Zambry urges calm over student's 'Quran stepping' photo, says cops probing case

Higher Education Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir has urged the public to remain calm following an incident at Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) involving a student allegedly stepping on a copy of the Quran.

He said the authorities had acted swiftly, and the matter is now under police investigation.

“As we are aware from reports today regarding the case at UMPSA, I would like to call on all parties to remain calm in handling this issue. The police have taken prompt action, and the relevant authorities are handling the case,” he told reporters.

The case came to light based on the suspect’s post on Threads, and the same account had also posted a lengthy apology after the initial post went viral yesterday.

Zambry described the incident as serious, particularly as it occurred during Ramadan, and warned against attempts to exploit the situation.

“Such disrespectful actions must be addressed immediately. We must also ensure the issue is not manipulated by any party in a way that could worsen the situation,” he said.

The minister stressed that the government would not treat such matters lightly, saying acts that could inflame sensitivities risk creating division within society.

“Actions like these can create unhealthy conditions in society and foster hatred among one another. Immediate steps must therefore be taken to address the issue,” the minister added.

Report lodged, arrest made

Zambry also said the university had promptly lodged a police report after the incident came to light.

“The university immediately made a police report, and they (police) have already taken action,” he said.

Asked whether the student involved had been suspended, Zambry said the ministry would await the police’s findings before taking any further action.

“We will first obtain a report from the police to determine what actually happened, because the information circulating so far originated from social media,” he said.

National Unity Minister Aaron Ago Dagang said he had been informed that investigations are underway and firm action would be taken against any student found guilty of contravening the Universities and University Colleges (UMPSA) (Student Discipline) Regulations 2024.

This is in addition to criminal investigations being conducted by the police, Bernama quoted the minister as saying.

He urged all parties to stop the spread of hateful and irresponsible content on social media platforms.

“Religion should never be trivialised or used as a tool for provocation, as such actions constitute an offence and can spark tension in a plural society,” he said.

Pahang police chief Yahaya Othman confirmed the arrest of the individual earlier this morning.

According to Yahaya, the case is being investigated under Section 295 of the Penal Code for insulting religion, which carries a penalty of up to two years’ imprisonment and a fine.

The suspect is also being investigated under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for the improper use of network facilities or network services to transmit communications that are offensive, abusive, threatening, or harassing to others, including obscene content.

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