26 January 2002 1317 hrs (GMT) 2117 hrs (SST) No plans to clamp down on Fateha.com: Abdullah by Judith Tan

Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs Abdullah Tarmugi said the government had no plans to clamp down on Fateha.com.

He said the ball was now in the group's court as to how it wants to continue its forum in cyberspace.

Mr Tarmugi, who is also Minister for Community Development and Sports, was speaking to reporters at the Siglap Edusave Awards on Saturday.

Fateha.com was hit by the resignations of its controversial chief executive Zulfikar Mohamad Shariff and seven other key members this week.

Mr Zulfikar was taken to task by various national leaders after he blamed the government for the activities of the Jemaah Islamiyah group.

So will Fateha.com be more constructive in discussing issues?

The Minister said he hoped it would take this stance instead of being confrontational and controversial.

Mr Abdullah said: "I would be really naive to say that relationships between the Muslims and non-Muslims, and also among Muslims themselves have not been affected over this issue.

"Certainly, people take sides in all issues but I think progressively there has been a greater understanding at least among the non-Muslim population that this is actually not a whole community issue but an issue brought about by a group."

He said even in a homogenous society, there can never be a 100 percent consensus, let alone a multi-racial, multi-religious one.

Mr Abdullah said: "There will be times where either individuals or small groups could somehow go against the grain of society as a whole and this creates some kind of tension, some kind of unease among people of different races and different religion.

"I mean it's unavoidable, so people who want to do such things will have to be really conscious what they are doing, very careful of what they articulate."