-M.Kulasegaran, MP. October 19, 2013.

It was reported in Malaysiakini that a primary school in Kuala Lumpur slaughtered a number of cows in its compound two days ago during school hours, prompting complaints of insensitivity by non-Muslim parents.

One parent, S Dineswary told Malaysiakini that according to her daughter, an adult cow and a calf were ceremonially slaughtered in the morning for a feast later that day in conjunction with Aidiladha celebrations.

Two years ago, the Malaysian Consultative Council for Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taosim(MCCBCHST) in a statement called on the authorities to put a halt to the practice of slaughtering cows in schools and other public places.

The organisation expressed concern that the ritual of sacrificing cows – held as sacred by Hindus – had been proposed to be held on the premises of at least two schools in Kuala Lumpur. The ritual sacrifice planned was cancelled for reasons of inadequate facilities.

That such an incident could happen again in a school compound where there are multi racial children is baffling and totally unacceptable.

Is the headmaster ignorant of the fact that cows are venerated by the Hindus? If so, then he or she is certainly unfit to be in the teaching profession!

There is no reason that can justify for such ritual sacrifice to be carried out in a school compound, especially in a national school where there are multi racial children.

Malaysia is a multi racial and multi religious society and it is important that sensitivities must be respected.  The Education Ministry must take stern action against the school for failing to respect the sensitivity of non Muslims.

In 2007, in appreciation of the former Prime Minister Abdullah’s marriage , some BN MPs decided to slaughter cows in Malaysian Parliament grounds.

I raised this matter and criticised the open slaughter of cows and turning Parliament into an abattoir and the failure to be sensitive to Hindus. 

Dewan Speaker  Ramli said cows were slaughtered everywhere. He was then asked if some “other” animals were also slaughtered in Parliament grounds, would this be acceptable?  He didn’t respond to this suggestion. But the open slaughtering has stopped since then.

I shall raise this issue of cow slaughtering in school compound in the forthcoming Parliament to ensure that the government will take the necessary steps to ensure that such ritual sacrifice will never again be carried out in a school compound.  

———————————News report inMalaysia Kini 2007—————

There was a mass slaughter on the Parliament grounds today and several MPs saw red, both literally and figuratively, over the incident.

Those responsible, the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BBC), claimed that it was done with good intentions but some of their peers begged to differ. 

Under tents set up at the motorcycle parking zone, six cows and 10 goats were slaughtered for a dinner function tonight. 

The dinner, scheduled to take place at the Parliament’s banquet hall, is to celebrate Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s marriage to Jeanne Abdullah last month. 

In the Dewan Rakyat, opposition MPs aired their disapproval over the ‘bloodshed’ and accused their BN counterparts of ignoring the sensitivity of other religions. 

“This is the first time such an incident has happened in Parliament. Furthermore, cows are sacred to Hindus,” lamented M Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat). 

However, Speaker Ramli Ngah Talib reasoned that “it (slaughtering) is a common practice and not unusual during dinners.”

Following this, Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah) said she was shocked when she saw the animals being brought into the Parliament grounds in a truck. 

“If it a common practice, will it be acceptable for other MPs to slaughter ‘other’ animals here?” she asked. 

Kulasegaran then urged the House speaker not to allow such an incident to recur and Ramli promised to look into it. 

BBC chief grilled 

Meanwhile, BBC chairperson Raja Ahmad Zainuddin Raja Omar (BN-Larut) explained that the dinner was organised with good intentions and BBC never meant to hurt anyone. 

“This is first time that a PM has married. In fact this is history and we are celebrating the wedding,” he said, adding that the meat would also be given as alms to nearby mosques. 

“We did it with noble intentions,” he said, adding that prior approval was obtained from Parliament officials to carry out the slaughter. 

“We are parliamentarians. Where else can we organize the dinner if not in Parliament? Is it wrong? This is a simple issue, I hope the media will not make it a big issue,” he said. 

Raja Ahmad, who appeared calm in the beginning became visibly agitated when journalists pounded him with questions as to why the slaughtering could not have been done elsewhere. 

The BBC chairperson then shot back at the journalists, chiding them for not fixing an appointment with his secretary before meeting him and for not getting his permission to enter his office.