Six charged with sedition over cow-head protests

(The Malaysian Insider) SHAH ALAM, Sept 9 – Six men were charged under the Sedition Act this morning for being part of the cow head protest against the construction of a Hindu temple, in a case that has taken on wider political ramifications and provoked debate about the state of race relations in Malaysia.

Some of the accused and their counsel discussing in the court corridor. – Picture by Jack Ooi

They were also charged with another six men for taking part in an illegal assembly.

Officials said five of the six men charged for sedition were residents of the Section 23 neighbourhood. Of the six others facing illegal assembly charges, only one of them is a Section 23 resident.

On Aug 28, more than 50 people claiming to be residents of Section 23 here 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 at a cow’s head, drawing widespread public condemnation because the animal is considered sacred by Hindus.

Federal leaders had initially sought to play down the issue, with Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein even meeting the protestors and speaking up for them.

Many of the residents who opposed the temple could come up with little justification for their opposition, except to say that it offended their Muslim sensitivities.

But the situation came to a head when a group of Malay-Muslim men disrupted a town hall meeting with residents organised by the state government.

The pandemonium that erupted at the town hall meeting saw heated arguments between Malay and Indian neighbours.

This week the government bowed to pressure and decided to prosecute some of the protestors.

The six charged for sedition this morning pleaded not guilty, and bail was set at RM4,000 each.

They will next appear in court on Oct 21 for their cases to be mentioned.

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