Jakarta – Former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid has been reported by conservative clerics to the police for allegedly desecrating the holy Koran.

"Gus Dur has upset many Muslims with his comments when he described the Koran as a pornographic scripture," said Ahmad Chamid Baidhowi, the head of Al-Wadah Muslim boarding school in Central Java. He said he represented 500 Muslim religious leaders in Java and Madura.

"I showed the police 500 signatures of clerics from across Java and Madura who have demanded Gus Dur retract his comments," Ahmad said.

Gus Dur made the comments while talking about the pornography bill last month during a talk show on Jakarta's FM Radio 68H. Arguing that describing something as pornographic was a subjective act, Gus Dur said even certain passages in the Koran could be interpreted as pornography.

Ahmad also reported the host of the Radio 68H M. Guntur Romli, and the show producer, Nurlambang, to police. Ahmad's lawyer, Mugiyono, said Gus Dur had violated Article 156 A of the Criminal Code. If found guilty he could be sentenced to five years jail, Mugiyono said.