Police have received 20 reports on the caricature on PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia published by the Chinese language news portal Nanyang Siang Pau.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the case was still under investigation by the police.

"I wish to advise everyone including media friends that we must be sensitive on such issues in the country.

"Our country is a multi-racial and multi-religious nation...As such, do not do anything or make any form of drawing and writing that can cause fear to the community.

"As for Nanyang Siang Pau, they must be wary in conveying their news after this," he told reporters after attending the police monthly assembly at the Bukit Aman level, here today.

Yesterday, the Home Affairs Ministry (KDN) said in a statement that it would summon the editor-in-chief of the Nanyang Siang Pau Sdn Bhd daily following the issue.

KDN Secretary-General Datuk Seri Alwi Ibrahim said a show-cause letter had been issued to the Chinese-language daily under the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.

Last Saturday, the newspaper had published a cartoon in its portal, portraying a monkey wearing a 'songkok' (Malay headgear) and labelling it as the Speaker while another monkey wore a turban and labelled as Hadi Awang.

Both monkeys were portrayed as sitting on a tree branch which was labelled as 'Act 355'.

-- BERNAMA