An online poll featured in the Perak Mufti Department's website on the issue of the controversial caricatures of Prophet Muhammad has come under fire.

The state religious agency's official website, which is carrying an on-going poll on the issue, asked visitors for their views on the "most appropriate action to be taken against those who insult the Prophet Muhammad".

A malaysiakini reader has expressed uneasiness over one of the six answers provided in the multiple-choice questionnaire. It said: "Hunt and kill them or launch war against them".

The reader, who preferred to remain anonymous, said the inclusion of such an answer in the online poll was "provocative" and "dangerous".

The other answers in the poll are:

  • Invite those involved to attend counseling sessions.

  • Boycott and cut diplomatic ties completely with these people.

  • Boycott and cut diplomatic ties until they publicly apologise.

  • Just ignore them.

  • Don't know what should be done.

'Ignore them'

Interestingly, however, out of the 69 people who had voted in the poll thus far, 39 - or 57 percent - opted for "just ignore them".

Only 10 individuals, or 14 percent of the voters, said that those who had insulted the Prophet should be hunted down and killed, or that a war be launched against them.

The religious department, which is a state government body, is headed by Perak Mufti Harussani Zakaria who is known for his controversial statements on Islam in the past. Harussani is also currently the chair of the country's Mufti Council.

According to the statistics provided by the website, a total 32,205 have visited the site since March 1 last year.

The offensive caricatures of the Prophet, which were first published by a Danish newspaper last September, has sparked angry protests among Muslims worldwide.

The Malaysian government has since banned the reproduction of these images, which are considered blasphemous.

Three local newspapers have recently been suspended by the government for publishing a photo depicting the caricatures. The authorities are also currently mulling action against a number of TV stations which had also aired the caricatures.