Media Statement by Lim Kit Siang in Petaling Jaya on Monday, 7^th September 2009: 

Hishammuddin just does not get it – that he is accused of double police standards illustrated by the instant police arrest of 16 persons for peaceful candlelight protest at Dataran Merdeka on Saturday night while cow-head protestors are still scotfree 10 days after the Shah Alam sacrilege

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein protests too much. He said he has evidence that the cow-head protestors involved both members of the Barisan Nasional (BN) and the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) parties of PKR and PAS.

Hishammuddin just does not get it – that he is accused of double police standards illustrated by the instant police arrest of 16 persons for peaceful candlelight protest at Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday night while cow-head protestors are still scotfree 10 days after the Shah Alam sacrilege.

Hishammuddin’s latest claim that the cow-head protestors come from both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat parties, which is not proven, does not answer the charge that the Home Minister and the Police had failed their most elementary duty of being independent, impartial and professional in discharge policing duties which is not influenced by any personal, party or political bias.

Why is the Police still tip-toeing over the cow-head protest in Shah Alam on August 28, which not only put Malaysia in the dock of world opinion with adverse international media reports scaring off intending investors with the spectre that Malaysia is on the verge of greater racial and religious polarisation and intolerance, but spoilt the national mood for the 52nd National Day celebrations three days later.

Is this because of Hishammuddin’s earlier defence and justification for the cow-head protestors?

Can Hishammuddin and the Police explain why they had no time for niceties when arresting 16 peaceful candlelight protestors at Dataran Merdeka on Saturday night as compared to the kids-glove “special treatment” for the cow-head protestors, enjoying immunity and impunity for their deplorable action in the past 10 days?

If Hishammuddin is right that the cow-head protestors come not only from Barisan Nasional but also from Pakatan Rakyat, then all those guilty of the religious sacrilege to Hinduism which is a sacrilege to all religions in plural Malaysia, then let actions be taken against all the culprits concerned!

*Lim Kit Siang, DAP Parliamentary leader & MP for Ipoh Timor