Christians Under Attack

TV3 apologised and pulled the commercial off the airwaves after an outcry over imagery including a "Santa-like" character wearing an Islamic skullcap who took children on ride through the sky on a magical trishaw.

There was also criticism that the ad, which marked the end of the Ramadan fasting month last month, featured a lotus flower which is linked to Buddhism.

Deputy information, communications and culture minister Joseph Salang Gandum told parliament that the private channel had been ordered to pay a fine of 50,000 ringgit (16,000 US dollars).

He said he was "happy to say" that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission had slapped TV3 with the maximum fine possible "in regards to the case which is said to have insulted and shamed Islam".

Several Muslim groups had demanded the retraction of the commercial.

"TV3 apologises on the airing of the advertisement... which has offended many people," the station said in a statement at the time.

"We will be more cautious to avoid similar incidents to happen again in the future."

Religion and language are sensitive issues in multiracial Malaysia, which was hit by deadly race riots in 1969.

Some 60 percent of the 28 million population are Muslim Malays, living alongside large ethnic Chinese and Indian communities who have expressed fear that the country is being "Islamised" and their rights are being eroded. --AFP

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