Activist Tamim Dahri Abdul Razak Pleads Not Guilty to Desecration Charge
Activist Tamim Dahri Abdul Razak, 34, pleaded not guilty in the Magistrate’s Court in Langkawi on July 21 to a charge of damaging a sacred Hindu object at an old temple site. The case, which involves allegations of religious insult, follows the activist’s recent surrender to police after a four-month period spent outside the country.
Court Appearance and Bail Conditions
Tamim Dahri Abdul Razak entered his plea before Magistrate Hemy Annerina Haja Mydin. He is charged under Section 295 of the Penal Code, which covers the damaging, defiling, or destroying of a place of worship or a sacred object with the intent to insult a religion. Prosecutors allege that the accused damaged a three-pronged spear, known as a soolam, while knowing that stomping on the object was an act of insult toward the Hindu religion. The offence was allegedly committed at the former Sri Muniswarar Temple site in Selat Panchor, Kuah, between 3.30 pm and 6.30 pm on March 8.
During the proceedings, Deputy Public Prosecutor Ain Nur Sofea Noridan urged the court not to grant bail, arguing that the accused posed a high flight risk. She stated to the court that travel records indicated the accused had previously shown a tendency to avoid legal proceedings. However, lawyer Datuk Hanif Hassan, representing Tamim Dahri, applied for bail, stating that the offence under Section 295 of the Penal Code is bailable. He cited Section 387 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which provides that a person arrested or detained without a warrant for a bailable offence is entitled to be released on bail.
The court subsequently granted bail of RM10,000 with two sureties. Additionally, the magistrate ordered the accused to surrender his passport to the court and to report to the nearest police station every two weeks. The court fixed August 23 for mention for the submission of documents.
Surrender and Multi-Agency Investigation
The court appearance followed a series of legal actions across different jurisdictions. Langkawi police chief ACP Khairul Azhar Nuruddin stated that the suspect was re-arrested by the Langkawi district police headquarters (IPD) Criminal Investigation Division immediately after his two-day remand ended on July 20. The suspect had initially been arrested on July 18 at the Port Dickson IPD to assist investigations under Section 506 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for the improper use of network facilities.
Regarding the timeline of the suspect’s movements, Negeri Sembilan police chief Datuk Alzafny Ahmad reported that investigations found the suspect spent more than four months in Thailand before returning to Malaysia through an illegal route at the Kelantan border. The activist surrendered at the Port Dickson IPD shortly after re-entering Malaysia. The suspect had previously been expected to be charged in court on March 17, but left the country before that date.
Scope of Police Reports
The investigation into the activist began after police received a report from an Indian man on March 10 alleging that he had been threatened by the suspect on Facebook. According to police reports, a total of 192 police reports have been lodged against Tamim following a video that allegedly showed him desecrating a “trishul,” a sacred Hindu object.
Legal Stakes Under Section 295
The charge of damaging, defiling, or destroying a place of worship or sacred object under Section 295 of the Penal Code provides for a maximum jail term of two years, a fine, or both upon conviction. As the case proceeds, the legal focus remains on the events that took place at the former Sri Muniswarar Temple site. The court has set the next phase of the judicial process for August 23.
Sources: Malaymail, Malay Mail.
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