Malaysia to prosecute anti-Hindu protestors

Malaysia will charge protestors who indulged in an act hurtful to the sentiments of the Hindu community in the controversial demonstration against the relocation of a century-old temple in a Muslim majority neighbourhood. The demonstrators will be charged with sedition and illegal assembly.

A group of Muslim residents of the Shah Alam suburb in Selangor state marched to the secretariat building to protest against the temple relocation on August 28 and indulged in an act hurting the sentiments of the minority Hindu community.

Attorney General Abdul Gani said the police had personally submitted the investigation papers to him on Monday, and 'I am satisfied the demonstrators should be taken to court'.

Inspector General of Police Musa Hassan said the police were serious about taking action against protesters who offended the people of other faiths and will push for 'deterrent sentences'. 'We will not tolerate such incidents that can spark racial tension,' he said.

On August 28, some 50 people marched to the gates of the state secretariat building to protest against the relocation of the 100-year-old Sri Mahamariamman temple. They warned of further action if the temple was built in their area, local media reports said. The manner of the protest drew criticism from various parties for insulting religious sensitivities.

Last

week, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak said he would leave it to the attorney general to determine if there were any violations of the law when the residents staged the protest.

In an immediate response to the attorney general's decision, Hindu Sangam adviser A Vaithilingam said: "The move to charge the culprits is a good step."

Coalition of Malaysian Indian NGOs secretary Gunaraj George said the decision to prosecute would help ease the hurt felt by the Hindu community while chairman of the action committee for the August 28 protest, Mahayuddin Manaf, said he respected the decision to prosecute those responsible.

Malaysian Indian Associated Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry president K K Eswaran said: "This is a stern reminder that the government does not condone actions which disrupt harmony among the various races in the country."

The Malaysian Chinese Association NGO Liaison Bureau welcomed the decision to charge the protesters saying the incident went against the Malaysian political culture of consensus building in a legal and peaceful manner. Bureau chairman Ti Lian Ker said in a statement: 'Of late, we have seen Malaysians developing a tendency to resort to mob antics and violence to express themselves. "This trend of violence in whatever name must be stopped and there should no justification given. An offence is still an offence.'