A century-old Hindu temple was vandalized in Penang, Malaysia, less than a week after another temple in the same area was desecrated.
Penang Deputy Chief Minister P Ramasamy said Sri Dharma Munisverar temple, located in Penanti Estate, Ara Kuda, was attacked around midnight on Friday .
The temple is situated about one kilometre away from the Muthumariamman Temple, which was vandalised last Saturday.
The second incident was more severe with attackers destroying the statues of deities in the temple.
"The previous incident in Penanti happened exactly one week ago, on Thursday. Today, we found that the deities were destroyed more severely than the previous ones," Ramasamy told Malaysiakini.
He said that the attackers appear to have thrown a large stone at the three deities in the temple and smashing them into pieces.
"It is the same committee that manages both temples and they are shocked," said Ramaswamy.
He said police reports have already been lodged in both cases and a task force has been set up to investigate this matter. He also urged the police to increase patrols and to monitor the temples properly.
"Attacks on Hindu temples are becoming common in Penang and it is not acceptable at all," he added.
Central Seberang Prai OCPD Asst Comm Rusli Mohd Noor confirmed he received both the reports and the investigation is progressing.
On June 4, there were reports of an attack on the two statues of deities at Muthu Mariamman Temple.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng allocated a special amount of RM10,000 from the state to restore the statues.
