Clip shows UMNO-backed MP insulting Hindu deities

UMNO-backed member of parliament Zulkifli Noordin's public insult to the Hindu religion as captured on a video clip now available on YouTube has been condemned by PKR vice president N Surendran.

"The words uttered by Zulkifli Noordin amount to one of the worst ever attacks upon a major religion in this country," said Surendran in a statement to Harakahdaily today.

The five-and-half minute undated clip (see here) shows Zulkifli (right), sacked in 2010 by PKR and who was subsequently appointed as BN ally Perkasa's vice president, mocking Hindu deities.

In it, he recalled his conversation with a man in Jalan Masjid India, whose shop selling Hindu religious paraphernalia had been destroyed by flood water. Zulkifli mocked the seller by asking him why the Hindu deities in the shop did not protect it from flood.

Among others, Zulkifli, using a familiar accent to mock Malaysian Indians, described one of the Hindu deities as "tuhan kepala gajah".

"The more sophisticated one even has a blinking LED light," he told his audience, before recounting his conversation with the seller on the damage to his business.

"Tuhan pun kena ka? (Was God also destroyed?)" he asked the Hindu business owner. "Apa macam tuhan pun kena? (How come God was affected too?)"

He said people were jostling to buy damaged statues being sold at discount, including a lady who bought the elephant deity, or 'Ganesha', which had a broken trunk.

"I asked her why buy this damaged god, she replied, 'Never mind, I will go home and stick a plaster to it'.

"Their god has to be plastered!" Zuklifli jested, greeted by laughter from the audience.

"They knew it's stupid," he added.

Second attack by UMNO spokesman

Zulkifli then went on to mock the Ganges River, believed by Hindus to be sacred, as well as the tradition of coconut-breaking.

Surendran (left) said Zulkifli's speech was not only an offence under section 298A of the Penal Code for causing disharmony, feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will, but also a "vicious attack" on Malaysian Indians, the majority of whom are Hindus.

"This vicious attack by Zulkifli Noordin is a great affront to Malaysian Indians, the majority of whom are practising Hindus.

"We call upon the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney General to immediately investigate and charge Zulkifli Noordin under section 298A. PM Najib Razak's continued protection and support to his close ally PERKASA and its members such as Zulkifli Noordin proves the dishonesty and emptiness of BN's 1Malaysia slogan," said Surendran.

The remark by Zulkifli is the second by an UMNO propagandist directed at Hinduism.

Last month, Chinese-Muslim convert Ridhuan Tee Abdullah, a virulently pro-UMNO spokesman who appears on government-organised religious talk shows, made fun of the Hindu festival of Thaipusam, complaining of the traffic congestions caused by it.

Ridhuan's remark, which appeared in his article published by Sinar Harian, prompted a strong response from Vell Paari, the son of the former MIC strongman Samy Vellu, who threatened to quit the Indian-only party if the government failed to take action. At press time, however, Vell is still a member of MIC.

Though Islam is strongly opposed to any form of idol-worship, the Qur'an explicitly warns Muslims against insulting other religions, particularly deities worshipped by non-Muslims.

"And do not insult those they invoke other than Allah, lest they insult Allah in enmity without knowledge. Thus We have made pleasing to every community their deeds," runs verse 108 in Surah al-An'am of the Qur'an.  -HD