Shah Alam MP blames Umno for cow-head protest
Noh Omar had made at least one visit to the proposed temple site in August and told the media that he would seek an injunction to stop the relocation adding that the Selangor government was going against the Federal Constitution by ignoring the sensitivities of Muslims, who make up the majority of residents in Section 23.
By Lee Wei Lian, The Malaysian Insider
Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad has blamed Umno for the shocking display of bigotry two days ago, saying the brother of the local Umno chief was one of those carrying the cow’s head to protest relocating a Hindu temple.
The PAS man’s allegation comes in the wake of accusations by other Pakatan Rakyat leaders that Umno is trying to destabilise the state government by using race baiting tactics such as painting the Malay-Muslim community as under siege from non Malays.
“I am very sure Umno is behind it,” Khalid told The Malaysian Insider today referring to the protest.
A group, claiming to be Muslim residents of Section 23 in Shah Alam, the new site of the temple which is to be relocated, held a demonstration outside the Selangor state secretariat, dragging a severed cow-head, an animal sacred in Hinduism, which they stomped and spat under the gaze of the riot police.
Some Section 23 residents have also accused Khalid, who is well known for his inclusive views, of lying and say they are fed-up with his calls for religious tolerance and accused him of neglecting the Muslim community.
But Khalid said that he had met the residents in June over the proposed temple relocation and thinks Umno has since then inflamed the sentiments of the residents.
He cited the actions of Datuk Noh Omar, the Umno state deputy liaison chairman and Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister, as the catalyst for the residents’ recent inflammatory protest.
Noh had made at least one visit to the proposed temple site in August and told the media that he would seek an injunction to stop the relocation adding that the Selangor government was going against the Federal Constitution by ignoring the sensitivities of Muslims, who make up the majority of residents in Section 23.
Khalid claimed that the brother of Shah Alam Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Nawawi was one of the two men who were caught on video carrying the cow head.
