Are the cow-head protesters real?

The police inaction and the possibility that some of the cow-head protesters are not from near the disputed Hindu temple site in Shah Alam has Selangor buzzing about the real motives of the racially-provocative demonstration.

Pakatan Rakyat politicians claimed that most of the protesters are not from Section 23 where the temple is to be relocated while Hindraf claimed it was “absurd and nonsensical” for the police to need a report to investigate the incident.

Others claim it could be a plot to undermine and topple the Pakatan Rakyat government that has been beset with allegations of corruption and divisions over the sale of beer in convenience outlets.

“It looks like conspiracy to show Pakatan’s incompetence in handling race relations,” a Pakatan Rakyat politician told The Malaysian Insider.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has ordered the police to quickly nip the situation in the bud to prevent it blooming into a full-scale racial conflict as criticism mounted over their inaction in the face of the fiery protest.

Dozens of riot police stood by and watched as protesters brought the severed cow-head to the Selangor state secretariat and stomped on it.

The act, which is offensive to Hindus who regard the cow as sacred, was carried out by a group of 50 protesters who oppose the relocation of the Sri Mahamariamman Temple to Section 23 to Section 19, claiming the area is mainly occupied by Malay-Muslims.

The 150-year-old temple was built on a plantation which over the years was developed into housing estates by the Selangor Development Corporation (PKNS). No provisions were made to relocate the temple, which is now in the middle of a Muslim majority area.

The previous Barisan Nasional administration had planned to relocate the temple to an industrial site in Section 22 but the location was deemed too far away.

After their win in Election 2008, the Pakatan state government decided to move the temple to Section 23 which they felt was more suitable as 40 per cent of its residents are Hindus.

Residents there who are opposed to the temple relocation initially said it should not be built there because it has a 60 per cent Malay majority, a figure which subsequently became 70 per cent and, today, it’s 90 per cent.

The outlawed Hindraf movement, however, has claimed that Najib’s Umno is stirring the racial pot with the protest.

“Hindraf believes Umno and their cohorts in the Royal Police Force (PDRM) organised this act that is inflammatory with an intention to incite and create racial hatred and feelings between the Muslims and Hindus,” exiled Hindraf president P. Waytha Moorthy said in a statement.

He railed against the police, particularly Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar’s statement that action would be taken “if a report is lodged”.

“Here we are talking about an outright and outrageous act in fanning racial hatred that could threaten the public security and he claims he needs a police report before an action can be taken.

“The police had on many previous occasions brutally arrested and questioned peaceful protesters without any reasons … but now they would need a report before they can take any action against those inciting violence and parading in the public with a severed cow’s head to hurt the sensitivity of the Hindus. This is absurd and nonsensical,” he said.

Waytha Moorty said Umno and its “stooges” were practising double standards, adding Hindraf believed it was the work of the Umno government to create unrest in Selangor.

“Instead of promoting harmony amongst Malaysians, Umno is fast becoming the public threat by protecting such devious and extremist acts,” the lawyer said.

He also said if the Attorney-General’s Chambers failed to charge these perpetrators, Hindraf would proceed to formally lodge complaints with the UN Human Rights Council, European Parliament, UK Foreign affairs select committee and the Global Human Rights Defence based in The Hague.

He also called for a peaceful candlelight vigil at the Dataran Merdeka on Sept 5 to protest the incident.