Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has been asked to be magnanimous and grant a 'Merdeka pardon' to Makkal Osai.

The daily was slapped with a one-month suspension from Aug 24 for publishing an image of Jesus Christ with a cigarette and a drink can on his hands.

Hindu Rights Action Force legal advisor P Uthayakumar said the pardon and revocation of suspension would go a long way towards ensuring press freedom in Malaysia.

"This is especially so when publication (of the image) was not intentional and that a sincere and unreserved apology had been tendered at the very first instance," he said in a statement today.

Uthayakumar argued that, if the suspension stands, the ministry should also take action against Tamil Nesan for reproducing the image.

He also charged that many local councils should be similarly sanctioned, if not closed, for their role in demolishing hundreds of Hindu temples in the country.

"Most of the temples are 100 years old or built even before Malaysia was born. They are torn down at the average rate of one temple every three weeks," he claimed.

"The Hindus in Malaysia have been repeatedly humiliated because they lack political mileage or economical clout."

He said the demolition of the temples was "at least a thousand times more serious than the mere publication of a photo".

Yet, coverage of these incidents have been given the least attention in the media, and among political parties and civil society groups.

Makkal Osai, the second best selling Tamil newspaper, published the offending image on Aug 21. Accompanying the picture was a caption: "If someone repents for his mistakes, then heaven awaits him".

The image and the message was part of the daily's regular 'Thought for the Day' feature which highlights famous quotations of world leaders and philosophers.

The daily immediately offered its apologies, but the internal security ministry
issued the suspension order on the grounds that the image was inappropriate and could harm public order.

Makkal Osai has since accused its rival Tamil Nesan of aggravating the situation by highlighting the publication and by pressuring the government to take stern action.

On Saturday, a Makkal Osai reader lodged a police report against Tamil Nesan for reproducing the image.