Political parties condemn cow head demo

malaysianmirror Sunday, 30 August 2009 03:48

SHAH ALAM - Political parties and the public have condemned the cow head demo in Shah Alam on Friday saying that if no action is taken against those responsible, there will be racial discord in the country. Klang MP Charles Santiago said that parading the head of a chopped cow to dramatically protest the re-location of a Hindu temple to Section 23 is strangely unusual. “We have never seen such an overt display of religious discord in Malaysia, unless it is orchestrated by the ruling Umno, despite the escalation of racial tension in the last few years,’’ he said in a statement. The demostrators marched to the State Secretariat building after Friday prayers carrying the severed head of a cow and demanding that the Hindu temple should not be re-located in their neighbourhood. Threats of bloodshed Santiago added that Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim has been portrayed as a traitor to Islam and over the last few weeks Pakatan Rakyat politicians in Selangor have been targeted by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for alleged corrupt pratices. Police watched as the protesters chanted slogans and condemned the Selangor government as being insensitive to Islam claiming that the noise from the temple could disturb their prayers. After placing the cow’s head at the gate of the State Secretariat building the protesters spat and stomped on the cow’s head and said that the animal’s head was for Santiago. Selangor Police Chief Khalid Abu Bakar disappointed that his men just stood and watched the “parade” has said that he would definitely take action if a police report is lodged. Santiago added that he was stumped that opposition politicians are quickly nabbed for making statements allegedly threatening national security but the CPO is waiting for a police report.. “ One protester is reported to have challenged the state government to go ahead with the re-location, warning that it would guarantee bloodshed and racial tension,” he said. A local resident of Section 23, where the temple is to be built, was quoted as saying that some of those who had protested were not even from their area. Santiago claimed that Umno was playing dirty politics as they were desperate to see the toppling of the Pakatan-led Selangor state government. He condemned the lack of action on the part of the police, who he said were accomplices to the act that is totally disrespectful to the Hindus. MCA: It's a barbaric act MCA NGO Liaison Bureau Chairman Ti Lian Ker said in a statement that the recent act of displaying a cow head and holding the government to ransom is an act of treason and sedition. “I call upon all political parties to dissociate themselves from such a barbaric act and to condemn this despicable act in the spirit of our coming Independence Day celebrations, “ he said. No responsible citizen should support or justify such acts which tantamount to a war cry in a peaceful and peace loving country like Malaysia. Ti added that “religious freedom is enshrined in our Federal Constitution. We have laws and order governing our religious practices. Nobody should challenge or undermine the due process of the law. There are no laws or regulations by racial or religious sentiments or by numbers based on racial composition of an area. The barbaric mob act of displaying the head of a cow and threatening bloodshed is a felony”. MIC presidenti S Samy seeing red over the issue has called upon the Indians to remain calm saying that the cow was sacred to the hindus and regretted the action by the Malay Muslims.