KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 — Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, has described YouTube as being insensitive to the anguish of Muslims the world over as it has yet to remove film clips of the “Innocence of Muslims” from its listing.  

“That’s how insensitive they are,” he said in a statement to Bernama today. 

Rais (picture) said free speech did not include causing or creating hatred among Muslims against those who had debased their religion. 

Given the widespread protests in the Islamic world, he said, YouTube had every reason to take off the anti-Islamic film from its listing.   

“YouTube appears to be oblivious to the tumult it has caused. The owner of YouTube does not deserve to be spared the ire of Muslims or the long arm of the law,” he added.

Rais said the public prosecutor had every right under the Penal Code to book quarters who cause disharmony, disunity or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will on grounds of religion between groups of persons who had violated section 298A of the Penal Code.  

He said the powers of the authorities under the Communications and Multimedia Act could also be invoked.  

The film has been condemned by both Muslims and the Coptic Orthodox Christian Church as “an inflammatory movie” while the World Council of Churches said the film was “an insult to the heart of the Muslim faith”. — Bernama