KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Malaysia's religious authorities are studying whether the characters featured in the hugely popular Japanese ''Pokemon'' cartoon series contain ''un-Islamic'' elements after the Saudi Arabian government imposed a ban on the series and all related games and merchandise, the Malay-language daily Utusan Malaysia reported Thursday.
The Malaysia Islamic Development Department's research division director Mustapha Abdul Rahman was quoted as saying, ''If it is true that there are (Pokemon) elements contrary to Islam, the matter will be submitted to the syariah (the Muslim legal division).''
The department is part of the prime minister's office.
Malaysia is one of the many countries around the world being swept by the Pokemon craze. The animated series is aired on a local television station during prime time and Pokemon cards, games and figurines can be found everywhere.
Saudi Arabia's highest religious authority last weekend issued an Islamic edict banning Pokemon games and cards for ''possessing the minds'' of Saudi children, reports said.
The country's Higher Committee for Scientific Research and Islamic Law said the Pokemon characters bear symbols that include ''the Star of David which everyone knows is connected to international Zionism and is Israel's national emblem.''
Other ''un-Islamic'' symbols cited in the edict are ''crosses, sacred for Christians, and triangles, significant for Freemasons and symbols of Japan's Shintoism, which is based on the belief that there is more than one god.''
About 60% of the total population in Malaysia are Muslim.
AP-NY-03-29-01 0000EST
Copyright 2001 The Kyodo News Service.