
 
 </a>

UPDATED 8.20PM
 

A DAP member in Penang who witnessed a function involving a group of pastors has added a new twist to the saga.

Home minister: 'Some basis' to Utusan's report

~RM12

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