JOHOR BARU: Three police reports have been lodged against comedian Harith Iskander in Johor over allegations of making insensitive comments on Islam, says Comm Datuk M. Kumar.
The Johor police chief said the reports against the local celebrity and a Facebook user were lodged in the Iskandar Puteri, Johor Baru North and Kluang districts.
“Johor police have confirmed receiving the reports in connection with making insults against Islam by the Facebook account owner Harith Iskander and Cecelia Yap Song KL,” he said in a statement here on Tuesday (Jan 21).
Comm Kumar added that the reports were lodged following a recent Facebook post made by Harith who uploaded a photo of a coffee drink named “ham sap kopi” and a caption.
Comm Kumar also said the post was then commented on by Facebook user Cecelia Yap Song KL.
"The user left a comment that read 'all names with Mohammad got to be renamed then' in a post made by Harith on his Facebook," he added.
He added that the case was being investigated under Section 298 of the Penal Code and Section 505(c) of the same Act and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
“The police are taking this matter seriously and would like to warn any parties who stir up 3R (religion, royalty, and race) sentiments on social media platforms that we will take stern legal action against them,” he said.
On Monday (Jan 20), comedian Shahrol Shiro, also known as Shahrol Azizie Azmi, 41, filed a police report against Harith in Kluang police station, reported mStar.
In the police report that was shared, Shahrol, who is also an active Johor Umno member, claimed that Harith's Facebook status had opened up a space for netizens to make comments that were considered mocking and insulting the purity of Islam.
"Harith Iskander and Ccelia Yap, police report on!" he said through a post on Instagram, where he also shared a photo of the police report made.
On Sunday (Jan 19), Shahrol expressed his displeasure with Harith's writing on Facebook, considering the joke excessive for using religious space as a material for mockery.
