KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysia Hindhudharma Maamandram has submitted a formal complaint to the Home Ministry over a viral video showing a man allegedly stepping on a sacred Hindu symbol, the Thirusoolam.
Rishi Kumar Vadivelu, president of the Hindu NGO, expressed in a statement that the organisation was “shocked, disappointed and deeply saddened” by the video, which has been widely circulated on social media since yesterday.
The individual mentioned, activist Tamim Dahri Abdul Razak, purportedly stepped on and bent the Thirusoolam, a symbol of sanctity and worship for Hindus, and labelled the video “leisure activity”.
“Such behaviour clearly constitutes an act of religious disrespect and provocation that can offend the beliefs of Hindu followers and has the potential to provoke anger, tension, and disrupt harmony between communities,” Rishi said.
Highlighting Malaysia’s multicultural and plural society, the organisation stressed that mutual respect between religions is essential. “Any act that belittles or insults the religious symbols of any faith must not be treated lightly,” he added.
Rishi’s complaint also referenced a recent incident in which an individual was arrested for stepping on the Quran, noting the importance of “upholding justice and equality under the law” and questioning whether authorities would take similar action in this case.
The letter cites several legal provisions that may have been violated, including Sections 298 and 298A of the Penal Code, Section 504 of the Penal Code, and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
The organisation is calling for “a thorough investigation and firm action” by the Home Ministry, police, and other relevant agencies, emphasising the need for swift measures to prevent the insult of any religion or the incitement of inter-community tensions.
“Malaysia Madani is committed to maintaining religious harmony, public peace and national unity. We hope this matter will be given serious attention and appropriate action taken,” Rishi said.
Copies of the complaint have also been sent to the National Unity Ministry, Communications Ministry, the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), and the police.
Scoop’s checks on Tamim’s social media indicate that the video has since been deleted. Nevertheless, it had already been screen-recorded and continues to circulate across multiple platforms, attracting hundreds of thousands of views and prompting widespread reactions from Malaysia’s Hindu community.
Tamim was previously arrested alongside preacher Zamri Vinoth and several others over a planned rally outside Sogo shopping mall opposing so-called “illegal” houses of worship. - March 9, 2026
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