KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has dismissed as unfounded allegations that the government failed to act over an incident involving the desecration of the Quran.
He said the authorities are conducting a comprehensive investigation in accordance with existing laws.
The prime minister stressed that in a country that upholds the rule of law, any action must be guided by due legal process rather than emotional pressure or perceptions shaped on social media.
"This country is governed by the rule of law, not by emotion or speculation," he said in a statement on Saturday (Feb 28).
Anwar urged all parties to leave the matter entirely to the authorities and refrain from making speculations or issuing statements that could undermine public harmony.
It was reported that a Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) student had been remanded to assist investigations into a case involving an alleged insult to Islam after stepping on the Quran.
On Friday, Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said police had completed the investigation papers for the case.
Kuantan police chief ACP Ashari Abu Samah said today that the remand of the 21-year-old man, which was due to end today, has been extended until March 3, following instructions from the Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) for several additional actions to be taken to complete the investigation.
In January 2023, the prime minister also stressed that Malaysia would not tolerate acts of burning religious books or texts, including the Quran, the Bible and Hindu scriptures, as Malaysians value humanity and respect the rights of every individual.
Condemning in the strongest terms the actions of Swedish-Danish far-right politician Rasmus Paludan for burning a copy of the Quran in Sweden, Anwar said there are widespread misunderstandings and prejudices against religions around the world, including Islam.
Following the incident, Malaysia distributed one million copies of the Quran worldwide as a response to the desecration in Sweden. – Bernama
