KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Foreign Minister Anifah Aman has said that freedom of speech and expression must also be accompanied by social responsibility, “especially in combating extremism.” His comments come after weeks of anger in the Islamic world over an anti-Islam video that insulted the faith and Prophet Mohamed. The foreign minister said that “such irresponsible action could not be defended under the pretext of human rights, freedom or liberty.” The film has seen many protests, including violent ones in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Libya and Indonesia in recent weeks. Governments have been quick to lash out at the film and western countries argument that the film is protected under freedom of speech. “A line should be drawn when the prejudicial effect outweighs everything else. Malaysia has always maintained that freedom, including freedom of expression, comes with responsibility,” he said at the 67th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) general debate in New York Sunday. Malaysian Muslims agree with Aman, telling Bikyamasr.com at recent protests in the country they are not ultra-conservative and do not support violence that has been seen in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Sudan and elsewhere, but they do understand the anger that has erupted. “This is a very frustrating time for Muslims," said Islam Abdullah, a Malaysian Muslim who led a few chants against the US government and what he said was a “failure to understand and comprehend the true anger that is rising." He, like the others present, believe that President Barack Obama is missing an opportunity to show the Islamic world that the US supports Muslims. He argued that the delayed condemnation and failure to crackdown on those responsible for the clip has left Muslims questioning if their faith and rights are of any importance to the US government. “We are here because the United States continues to try and create a world they want, without asking Muslims or understanding our beliefs," Abdullah continued. “They condemned the film, but what they should be doing is arresting anyone responsible for the creation of this disgusting thing that caused us much anger." For the US government's part, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called the clip, made by radical Coptic Christians living in the US has “reprehensible," but said American values of freedom of speech will not be curtailed. She also condemned the violence near American missions in the Middle East. But here in Malaysia, the protesters said that the film incites violence and even under America's open free speech policies “should be considered a hate crime." Another protester told Bikyamasr.com that if this type of film had been directed toward Jews or Israel, “the people most certainly would have been arrested so it is frustrating to watch how the US doesn't really care about Muslim feelings, thinking us crazy fundamentalists, when this is just not the case." Malaysia, a Muslim-majority country, has lashed out at the video, both the people and the government and believes that by allowing the film to continue to be viewed online, it will encourage further attacks against Islam. “There is a line where free speech is important, but when the goal, as stated by the makers, was to create sectarian tension, it must be a hate crime and the US laws state this," Abdullah said, adding that Muslims in the country are looking at filing a lawsuit in the United States against the “filmmakers" over the film, arguing that it is a hate crime and “must be punished." The protests across the Middle East have left at least three dead in Tunisia and one in Egypt, where protesters clashed with security forces near American missions in at least 15 countries across the world.
