A piece of meat believed to be pork found at the mosque in Machang Bubuk in mainland Penang on 16 Feb 2014.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has called on Penangites to unite and keep calm hours after the discovery early this morning of a slab of meat believed to be pork in the compound of a mosque in Cherok Tok Kun.
Lim said mutual respect for each others’ differences are the most effective way to defect provocateurs and such criminal acts.
“We condemn this treacherous act. We should not fall into such irresponsible elements that seek to disrupt our harmony.
“Penangites must stand united and maintain the peace we enjoy,” he said today after visiting the Cherok Tok Kun Atas mosque in Machang Bubuk on the mainland.
The mosque’s deputy imam, Saad Arop, 78, found a slab of meat at one of the entrances of the mosque at 5.30am this morning.
Lim said closed circuit television (CCTV) will be installed outside the mosque to prevent similar incidents in the future.
He said the state has also instructed Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim and Machang Bubuk assemblyman Lee Khai Loon to look into it immediately.
“The mosque is just next to the main road so anyone could have thrown the meat.
“So far, the mosque congregation is calm and we advise everyone to remain so,” he said.
Earlier today, Penang crime investigation department chief senior assistant commissioner Mazlan Kesah confirmed the incident and said a police report on the matter was lodged at about 7.20am.
Mazlan said there were no CCTVs in the area and that the meat had been sent to the Bukit Minyak Veterinary department to be tested and verified.
The incident is being investigated under Section 295 of the Penal Code for injuring or defiling a place of worship with intent to insult a religion.
Today’s incident is the second involving a place of worship in the state.
On January 27, two molotov cocktails were thrown into the compound of the Assumption Church in George Town.
Since the incident, police have been patrolling around churches and mosques. – February 16, 2014.
Source: The Malaysian Insider
