PETALING JAYA, Sept 3- Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir threw his support today behind his Umno colleague Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein ‘s for defending the cow-head protestors of Section 23 in Shah Alam.
“The Home Ministry has taken some firm action and it is now up to the police to decide what to do next.
“Measures have to be taken in order to avoid things like this from happening again,” said the son of the former prime minister.
According to Mukhriz, the Home Minister made the right decision in suggesting the protestors should not be penalised.
“We have to avoid incidents that can possibly lead to or cause any racial tension. The issue of race and religion has always been a sensitive issue here in Malaysia,” Mukhriz said, suggesting that a move to charge the protestors would only cause more ‘public unrest.’
He also lashed out at Selangor Pakatan Rakyat and how they were handling the Section 23 issue.
“Barisan National has been handling sensitive issues for 52 years, and we have been handling it well. Selangor Pakatan government is only one year old, and for a new state not to be able to deal with problems that have cropped up in under one term of office, then that says it all.
“Everything that Pakatan Rakyat has said is propaganda in order to gain power. When power is given, they fall apart. Leadership is responsibility,” said Mukhriz.
Last Friday a group claiming to be Muslim residents of Section 23 in Shah Alam, the new site of a Hindu temple, held a demonstration outside the Selangor State Secretariat by dragging a severed cow-head, a sacred animal in Hinduism, which they stomped on and spat at under the presence who the riot police.
The police did not take any action.
The act was carried out by a group of 50 protestors who oppose the relocation of the Sri Mahamariamman Temple to Section 23 from Section 19, claiming that the housing area is predominantly Muslim.
A check last week has since shown that the neighbourhood is multi-racial, with Indians making up more than a quarter of those who live there.
The 150-year old temple was built on a plantation which over the years was developed into housing areas by the Selangor Development Corporation (PKNS). No provisions were made to relocate the temple, which currently stands in a Muslim-majority area.
The Home Minister said yesterday that the residents of Section 23 should not be charged as they only wanted their voices to be heard but it was unfortunate that “the publicity they received was negative as it was linked with racial and religious sentiments.”
Hishamuddin’s stand on the matter has been criticized by many, most notably top Pakatan Rakyat leaders who have since called for Hishammuddin to be sacked from the Cabinet.
MI
03/09/09
“The Home Ministry has taken some firm action and it is now up to the police to decide what to do next.
“Measures have to be taken in order to avoid things like this from happening again,” said the son of the former prime minister.
According to Mukhriz, the Home Minister made the right decision in suggesting the protestors should not be penalised.
“We have to avoid incidents that can possibly lead to or cause any racial tension. The issue of race and religion has always been a sensitive issue here in Malaysia,” Mukhriz said, suggesting that a move to charge the protestors would only cause more ‘public unrest.’
He also lashed out at Selangor Pakatan Rakyat and how they were handling the Section 23 issue.
“Barisan National has been handling sensitive issues for 52 years, and we have been handling it well. Selangor Pakatan government is only one year old, and for a new state not to be able to deal with problems that have cropped up in under one term of office, then that says it all.
“Everything that Pakatan Rakyat has said is propaganda in order to gain power. When power is given, they fall apart. Leadership is responsibility,” said Mukhriz.
Last Friday a group claiming to be Muslim residents of Section 23 in Shah Alam, the new site of a Hindu temple, held a demonstration outside the Selangor State Secretariat by dragging a severed cow-head, a sacred animal in Hinduism, which they stomped on and spat at under the presence who the riot police.
The police did not take any action.
The act was carried out by a group of 50 protestors who oppose the relocation of the Sri Mahamariamman Temple to Section 23 from Section 19, claiming that the housing area is predominantly Muslim.
A check last week has since shown that the neighbourhood is multi-racial, with Indians making up more than a quarter of those who live there.
The 150-year old temple was built on a plantation which over the years was developed into housing areas by the Selangor Development Corporation (PKNS). No provisions were made to relocate the temple, which currently stands in a Muslim-majority area.
The Home Minister said yesterday that the residents of Section 23 should not be charged as they only wanted their voices to be heard but it was unfortunate that “the publicity they received was negative as it was linked with racial and religious sentiments.”
Hishamuddin’s stand on the matter has been criticized by many, most notably top Pakatan Rakyat leaders who have since called for Hishammuddin to be sacked from the Cabinet.
MI
03/09/09
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