GEORGE TOWN, March 10 — The Penang Islamic Religious Department (JAINPP) today was urged to investigate a programme organised by students of a private college where a tudung-clad woman was photographed cradling a dog at the Penang Times Square shopping centre here.

Penang Umno Youth Head Rafizal Abdul Rahim said Penang Umno Youth also wanted JAINPP to take stern action, so that the incident was not repeated in Penang.

“We regret, and are disappointed and angry, and condemn the programme because we feel there is a hidden agenda by certain parties after the “I Want Touch A Dog’, programme,” he said in a statement here today.

Newspapers today reported the ‘Opt to Adopt’ programme from March 4 to 8, which was organised by a group of private college students here, with the intention of changing the public’s negative views about stray dogs, in an effort to reduce the number of such animals in George Town.

However, the photograph of a tudung-clad woman holding a dog taken by a man believed to be her friend, which went viral on social media, has been criticised by the public, especially Muslims.

Touching dogs is a sensitive matter to Muslims in the country. — Bernama