KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 24 — Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mujahid Yusof Rawa has urged the authorities to take swift action and put an end to alleged attempts to stoke religious tension.
Mujahid’s remark follows the discovery of two small figurines of Hindu deities at a mosque in Klang on Saturday, three days after a Chinese deity statue known as ‘Datuk Gong’ was found on a railing at the main entrance.
“So once again I would like to stress that police must take swift action because if we allow this matter to continue, it could trigger a lot of provocation.
“We don’t want to see our country being tarnished by such acts,” he was quoted by Malaysiakini after attending a Chinese New Year event hosted by the Malaysian Chinese Muslim Association in Subang Jaya here today.
He said he hoped those responsible will be arrested soon to show the government’s commitment to protect the sanctity of places of worships, particularly mosques and suraus.
Yesterday Klang Selatan police chief Assistant Commissioner Shamsul Amar Ramli said police did not discount the act was the work of mentally deranged persons.
Police also said the owner of the ‘Datuk Gong’ statue had lodged a report after it was stolen from a shrine belonging to the owner about 50 metres from the mosque.
Both cases have been classified under Section 295 of the Penal Code for defiling a place of worship with intent to insult.
