Interfaith group: Fringe element behind Penang cow head incident

Sardar Jagir Singh urges Malaysians to remain calm. — Picture by Choo Choy May

KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 — The dumping of a severed cow head in front of the home of a Hindu lawmaker in Penang was likely the act of a “few extremists” out to create tension, the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) said today.

The country’s largest interfaith group labelled the act a “provocative” and “mischievous” one but urged Malaysians not to react to it or give in to attempts to spark religious tension in the country.

“Definitely this will create interfaith tension especially since this is very sensitive to Hindus,” MCCBCHST president Jagir Singh told The Malay Mail Online when contacted.today.

Cows are revered by Hindus as a sacred animal and should never be harmed.

He told Malaysians “remain calm” and not fall into the trap of those bent on creating tension here.

Jagir added that the police should look into the incident and bring the offender to “justice”.

Earlier today, RSN Rayer, the DAP assemblyman for Seri Delima who is also a Hindu, confirmed with The Malay Mail Online that the severed cow head was discovered at his home at around 7am when he was leaving his home for prayers.

He said a CCTV recording showed a man on a motorcycle throwing the cow’s head at his gate at 5.58 am.

The unidentified man, who was wearing a helmet with a cloth to cover his face, did not leave any notes behind, he added.

Rayer said he immediately called the police and they arrived shortly after to record his statement, adding that the police took away the cow’s head.

Rayer recently courted controversy over his “celaka, celaka, celaka Umno” remarks in last month’s state assembly sitting, sparking a demonstration by Umno Youth leaders who breached the state legislative assembly gate and stormed into the august hall.

Although they demanded that Rayer retract and apologise for his remark, the DAP assemblyman had refused to do so, insisting that he had only referred to three Umno leaders and not the whole party.

Last Thursday, Rayer was due to be charged with sedition over his May 20 “celaka Umno” remark, but the Attorney-General had ordered the prosecutors to defer his case.

On the same day, 15 men were jointly charged under Section 448 of the Penal Code for intruding and trespassing into the state legislative assembly on May 21.

It is unknown if this morning’s the cow head incident is linked to Rayer’s “celaka Umno” remarks.

Rayer also would not speculate on the incident, saying he will leave it to the police to investigate.

Source: malaymailonline