As Malaysians, we all share a common understanding of mutual respect and appreciation for all the differences that exist between our varied backgrounds and upbringings. However, that rhetoric was seemingly not shared by a local man who has recently gone viral after a short, 40-second clip of him destroying a Deepavali kolam was shared widely across the local social media space.
Man seen stepping on & damaging Deepavali kolam
Clad in a blue Baju Melayu with a kain samping and songkok, the man was seen traipsing over the decorative kolam, which appears to have been created as part of a KPJ Klang Specialist Hospital’s Deepavali campaign. Despite the common understanding that these delicate ornaments are meant to be admired from a distance, he decided to rub the toe of his shoe into the kolam and pushed away some of the coloured sand, before walking up over it without any regard for how he may have ruined the display.
He would then move to another area of the kolam and once again, brushed aside a small clump of sand before kneeling over it to draw on the surface with a fingertip seemingly in gleeful amusement.
Will be called up by the police
According to local newspaper Kosmo!, the man’s antics has since caught the attention of local law enforcement officers, who have since called him up to provide a statement over the incident. Northern Klang Police Chief Assistant Commissioner S. Vijaya Rao said that the authorities had sighted the video yesterday (October 30th, 2022) at 7.45pm, before a police report was lodged.
The man is said to be an employee of the private hospital, and will be investigated under Section 298A of the Penal Code for ‘causing disharmony, disunity, or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will’. Members of the public have also been warned against committing any behaviours that may affect or disrupt national harmony.
A statement released by KPJ Klang Specialist Hospital has reiterated that they do not condone any act of disrespect conducted upon hospital property, and will be launching an official investigation into the incident.
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