KUALA LUMPUR – Two people have been remanded for three days for allegedly defacing a Deepavali kolam (rangoli) at a local private hospital.
Klang Utara district police chief S Vijaya Rao was quoted as saying by Malaysiakini that both were detained after they came to the district police headquarters last night to record their statements.
One of the two is the man who was caught on video allegedly defacing the kolam while the other person was filming the act.
Footage of the alleged act went viral yesterday, drawing stinging criticism from netizens.
The video, uploaded yesterday by a Twitter user named Indrren, shows the baju Melayu-clad man trodding over the religious artwork and ruining its intricate lines and patterns.
At one point in the half-a-minute clip, the man is seen drawing a letter “S” over the design, as a female companion laughs while recording him on camera, saying that he was committing vandalism.
It was unclear when the incident took place although the Deepavali festival was celebrated on Monday.
However, a logo visible on a backdrop seen in the video indicates that it took place in a renowned private health facility.
Meanwhile, the KPJ Klang private hospital said it was informed that one of its staff members was allegedly involved in the “unprofessional behaviour” shown in the video.
In a statement, it said it does not condone any act of disrespect by its staff within hospital grounds.
It said it has launched an internal investigation into the video and will take stern action if one of its staff members is involved.
The case is being investigated under Section 298A of the Penal Code, which deals with “causing disharmony, disunity, or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will, or prejudicing the maintenance of harmony or unity, on grounds of religion”.
If convicted, the offence is punishable with a minimum of two years’ prison or a duration not exceeding five years. – The Vibes, October 31, 2022
