KUALA LUMPUR, March 25 — Islamist group Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) was left fuming today after it was likened to militant and fundamentalist groups like the Islamic State (IS) and Taliban.

The group insisted it is not only a moderate Islamic movement, but also not a product of the West, allegedly unlike the IS and Taliban.

“Isma recognises the suffering of the community and the dangers that surround it. Isma is a moderate Islamic movement, and not extremist, not liberal and atheist, nor extremists who are producing Islamophobia.

“What is obvious, Isma is not a tool of the West like the two extremist groups,” said Isma president Abdullah Zaik Abd Rahman on the group’s website.

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English news portal Malaysiakini published a commentary titled “Isma exhibits mentality of the Talibans” today, after Isma information chief Mohd Hazizi Ab Rahman offered to help BFM presenter Aisyah Tajuddin gain a better understanding of Islam through a “tarbiah” or lecture package by the Islamist group.

Mohd Hazizi was quoted as saying on the group’s online news portal Ismaweb that it was not too late for Aisyah to “return to the right path”.

“Liberal pro-Western media is trying to label Isma as extremists. They are comparing Isma to IS and Taliban,” commented Abdullah.

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“This is just because Isma rejects secularism, liberalism and atheism that have become Western propaganda and backed by liberal media in this country such as Malaysiakini.”

On Monday, Aisyah, along with several producers from the business radio station, were summoned to have their statements taken by the police and later by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) over a satirical video on the Kelantan PAS government’s push to implement hudud in the state.

The video, titled “Hudud Isi Periuk Nasi? [Kupas]” (Does hudud fill our rice bowls?), was heavily criticised with some commenters issuing rape and death threats against Aisyah for allegedly insulting Islam.

BFM has since taken down the video from its website and YouTube channel, and issued an apology yesterday, followed today by an apology by Aisyah.

In her apology, the young radio journalist insisted that the video was meant only to query the priorities of the PAS government in Kelantan and not the Islamic penal law itself.