This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on February 26, 2016.

GEORGE TOWN: Malay rights group Gerakan Merah (Red Movement) lodged a police report yesterday against Sabahan Doris Jones over her Facebook posting earlier this week, which it said insulted Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

On Tuesday, Jones posted a picture of Ahmad Zahid’s face superimposed on the body of a dog.

Gerakan Merah president Mohd Ali Baharom, better known as Ali Tinju, made the report at the Perda police station in Bukit Mertajam, urging police and relevant authorities to investigate Jones.

In the report, he described Jones’ post as a “seditious act” that humiliated and incited hatred towards a national leader.

He said his was the 100th police report lodged nationwide against Jones.

The group’s vice-president Major (retired) Razali Zakaria said the post, which was rude, had gone viral, casting doubt about Ahmad Zahid’s leadership.

Razali said the group had previously lodged reports against similar acts of disrespect, including against graphic artist Fahmi Reza, who drew a clown face on that of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The group’s information chief Datuk Dr Norhisham Mohd Nor said there was freedom of speech, but it should not be used to insult and incite hatred. — The Malaysian Insider