The police detained a woman last night on suspicion of making a statement insulting the call of prayers (azan) and the Islamic religion via the social website, Facebook.

Johor police chief Wan Ahmad Najmuddin Mohd said the 26-year-old woman was detained at 8pm at a house in Taman Rekamas, Simpang Renggam near Kluang after the police received a report on Tuesday (Dec 20).

"Acting on the report, police carried out an investigation and traced the owner of the social website account who was suspected of uploading statements that insulted the 'azan' and Islamic religion. This could cause social disharmony," he said in a statement in Johor Baru today.

Wan Ahmad Najmuddin said police also seized a laptop computer and a mobile phone belonging to the woman.

He said the police would apply for a remand order on the woman to assist in a further investigation under Section 298 of the Penal Code and Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948.

In this regard, he said, the police advised members of the public against abusing any application in the social media to issue statements that could lead to disharmony and hurting the feelings of people of the other faiths.

- Bernama