With the tables turned, a peeved Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin today appeared evasive over the revelation that the state-owned RTM had also aired the controversial caricatures of Prophet Muhammad.

Quizzed on the issue, he said he had instructed RTM, which falls under his ministry, to prepare the necessary information and to cooperate with the authorities.

"(I have told them) to take action to ensure this matter, insyallah (God willing), will not repeat again," he told reporters at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur.

"I think what happened in such a short period has made us aware about the (importance) of freedom of press with social responsibility," added the minister.

Zainuddin, who yesterday crticised the New Straits Times (NST) as 'unwise' for publishing a cartoon strip related to the caricatures, however refused to make a stand when quizzed on RTM's wisdom in airing the images.

The recently promoted minister also refused to comment beyond saying, "I don't want to say that" when asked if the RTM footage was offensive and if whether the government should stop the media witch-hunt over this issue.

"Never mind- lah , (a) slip of tongue (would make life) very difficult, we want to see a harmonious situation," he said, adding that it was a learning process for everyone.

'Sometimes vocal, sometimes not'

Asked why he seemed to be toning down over the RTM issue, he replied: "Sometimes I am vocal, sometimes I am not."

"Do you expect me to shout, shout, shout? Cannot like that- lah , when the time comes I have to shout, I shout, when I smile, I smile, I laugh, I laugh, (I am a) human, right?"

Earlier today, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his deputy Najib Abdul Razak have called for an investigation into the RTM clip, which was aired by TV2 on Feb 3.

Zainuddin - who last week saw red over an unflattering commentary in the NST which he described as rubbish - appeared to be offering the peace pipe this afternoon.

He welcomed the prime minister's decision not to take any action against the newspaper following its front-page apology .

Describing it as the beginning of a new era, he advised the concerned parties not to start any more quarrels like married couples.

No grudges

On whether NST had defamed him in its commentary, he said: "You must remember, my integrity does not depend on newspapers. In your life, you must believe in yourself. It is not when someone says you are bad then you become bad."

The minister said he bore no grudges against NST , adding that he would pay a visit to the newspaper's office soon.

"I will visit when I am free, to see old friends or new friends there, many friends, because I miss journalism very much... to see if my old friends are still there, many friends, Kalimullah (Hassan), is my friend," he said while breaking into laughter.

Kalimullah ( right ) - the New Straits Times Group's (NSTP) editorial advisor - was the one who penned the commentary about the minister.

Asked if he had lobbied for the removal of NST group editor-in-chief Hishamuddin Aun and NST group editor Brendan Pereira during a recent Umno meeting, Zainuddin laughed and replied: "You are naughty".

The minister was also stunned by questions from two different reporters that TV3 and ntv7 had also aired the caricatures.

"When!... This is news to me," said Zainuddin, a former journalist himself.