Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - A government-linked Islamic finance group in Malaysia has officially apologized after its religious chief advised Muslim employees not to send holiday greetings to Hindus for a celebration he described as blasphemous.
The apology was posted on publicly traded Takaful Malaysia's Web site Tuesday.
The company, which is majority-owned by Malaysia's Bank Islam, has already distanced itself from an e-mail memo sent by its religious department chief, Mohamed Fauzi Mustaffa, that advised Muslim employees against wishing Hindus "Happy Diwali."
Mohamed Fauzi's e-mail described Hindu festivals as against Islamic tenets because they involve idol worship, considered blasphemous in Islam.
Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, will be celebrated Oct. 21.
Muslim-majority Malaysia's 26 million population is 60 percent Malay, 25 percent Chinese and 10 percent Indian, who are mainly Hindus and Christians.
"We would like to apologize for any confusion and ill-feelings that may have arose from the e-mail," the company said on its the Web site.
Takaful's statement came as about 100 demonstrators from an ethnic Indian youth group and other non-governmental organizations demonstrated outside Takaful's headquarters in downtown Kuala Lumpur Tuesday, calling the apology inadequate.
"The apology we want is for this man (Mohamed Fauzi) to be reeducated and retrained ... so that the same kind of hate mail does not reappear," said Charles Santiago, a protest leader with the Group of Concerned Citizens.
Santiago, a Christian, and other protest leaders also met Takaful CEO Azmi Abu Bakar after the protesters dispersed. A small group of police and security personnel watched over the demonstration.
Malaysia takes pride in its racial harmony and discourages religious disputes. Government officials were quick to denounce the e-mail, saying it was a narrow interpretation of Islam.
Mustaffa has not made any public comment on his e-mailed memo.
Also Tuesday, the New Straits Times newspaper reported that two police reports have been lodged by non-governmental organizations over Mohamed Fauzi's e-mail, saying it was inciteful and hurtful to non-Muslims.
The report could not be independently verified, and police were not available for comment.