KUALA LUMPUR: Pushing unity among Malaysians, Muslims and others demonstrated peacefully across Malaysia on Friday against an anti-Islam film and nude cartoons of Prophet Mohamed published by a French magazine. The mood at the demonstrations was one of optimism, unity and coming together of Malaysians who showed solidarity with Muslims against what activists called “provocations against Islam and the Islamic world.” Susan Ming, a Chinese-Malaysian who attended a rally in Kuala Lumpur, and is not Muslim, told Bikyamasr.com that “this is a sign that we all care about each other and want to be united against hate, whether it is directed against Muslims or other groups.” She was one of thousands who gathered in Malaysia in a peaceful display of unity and anti-aggression against Muslims across the globe following two weeks of attacks against the faith. “Islam is the faith of the majority of Malaysians and it is unfortunate that this is happening. People need to be more accepting of other religions because violence in the name of religion, on either side, is sad and counterproductive,” Susan added. They demonstrations were against the film, titled “Innocence of Muslims,” reportedly produced by an Egyptian Coptic Christians living in the United States that insulted Islam and Prophet Mohamed as well as protests against cartoons mocking the Prophet by French magazine Charlie Hebdo. Two major demonstrations were held in the federal capital after Friday prayers, one led by Umno Youth in the compound of the Kampung Baru Jamek Mosque and the other, led by PAS Youth, at the Tabung Haji Mosque. Members of the youth wings of component parties of the Barisan Nasional (BN) and several non-governmental organisations joined the hour-long protest organised by Umno Youth. Cheras Police chief ACP Mohan Singh Tara Singh said the demonstrators “exercised control and adhered to the instructions of the police.” Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, in addressing the protestors at the Kampung Baru Jamek Mosque, reminded the world community that Malaysia “would not at all accept and would object vehemently against attempts to insult Islam and Prophet Mohamed.” He said the solidarity of the people in the country was demonstrated by the consensus reached between the two Malay political parties, Umno and PAS, to come together in the protest. “The youth wings of Umno and PAS, along with several NGOs, are in solidarity to demonstrate that Malaysians are against any attempt to insult Islam and Prophet Mohamed. “We have agreed that this gathering and the other in front of the United States Embassy are a manifestation of the Muslim condemnation of the insult against Islam, and do not want to deviate from the common cause,” he told the protestors. The cartoons were the latest anti-Islam attack and have seen many Muslims across the world condemn the magazine for what they said was provocation. In Jakarta, Indonesian Muslim activists told Bikyamasr.com that the cartoons are “unforgivable" and planned to organize a demonstration at the French embassy in protest. “This is simply unacceptable that they are allowed to be published," said university student Amran Aziz, who added that he was “angry that the cartoons were not more condemned than nude photos of Kate Middleton." The publishing of the cartoons, which featured several caricatures of the Prophet showing him nude in what the publishers said was an attempt to “poke fun" at the furor over the anti-Islam film that led to protests across the Islamic world over the past week. One cartoon, entitled “Mohammad: a star is born", depicted a bearded figure crouching over to display his buttocks and genitals.
