PopTeeVee says will cooperate with police after Perkasa reports against ‘Allah’ episode

(MM) – Producers of “That Effing Show” PopTeeVee pledged their cooperation with the authorities today after Perkasa lodged police reports against a video on the “Allah” controversy.

Hardesh Singh, PopTeeVee founder and executive producer, also said today that PopTeeVee and the Malay right-wing group share “an equal passion in building a better Malaysia”, thus showing more proof that “there is even more in common” between the two.

“We have only heard about Perkasa lodging police reports via the press. If this is true we will cooperate with the authorities if and when required,” Hardesh said in a statement today.

“Perkasa works for what they believe makes for a better Malaysia. We believe in following the footsteps of our experienced and passionate leaders in doing the same,” he added.

After Perkasa lodged police reports against “That Effing Show”, the online satirical show aired another video last Thursday, where anchorman Ezra Zaid said tongue-in-cheek that the show had “a lot in common” with Perkasa, such as sharing a love for comedy with Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali, whom he said was described by Wikipedia as a “comedian”.

Perkasa secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali then described the producers of “That Effing Show” as “rude” youths who did not respect Ibrahim and the “sensitivities” of others.

He also said that Perkasa had lodged a police report over the earlier video titled “Allah, Apa Lagi?” by “That Effing Show” as it had allegedly insulted a Court of Appeal ruling and Islam.

According to a Bernama report on Wednesday, Perkasa’s Perak chapter lodged a police report on “That Effing Show’s” 95th episode that was aired on YouTube on October 25, claiming it mocked the Court of Appeal’s decision on the “Allah” issue.

Perkasa Perak chief Mohd Hafez Mubin Mohd Salleh reportedly said that the six minutes, 30 second clip, titled “Allah, Apa Lagi?”, disrespected the sensitivities of Muslims here.

Over 30 members of Perkasa’s Selangor branch were reported to have lodged a police report on Friday over the same clip.

Selangor Perkasa chief Abu Bakar Yahya reportedly claimed that the video had touched on the sensitivities of the Malays and the local Muslim community, saying that he hoped the authorities would take stern action.

Last month, the Court of Appeal ruled that the Home Ministry’s decision to ban the Catholic Church from referring to God as “Allah” in its weekly, the Herald, was justified, finding that the use of the Arabic word was not integral to the practice of the Christian faith.