Chaotic town hall meet produces no solution

By Neville Spykerman and Syed Jaymal Zahiid - The Malaysian Insider

MBSA officers step in to separate protesters as arguments become heated at the town hall meeting. — Picture by Jack Ooi

SHAH ALAM, Sept 5 — The town hall meeting called today by Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim to hold dialogue over the recent cow-head protest controversy descended into chaos, with around 300 residents from Section 23 jeering and mocking the meeting.

Proceedings barely got off the ground before the protesters started shouting and booing at Khalid, along with Khalid Samad (MP for Shah Alam), and Shah Alam mayor Mazalan Md Noor.

Despite calls for calm, the ruckus continued with the upset residents yelling “Penipu!” (liar!) and “Bodoh!” (stupid!) each time Khalid attempted to address them.

Tempers frayed at one point, with rowdy protesters standing on their chairs while shouting.

One Indian Section 23 resident confronted a cow-head protester, prompting MBSA enforcement officers to step in to defuse the situation.

Tensions appeared to ease after that, but the protesters started to get worked up again when Batu Tiga state assemblyman Rodziah Ismail took to the podium. The residents accused her of ignoring their views when planning the relocation of the temple, pelting her with shouts of “Tipu!”

Khalid Ibrahim has said the state government will now reconsider the location of the temple, and that the state development board (PKNS) would need to come up with an amicable solution. This did not placate the irate residents any.

The situation deteriorated further when protesters insulted an Indian attendee, telling him Indians could easily stand listening to the “azan” (Muslim call to prayers) five times daily. This triggered another round of altercations even as the mentri besar plead for calm.

Neighbours went at each other over the now-controversial relocation of the Sri Mahamariamman Temple. — Picture by Jack Ooi

He asked all parties to halt arguing over the issue, saying he would seek out their views personally before making a final decision on the matter.

Proceedings kept being halted by shouting protesters, who made up one-third of the attendees. Around 40 Indian residents from Section 23, who are in favour of the temple relocating there, were also at the meeting.

With no clear outcome possible from the emotionally-charged meet, aides led the mentri besar away. The meeting ended with the situation exactly as it was, with no resolution in sight.

Last Friday, a group of 50 protesters from the Section 23 area in Shah Alam held a demonstration in front of the state secretariat building to protest the planned relocation of the 150-year-old Sri Mahamariamman Temple to Section 23 from Section 19. They brandished a severed head of a cow at the protest.

The 150-year-old temple was built on a plantation which over the years was developed into housing estates by the Selangor Development Corporation (PKNS). No provisions were made to relocate the temple, which is now in the middle of a Muslim majority area.