Malaysia probes protest over Hindu temple relocation
September 3rd, 2009 - 1:16 pm ICT by IANSKuala Lumpur, Sep 3 (IANS) The Malaysian police have identified those who displayed a severed cow head to protest the relocation of a Hindu temple in Shah Alam last week as the Attorney General’s office began taking action over it, media reports said Thursday.
Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, the constitutional head and monarch of Selangor state, has directed Mentri Besar (chief minister) Abdul Khalid Ibrahim “to find the best way” to resolve the issue.
“The protest hit a raw nerve throughout the nation when one of the demonstrators brandished a cow’s head - an animal deemed sacred to Hindus - before spitting and stomping on it,” New Straits Times said Thursday.
Ibrahim had an audience with the Sultan Wednesday, The Star newspaper said.
Attorney General (AG) Abdul Gani Patail said he had sought further probe.
Razak said the authorities would determine if there were any violations of law when residents of Section 23 locality in Shah Alam staged the protest against the relocation of a 150-year old Sri Mariamman temple from Section 19, another locality in the capital of Selangor state.
“We will leave it to the police and the AG to decide on this, but most Malaysians regret the act,” Razak told reporters here.
On Friday, about 50 people gathered at the gates of the Selangor state secretariat building here carrying a cow’s head and warned of further action if the temple was built.
Residents of the predominantly Muslim locality said their protest was ‘hijacked’ by activists of different political parties and they were unaware till the last minute of the presence of a cow head that was trampled and spat upon.
Cow is deemed sacred by the Hindus.
Malaysia has nearly two million ethnic Indians, a bulk of them Tamil Hindus, who form eight percent of the country’s multi-racial 28 million population.
Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein blamed the state government for allowing the protest to take place.
“I have said it many times already that it was not a suitable location to relocate the temple,” he said after meeting the residents.
He said it did not matter which race or religion was targeted. “If the situation affects the safety or harmony of a community, we will take action.”
- Malayasian PM urges Muslims not to insult other religions - Sep 05, 2009
- Relocation of Hindu shrine in Malaysia put on hold - Sep 06, 2009
- Tension in Malaysia over cow head to protest Hindu shrine relocation - Aug 30, 2009
- Decision to shift Hindu temple in Malaysian city shelved - Sep 14, 2009
- Malaysian home minister tries to resolve Hindu temple row - Sep 02, 2009
- Sedition charge against Malaysian protesters - Sep 08, 2009
- Protesters fined for displaying cow head in Malaysia - Jul 27, 2010
- Malaysian PM urged to intervene in temple relocation issue - Sep 07, 2009
- Meeting to resolve relocation of temple in Malaysia - Sep 03, 2009
- Indians pray for racial harmony on Malaysia's Independence Day - Sep 01, 2009
- Malaysian police questions 100 in cow's head protest case - Sep 01, 2009
- 'Cow head' protest a serious issue: Malaysian Home Ministry - Sep 04, 2009
- Sultan breaks protocol, helps Malaysian Indian award recipient - Dec 13, 2009
- Largest outdoor reading event held in Malaysia - Jun 27, 2010
- Six Malaysians who dragged cow's head charged with sedition - Sep 09, 2009
Tags: chief minister, cow head, demonstrators, gani, hindu temple, hindus, home minister, khalid ibrahim, kuala lumpur, locality, malaysian police, malaysians, new straits times, raw nerve, section 19, section 23, shah alam, sri mariamman temple, state secretariat, sultan sharafuddin idris shah
