Malaysian Culture

IT has been quite a week.

The latest controversy surrounding foul-mouthed rapper Namewee, his "falling out" with Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, the stripping of Kelantan's Tengku Temenggung of his royal titles, the Biro Tatanegara (BTN) assistant director's alleged racist remarks and, of course, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu's announcement that he would step down as MIC president in January — all scoring high on the readability scale.

It is a columnist's dream come true — to be so decisively spoiled for choice on what to write.

Alas, the topic I have chosen to focus on may come as a surprise. I am dedicating this space to express anger at the shocking and cruel shooting of a dog named Johnny in Tampin, Negri Sembilan.

As highlighted by The Paper That Cares, 55-year-old S. Singaravelu was left traumatised after the incident on Aug 24. He had found Johnny, the dog brought home from a market near his house in Taman Minang, Tampin, missing from his son's house on that day.

Out of instinct, he followed three vehicles, allegedly belonging to the Tampin Municipal Council, spotted leaving the area. To his dismay and utter horror, he discovered poor Johnny dead inside one of the vehicles when it stopped in Taman Batu Belang.

Singaravelu broke down. Even in his anguish, the poor man was not offered humility. He was flatly refused by 10 men in the three vehicles, one of whom had a gun with him, from taking away Johnny's carcass.

To further add insult to injury, he was only allowed to remove Johnny's licence and challenged to lodge a police report. The men, arrogantly, allegedly told him that they had to shoot Johnny after receiving numerous complaints.

Singaravelu lodged a report at the Tampin police station on the same day but he was not prepared for the shock that awaited him the next day.

Johnny's carcass was found in a jungle near Taman Batu Belang.

When The Malay Mail acted on his complaint, it led to pledges of action.

Tampin Municipal Council secretary Zulhilmi Marzuki, who promised to investigate the claim, had said it was not the council's policy to shoot dogs that were kept inside compounds.

He said three bodies were involved in