KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 31 — Police will be calling up a man seen defacing a Deepavali kolam in a video clip that went viral on social media recently.
North Klang district police chief, Assistant Commissioner Vijaya Rao Samachulu said the incident happened at the KPJ Klang Specialist Hospital.
"The suspect in this case will be summoned to provide his statement at the North Klang district police headquarters," he said in a statement today.
Vijaya said that a police report was lodged by the Bandar Baru Klang police station chief after the video started being shared widely.
He added that police are investigating the case under Section 298A of the Penal Code for causing disharmony, disunity, or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will, or prejudicing the maintenance of harmony or unity, on grounds of religion.
"The police advise the public to be cautious of any actions or actions that can jeopardise the nation's harmony," he said.
The hospital has issued a statement acknowledging the 37-second video and is carrying out an internal investigation into allegations that the perpetrator is a staff member.
"KPJ Klang does not condone any act of disrespect among its staff within the compound of its hospital," it said.
Retired inspector-general of police Tan Sri Musa Hassan has also criticised the man's action on a Twitter thread.
"If you do something without using your brain, [you] have to bear the consequences," he tweeted.
The man's action in the video earned anger from Malaysian Hindus who marked Deepavali on October 24 this year.
The kolam is a regular feature in Indian households during auspicious celebrations and it is also to welcome Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth.
