PEOPLE'S POWER

SHAH ALAM - The infamous 12 "cow-head" protesters have become creative with their tactic. They are now stomping on a poster with the pictures of DAP leaders stuck on cows.

The stomping session was done outside the Sessions Court here after their case was fixed for April 12.

In what many see as a publicity stunt, they displayed a banner with the photos of the heads of DAP leaders Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng and Nga Kor Ming stuck on the bodies of cows in front of news photographers.

They also told reporters that they would be lodging a police report later today against the DAP for questioning Malay rights.

Sessions court judge Hasbi Hassan had earlier fixed the case to be heard over five days between April 12 and April 16 next year.

Incident sparked furore

Six of the 12 have been charged for sedition and illegal assembly while the remaining six for illegal assembly in the cow head protest against the construction of a Hindu temple, which provoked a furore and a debate about the state of race relations in Malaysia.

All 12 were represented by Hashim Ibrahim while Razali Che Ani appeared for the prosecution.

On Aug 28, more than 50 people claiming to be residents of Section 23 in Shah Alam marched from the state mosque to the state secretariat to protest the relocation of a 150-year old temple to their neighbourhood.

They threatened bloodshed, and kicked and spat on a cow's head, drawing widespread public condemnation because the animal is considered sacred by Hindus.

Upping the ante

Having not finished with their tantrums, leaders of the 'cow-head' protesters upped ante by categorising Malays and non-Malays as first and second class citizens later.

Ahmad Mahayuddin Abd Manaf, 36, made the remarks outside the district police headquarters after lodging a police report against DAP's M. Kulasegaran, who said in Parliament last week that the concept of Malay supremacy ran contrary to the prime minister's 1 Malaysia slogan.

He added that that Tanah Melayu is a historic fact, which meant that Malays are the original people.

Ahmad Mahayuddin is one of six charged earlier with illegal assembly and sedition for the Aug 28 cow head protest. Six others were charged with illegal assembly.

MM

08/12/09