PUTRAJAYA, Feb 28 — People convicted of insulting religion should be punished more severely, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said today.

Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, threw his support behind fellow minister in charge of Islamic affairs Datuk Seri Mujahid Yusof Rawa to increase the penalties in the Penal Code for such offences.

"If there are steps to increase such penalties then we must support it. This is to maintain harmony and tolerance in our society,” he told reporters after a cheque presentation ceremony where he handed over RM5 million to the Restu Foundation for the printing of Quran here.

Lim also explain that freedom of expression under the Article 10 of Constitution should not be abused.

"Freedom of expression should not be to the extent of demeaning or slandering others. That is not right,” he said.

Yesterday, PKR President Datuk Seri Anwar also said that people were free to express their views on religious aspects, but insulting a religion was totally unacceptable.

This follows a senior citizen were charged at Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court yesterday to two counts of uploading a caricature and transmitting offensive communications that allegedly insulted Prophet Muhammad and his wife, Saidatina Aisyah, on his Facebook.

Wai Foo Sing, 68 however pleaded not guilty to the charges.