Certain quarters trying to stir it up

Severed wild-boar heads were dumped in the premises of two mosques along Old Klang Road in Petaling Jaya at dawn today, a Selangor state exco member confirmed.

Khairy with a few Umno Youth leaders at the Bkt Sentosa Mosque – Photo posted by Zuhri, retweeted by Khairy

Social reform movement Aliran has expressed outrage over the incidents.

News of the sacrilege broke when Batu MP Tian Chua and Umno Youth leader Khairy Jamaluddin both twittered about the incidents that took place at the Al Imam Al Tirmizi Mosque in Taman Seri Sentosa and the Jumhuriyah Mosque in Taman Dato’ Haron, about two kilometres apart.

News reports said that four wild boar heads – two at each mosque – wrapped in plastic rice bags were found. At each mosque, a bucket was placed next to the severed heads with about RM30-RM40 in cash strewn around.

“According to a local Dan Brown, it’s an underworld message,” said Khairy, who warned Malaysians not to fall into the perpetrators’ trap. “Whatever the motives, I’m afraid the nuances of moderation will be lost on the mob. Leadership. Now.”

Khairy later visited the Kg Medan mosque and walked around the area talking to residents. He appealed for calm and met the local PKR MP and Pas supporters, urging everyone to work together. “I will be calling my counterparts from Pas, PKR and DAP to ask for a common statement with BN Youth condemning all attacks on places of worship.”

Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar urged the government to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate recent attacks and desecration of places of worship.

The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) condemned the latest incidents in a statement. They “demonstrate how sick perpetrators of such acts can be and to what extent they are willing to go to cause hurt and harm to religious communities.

“Their end is to drive a wedge between religious communities in the country,” said its president Rev Dr Thomas Philips. “We who are law-abiding citizens must not allow them to succeed in their wicked mission.”

The other disturbing news is that 10 people, including nine foreigners, were detained under the ISA last Thursday for alleged involvement in terror activities.

Certain quarters appear bent on inciting religious hatred. So Malaysians, please don’t fall into their trap as they become increasingly desperate to break our unity.

We are a lot more mature now as a nation and we can sense the agenda behind many of these recent incidents.

Those responsible obviously do not want the people to remain united, and they are trying all sorts of despicable stunts to break that unity.

So far, Malaysians have shown exemplary restraint in the face of such provocative acts since 8 January. Let’s hope that restraint continues.

This brings the tally of religious sites affected since 8 January to 18.

1. Metro Tabernacle Church (Assemblies of God) in Desa Melawati – molotov cocktail damages administrative wing (8 Jan)
2. Assumption Church (Catholic) in Jalan Templar – molotov cocktail hurled on pavement in front of church fails to explode (8 Jan)
3. Life Chapel (evangelical Brethren) in Section 17, PJ – molotov cocktail slightly damages porch (8 Jan)
4. Good Shepherd Church (Lutheran) in PJ old town – firebomb misses window, scorches outer wall, minimal damage (8 Jan)
5. Surau in Taman Menara Maju in Jalan Kampung Jawa, Klang – sliding door shattered (police report lodged on 9 January)
6. All Saints’ Church (Anglican) in Taiping – two molotov cocktails scorch stair case leading to main entrance and side porch (9 Jan)
7. Convent school (Catholic) in Taiping – molotov cocktail, probably meant for St Louis’ Church (Catholic) next door, breaks guard-house window (9 Jan)
8. Malacca Baptist Church (Baptist) in Durian Daun – smeared with black paint (9 Jan)
9. Good Shepherd Church (Anglican) in Lutong, Miri – stones shatter window panes (9 Jan)
10. Sidang Injil Borneo Church (Borneo Evangelical Mission) in Seremban – front doors scorched (10 Jan)
11. Gurdwara Sahib (Sikh) in Sentul – stones flung, mirror at entrance cracked and wall chipped (12 Jan)
12. St Elizabeth’s Church (Catholic) in Kota Kecil, Johor – packets of red paint hurled, splattering the main gate, the grounds inside, a wall and a statue (14 Jan)
13. Grace Global Prayer Church in Rasah, Seremban – two window panes found broken (15 Jan)
14. Mosque in Kota Samarahan, Sarawak – broken glass found near outside wall (16 Jan)
15. Sirratulrahim Surau in Kampung Sabak Awor, Muar – fire damages curtain, window shattered (21 Jan)
16. Surau in Parit Beting, Muar – fire damages the women’s prayer section, carpeting and a door (21 Jan)
17. Jumhuriyah Mosque in Taman Dato’ Haron, Old Klang Road, Petaling Jaya – two wild-boar heads found next to a bucket near a gate to the premises with RM30-40 in cash strewn around (27 Jan)
18. Al Imam Al Tirmizi Mosque in Taman Seri Sentosa, Old Klang Road, Petaling Jaya – two wild-boar heads were found next to a bucket in the car park area with RM30-40 in bank notes scattered around (27 Jan)