Cow head mystery

“There is no point in us apologising as it was not our work. The cow head was brought in by an individual and we don’t know that person.”

AHMAD Mahyuddin Abdul Manaf, Section 23 residents’ association action committee chairperson, who headed the 28 Aug 2009 demonstration against the relocation of a Hindu temple from Section 19, Shah Alam. Protesters had gathered outside the Selangor state secretariat, bringing along a severed cow head, which they stomped and spat on while riot police watched and did nothing. (Source: Malaysian Muslim ‘cow head’ demo criticised, AFP, 30 Aug 2009)

“[O]ther groups came along and claimed they wanted to support our protest, and chose to march together with the residents’ committee to the state secretariat building … We could not stop them. But the next thing you know, there was a cow head among us.”

Sharel Mohd Nor, a fellow Section 23 resident and protester, on how the cow head mysteriously appeared. (Source: Cow head controversy: a puzzle, Malay Mail, 1 Sept 2009)

“There was no intention on their part to cause racial divide. They, the organisers, who are sitting left and right of me, didn’t even know that somebody was going to bring the head of the cow during that demonstration.”

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, defending the cow-head protesters whom he met in his office on 2 Sept 2009. Hishammuddin, who is also Umno vice-president, said the demonstrators acted the way they did because they felt “victimised” and “only wanted their voices to be heard”. Unfortunately, he added, they received “negative publicity” for their actions. (Source: Hisham defends cow-head protesters, The Malaysian Insider, 2 Sept 2009)

“I am very sure Umno is behind it.”

PAS’s Shah Alam Member of Parliament Khalid Samad, on who he thinks is most likely responsible for the fiasco that made international headlines. Khalid said he met the residents in June on the issue of the temple relocation, and claims that Umno has since inflamed the residents. Khalid alleged that the brother of Shah Alam Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Nawawi was one of the two men caught on video carrying the cow head. (Source: Shah Alam MP blames Umno for cow-head protest, The Malaysian Insider, 30 Aug 2009)

Khalid also alluded that the police were in cahoots with Umno. Hishammuddin said Khalid’s accusation was serious and aimed at discrediting the police force. Hishammuddin also said the government would not bow to pressure and vowed to take action against those involved in the protest.

“I also think it is Khalid Samad’s idea to relocate the temple here to provoke racial tensions among the residents of Section 23 … I have Malay, Indian and Chinese [Malaysian] neighbours, and we are all close. But this incident has somewhat soured the relationship between us.”

Jamil Mohd Isa, entrepreneur and Section 23 resident, on who he thinks the culprit really is. The Malay Mail report, however, said police sources knew who the “cow head” culprits really were, but could not make any arrests because investigations were still underway. (Source: Cow head controversy: a puzzle, Malay Mail, 1 Sept 2009)

Police have since completed their investigations, and submitted their findings to the Attorney-General on 3 Sept.

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