REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Chairman of Muhammadiyah's young wing, Saleh Partaonan Daulay, has condemned The Jakarta Post's editorial cartoon, which maligns Islam, categorically stating that the newspaper editor's apology fails to pacify the hurt sentiments of Indonesian Muslims.

"The apology has not been able to soothe the offense and wounded feelings. This malicious cartoon is likely published with (inappropriate) intention. Moreover, it has been disseminated to the world," Saleh stated here Tuesday in response to the publication of the controversial cartoon.

As a result of the publication, The Jakarta Post has achieved its goals, so the newspaper editor's apology and retraction of the malicious cartoon is "useless", Saleh pointed out.

The controversial editorial cartoon was printed by The Jakarta Post on page seven in its July 3, 2014, edition.

The cartoon shows a pirate flag in black being hoisted by an armed man with the words "lailahaillallah," which means an Islamic creed declaring belief in the oneness of God, and a human skull bearing the words of Allah, Rasul, Muhammad.

According to Saleh, the publication of this unacceptable cartoon was inappropriate and should not have happened in a Muslim-majority country.

"This is awkwardness. In a country where majority of its population embraces Islam, Islam is maligned," Saleh emphasized.

In connection with this controversial cartoon, The Jakarta Post editor has published an apology and retraction in the daily newspaper's July 8 edition saying that it regrets "the error of judgment, which was in no way meant to malign or be disrespectful of any religion."

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