SHAH ALAM, July 27 — A man was jailed a week and fined RM3,000 today for being part of last year’s racially-charged cow-head protest here.
Eyzva Ezhar Ramly, 31 was charged under the Section 4(1)(a) of the Sedition Act 1948 for “inciting racial animosity with carrying a cow-head” along with the another accused (Mohd Azmir Mohd Zain).
Eyzva will only begin serving his one week prison sentence on August 4 as he is currently in prison for an unrelated offence.
Mohd Azmir was also charged under the same act for carrying and stepping on a cow-head with “the intention to create racial tension”. Cows are considered a sacred animal to Hindus.
Mohd Azmir was fined RM3,000.
Both pleaded guilty to the charges today.
Meanwhile four others who were also originally charged under the Sedition Act were given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal after they pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Ahmad Suhairy Zakaria, 30, Mohd Hilmi Ni, 40, Ibrahim Sabri, 43 and Ahmad Mahayuddin, 36 were discharged as the prosecution team led by deputy public prosecutor Ishak Mohd Yusoff decided not to present any further evidence against them.
They were part of a group of 12 men charged for various offences in connection with the protest against the construction of a Hindu temple in their neighbourhood.
All 12 pleaded guilty at the Sessions Court here today to being part of an illegal assembly.
They were all fined RM1,000 for the illegal assembly offence.
“Even though this is the first offence, what is said by the deputy public prosecutor was right as we have to always take into account the situation in this country.
“Malaysia is a multi-racial country, racial sensitivities have to be taken care of and accorded for. I hope the ones accused will be more mindful and understanding of this in the future,” said Judge Hasbi Hasan.
The 12 were part of a group which brought a cow’s head to the gate of the state secretariat building on August 28 last year to protest the construction of a temple in their mainly Muslim-Malay neighbourhood.
They were protesting the relocation of a 150-year-old Sri Maha Mariamman Hindu temple from Section 19 to their neighbourhood in Section 23.
The 12 are Ahmad Mahayuddin, Ibrahim, Eyzva, Mohd Azmir, Ahmad Suhairy, Mohd Hilmi, Jainuddin @ Zainuddin Md Yusuff, 67, Mohd Jurit Ramli, 39, Mohamad Nordin Zakaria, 46, Jamil Mohamad Isa, 40, Rahimuddin Md Harun, 39, and Azhari Shaari, 39.
