Batu Kawan MP gives portal 48-hour ultimatum to retract article

KUALA LUMPUR: Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto is giving the Ismaweb portal 48 hours to retract an article that accuses her of insulting Islam during a Parliament debate.

Kasthuri demanded that the retraction must be followed with an apology, adding that should the portal fail to do so by Friday (Oct 19), she would be filing a police report and taking legal action against them.

The article, entitled "Ahli Parlimen DAP desak kebebasan murtad, ajaran sesat (DAP MP urges for apostasy, deviant teachings)" was published on Monday (Oct 15) by Ismaweb, which is an acronym for Portal Islam dan Melayu (Islam and Malay Portal).

The article alleged that Kasthuri had demanded for the freedom to commit apostasy and practise deviant teachings in Malaysia during her debate in Parliament on Monday (Oct 15).

The article has since gone viral on WhatsApp and social media, with Kasthuri saying that she is now in fear for her life after receiving threats on Twitter and Facebook.

"I strongly deny this (Ismaweb) headline and I never said anything to that effect.

"I have a great respect and love for Islam and neither me, my party (DAP) or Pakatan Harapan has said anything against Islam," she told reporters at the Parliament lobby on Wednesday (Oct 17).

In her speech on Monday (Oct 15), Kasthuri had urged the government to sign and ratify the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, which will allow for religious freedom in the country.

She had said Malaysia needed to uphold the principles of human rights contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in which Article 18 states that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

"I have never insulted Islam and in fact in my speech, I had reiterated that Islam is the official religion, but other religions could also be practiced," she said.

Kasthuri said if she had insulted Islam and Muslims in her speech, her fellow parliamentarians would have spoken up against her.

"Ismaweb, which should have upheld the sacred values of Islam, has come up with a slanderous article against me and I don't understand the motive other than to fan hatred among Malaysians," she added.