KUALA LUMPUR: Popular actor and comedian Harith Iskander found himself at the center of controversy recently after his latest social media post about a joke involving ham drew heavy criticism, particularly from the Muslim community.

In the post, Harith shared a photo of a coffee labeled "ham sap kopi" priced at RM5.50. The photo is believed to have been taken from a menu at a local food truck selling beverages.

A check on Harith's Facebook page, which has over a million followers, revealed that the post was uploaded last Saturday. In the caption, Harith wrote humorously:

"I'm so confused. My faith is shaken. This coffee will lead me astray in so many ways. Not only tempting me to become 'hamsap', but also confusing me with the word 'ham'. Is this to be drunk or eaten?"

His post ended with a laughing emoji with tears, but the joke did not sit well with many netizens.

The comment section was flooded with thousands of remarks criticizing Harith for touching on a sensitive issue, particularly in relation to religion. Many felt that the joke was inappropriate, especially in the context of Islam.

One Facebook user, Jejak Air Tawar, reminded Harith not to use sensitive issues as material for jokes. "You're only spreading hate and making yourself look immature," they commented.

Another user, Muhd Faez, wrote: "Sorry bro, but when it comes to religion, don’t joke around. It’s not funny at all. If you want to be liberal, don’t drag others into it."

Calls for Maturity from Netizens

Other netizens, like Hasani N Ashikeen, expressed disappointment with Harith's actions. "As a celebrity who is both wise and older, you should act more maturely. Things are already tense, and you chose to provoke with a post like this."

Several netizens also called on the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) to investigate and take action against the post, claiming it could stir religious tension.

Meanwhile, some netizens felt that the issue was being blown out of proportion, considering it as merely satirical humor. The post has since garnered over 8,000 comments, 9,000 reactions (including likes, anger, and laughter), and 1,000 shares.

As of now, attempts to contact Harith Iskander for comment have been unsuccessful.

Calls for Action Against Cecelia Yap’s Comment

In a related development, former teacher and education activist, Mohd Fadli Salleh, urged action to be taken against Harith and a Facebook user, Cecelia Yap Song KL, who allegedly insulted Prophet Muhammad SAW in her comment on the ham issue.

The Kedah branch of the Malaysian Malay Students Federation (GPMS) also condemned Harith’s actions and urged authorities to take firm action to control the spread of sensitive content on social media.