Charlie Hebdo killings backlash for mocking Prophet Muhammad, says Dr M

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad questions the need for Charlie Hebdo to continually publish cartoons mocking Islam and hurting the feelings of Muslims. – The Malaysian Insider pic, January 8, 2015.The Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris, France yesterday could be a backlash against the French satirical magazine's provocation towards Islam, said former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.He said that Charlie Hebdo frequently showed disrespect towards Muslims by making fun of Prophet Muhammad through their caricature drawings.

"Do they need to make fun of Prophet Muhammad even when they know it hurts Muslims. We respect their religion and they must respect ours," he was quoted as saying by Bernama today.According to the national news agency, Dr Mahathir was asked to comment on the attack where three gunmen with Kalashnikov automatic rifles and a rocket-launcher opened fire at the Charlie Hebdo offices yesterday and killed 12 people, including two policemen.Dr Mahathir, who is the country's longest-serving prime minister, said that no one should provoke another religion as society should learn to respect one another despite being of different religions and races.He was also reported as saying that there were non-Muslims who were afraid of Islam and imagined it to be an inconsiderate and ruthless religion because of what is shown on the Internet, such as the unrest in the Middle East."If they understand the teachings of al-Quran itself, they will not be afraid of Islam and Muslims," he added.Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had earlier said that Malaysia condemned in the strongest terms all acts of violence."We stand in unity with the French people. We must fight extremism with moderation," he said in his Twitter account.Wisma Putra also echoed Najib's call, saying that nothing justified taking innocent lives amid the most deadly militant attack in the country in decades.In a statement today, the Foreign Ministry said Malaysia was standing united with France, its people and especially with the families of the victims. – January 8, 2015.