Media Statement by Lim Kit Siang in Petaling Jaya on Saturday, 12^th September 2009: 

Najib will have to explain in Parliament next month why Hishammuddin is not prosecuted for incitement and sedition in initially protecting the cow-head protestors if Malaysiakini is charged for cowhead protest video clips

I am giving notice that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak will have to explain in Parliament next month why the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein is not charged for incitement and sedition in initially defending and justifying the cow-head protest in Shah Alam section 23 three days before National Day, committing the crime of ultimate religious insensitivity and sacrilege, if Malaysiakini is charged for showing the cowhead protest video clips.

The Malaysiakini video clips of the cowhead protests is highly offensive, not because of the news portal but because of the action of the irresponsible people who showed utter contempt for the sensitivities and sensibilities in a plural society as well as a top Cabinet Minister who could be guilty of such offensive conduct as to defend and justify such protest.

The cowhead protestors should be prosecuted. Even the Home Minister should be prosecuted. But it would not enter into any sensible, rational and reasonable person’s mind that Malaysiakini should be prosecuted – except those who have an axe to grind in wanting to penalize the news portal for the audacity of reporting the truth!

It was as a result of intensifying and irresistible public pressures that the culprits responsible for the cowhead sacrilege in Shah Alam were charged in court, but they comported themselves as if they were national heroes with the support of Umno leaders!

Former Selangor Mentri besar Datuk Mohd Khir Toyo had been highly offensive and insensitive when he used the language of “stupid cow”. Are Umno leaders immune from action for such insensitive and offensive conduct?

Deputy Minister for Information, Communication and Culture Joseph Salang Gandum cannot be more wrong when he said that the public expect action to be taken against Malaysiakini by the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) for the videoclips.

MCMC will go the way of the Police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in having its institutional independence, impartiality and professionalism doubted if it embarks on the road to become Umno/Barisan Nasional catspaw in a campaign of selective prosecution against Malaysiakini and independent news portals or websites over the cowhead videoclips.

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