The controversial comic strip published in English daily New Straits Times on Monday could have been read in a more positive way, said the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) today.

Its director, V Gayathry, contends that the cartoon had no intention to insult anyone, but was meant to reflect the global reaction towards caricatures of Prophet Muhammad published in a Danish daily last year.

The 'Non Sequitur' comic strip, published on Feb 20, featured a street artist next to a sign which read 'Caricatures of Muhammad while you wait'. A boxed caption read 'Kevin finally achieves his goal to be the most feared man in the world'.

Following this, the newspaper was issued a show-cause letter by the Internal Security Ministry yesterday, while Islamic-based opposition party PAS and several NGOs lodged separate police reports against the paper

Gayathry said that there was no depiction of the Prophet within the cartoon and it should be seen in context of a discussion on the subject.

"Similarly, many articles throughout the world have been discussing the reactions towards the caricatures produced and reproduced by the Western media," she said when contacted.

Talk to them

She believes that those who felt offended by the cartoon should engage the NST directly instead of relying on the authorities to take action.

"Why go to government as though the people are justifying legislative actions against the media? When a newspaper is suspended, the public would have lost one source of information already," said Gayathry.

She said her organisation disagreed with calls to use the ISA against those responsible for running the NST cartoon or for action to be taken against the newspaper's executives.

"We totally disagree to providing further opportunity to threaten the media. The government already has enough room to do so," she said.

In an opposing view, Federation of Consumer Associations of Malaysia (Fomca) Advisor Prof Mohd Hamdan Adnan said the News Straits Times' decision to publish the comic strip does not help diffuse tension experienced by Muslims in Malaysia.

He said the uproar over caricatures of Prophet Muhammad which initially appeared in Denmark's Jyllands-Posten and reproduced in several Western publications, had irked many Muslims locally and the sentiments were still simmering .

Being 'very silly'

"We don't want it (NST) to be the last straw that broke the came's back. They could have ignited a very volatile situation. We're lucky Muslims are not creating violence on the streets," said Hamdan who is also a member of the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam).

Asked whether he felt offended by the cartoon, Hamdan said it was in "very bad taste".

"In Africa, Jesus might be portrayed as an African, in Europe he might have blue eyes. But to the Muslims, it is a grave sin to have the Prophet depicted in picture and statues

"The Prophet Muhammad just wanted to be seen as a Messenger of God. He does not want to be worshiped. But it seems the West and the NST think it's all a big joke. I think the paper is being very silly," he added.