Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia's National Fatwa (Islamic edict) Council has ruled that the film 'Fitna' produced by Dutch legislator Geert Wilders is an insult to Islam and Muslims the world over, and called on Muslims to protest by boycotting Dutch products.

Council chairman Prof. Abdul Shukor Husin said in a statement here Monday that the disrespect for religious sensitivities and Muslims throughout the world was an element of terrorism nurtured to further tarnish inter-religious links and relations between the Muslim world and the West.

"The council urges Muslims in Malaysia to exercise maturity and use the best approach in facing the issue and refrain from being influenced by the provocation attempted at igniting sentiments to undermine the position of Islam and Muslims," he said.

Fitna is a 15-minute film posted on a website on Thursday that highly criticises Islam, setting verses of the Quran against a background of violent images from terrorist attacks.

Even as the statement was being issued, Malaysia's biggest local supermarket chain announced that it had decided to boycott Dutch products in response to the anti-Islam film.

Mydin Mohamed Holdings Sendirian Berhad managing director Ameer Ali Maidin said the film that was shown on-line had insulted Islam and Muslims all over the world.

He also called on consumers, Muslims and non-Muslims, to collectively boycott Dutch products. Ameer Ali said for a start, Mydin stores would stick red labels on racks displaying Dutch products to inform consumers of their origin.

Meanwhile, the Netherlands ambassador to Malaysia says his government has condemned the violent acts in the controversial movie.

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