Cow's Head , 'Moderate' Malaysia's birthday present.

Temple demo: Residents march with cow's head

A group of Malay-Muslim protesters claiming to be residents of Section 23 have threatened bloodshed unless the state government stopped the construction of a Hindu Temple.

Amid chants of "Allahuakbar," the group also left the severed head of a cow at the entrance of the State Secretariat here as a warning to Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

The "residents" said that the construction of a Hindu temple in a 90 per cent Malay- Muslim neighbourhood was insensitive because activities there would disrupt their lives.

They claimed that the "noise" from the temple would disturb their own praying, and that they would not be able to function properly as Muslims.

The group of 50 over protestors marched shortly after Friday prayers from the Shah Alam State mosque to the State Secretariat.

“I challenge YB Khalid, YB Rodziah and Xavier Jeyakumar to go on with the temple construction. I guarantee bloodshed and racial tension will happen if this goes on, and the state will be held responsible,” shouted Ibrahim Haji Sabri amid strong chants of “Allahu Akbar!”

It is understood that the protest is an immediate reaction towards the Selangor MB’s visit to the Hindu temple site yesterday, an act seen by the "residents" as disrespectful to the Muslims of the community.

The issue first cropped up when the Selangor government proposed that the Sri Mariamman temple be relocated from Section 19 to Section 23.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has directed Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan to investigate an incident in Shah Alam Friday where protestors used a cow's head to vent their anger against the Selangor state government.

According to Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, Najib informed him of this after he (Dr Subramaniam) had briefed the prime minister on the incident which took place outside the Selangor state secretariat after the Friday prayers.

"The prime minister has promised to look into it and asked the IGP to immediately act on the matter," he said in a statement here.

"The prime minister said he was very upset over the incident and wants it to be nipped in the bud," Dr Subramaniam said.

He said that while the prime minister was promoting the 1Malaysia concept and racial unity, "this kind of action will hinder the process and put the clock back".