CM: Pig's head in mosque aims to stoke tension

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has condemned the act of placing a pig's head at the entrance to the Nurul Iman Mosque in Rawang, Selangor.

Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, described it as an "insensitive act of cowardice and provocation, designed to stoke racial and religious sentiments" ahead of the coming general election.

The DAP strongly condemns the incident as there is no room in Malaysia for such "indiscriminate and disgusting acts" that go against the peace-loving and multi-cultural nature of its people.

"We urge Malaysians to remain calm and not to overreact as this incident was clearly the doing of certain quarters with despicable intentions," Lim said in a statement today.

"However, the perpetrators will fail to achieve their evil goals because Malaysians have learned not only to live with but to celebrate the cultural and religious differences in our society," he added.

"We will not let decades of peace be undone by the cowardly actions of extremists and bigots."

'Act politically motivated'

According to PKR Rawang assemblyperson Gan Pei Nei, the pig's head was found at 5am by a mosque committee member when the main gate was opened. She described the act as "politically motivated".

Gombak district police chief Abdul Rahim Abdullah said that police were investigating the matter under Section 295 of the Penal Code, which deals with the defilement of places of worship with intent to insult the religion.

Lim also called on all parties to unite in condemning the desecration and defilement of any place of religious worship, be it a mosque, church or temple.

He expressed hope that the government would act immediately against the culprits.