'Cow-head' protesters to be charged tomorrow

Twelve people who took part in the cow-head protest at the Selangor state secretariat at Shah Alam on Aug 28 will be charged tomorrow. - Malaysiakini.

They will be charged with sedition and illegal assembly, said Selangor police chief Abdul Khalid Abu Bakar when contacted today.

“Now, the police are looking for them and once we locate them, we will record their statement once again before they are brought to court. Only 12 of them will be charged,” Abdul Khalid said.

He later confirmed that four of them had been arrested as at 5.45pm, while the rest will be hauled up by the end of the day.

Head of prosecution unit in the Attorney-General's Chambers, Abdul Majid Hamzah, said the protesters were not charged today as they could not be located.

"Once the police locate them, they will be brought to court and we will charge them with sedition and illegal assembly," he said.

Scores of journalists from various media organisations had camped at the Shah Alam court complex this morning in anticipation of legal action.

Attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail's had said yesterday that charges would be brought against those who had taken part in the protest, mounted against the proposed relocation of a Hindu temple to Section 23.

He also said he was satisfied that those who carried the cow-head and spoke while stepping on the cow-head would be charged under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act or under Section 298 of the Penal Code.

They will face a second charge under Section 27(5) of the Police Act for illegal assembly.

Some 50 residents from Section 23 had taken part in the protest against the Selangor government's decision to relocate a 150-year-old temple from Section 19.

The manner in which the protest was conducted has sparked outrage among Malaysians, who have called for action be taken against them. Selangor exco member Dr Xavier Jeyakumar lodged a police report.