May 5, 2013 - SINGAPORE: Malaysian Sikhs are angry with a local Sikh politician who has shaved his head bald at a Chinese temple in the Northern Peninsular city to protest against money politics in the general election being held today.
Jagdeep Singh Deo, a candidate for the Datuk Keramat state seat in northern peninsular Malaysia, joined other Chinese candidates campaigning in the general election to protest by having their head shaved bald.
Before shaving their heads, the candidates knelt before the Goddess of Mercy (Guan Yin) Pavilion in Kek Lok Si Temple in George Town for the divine intervention to stop money politics in the election.
The Penang State Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng together with a group of other people was present at the prayer ceremony held at temple.
But the Sikhs in the country have reacted to the act of Jagdeep, son of prominent Malaysian lawyer and opposition leader Karpal Singh.
The Gurdwara Sahib Kangar president Pritpal Singh has described Jagdeep's act as an insult to Sikh religion, the basic tenet of which is never to shave their hair.
Pritpal said Jagdeep had forgotten the fundamentals of his own religion in his bid to uphold his cause against money politics.
Jagdeep's facebook shows he and his family were not Amritdharis and he has cut his hair and was not wearing a turban.
But this time he has shaved bald, according to a report by the New Straits Times yesterday.
"Cutting your hair or going bald without any medical reason is unacceptable. It is worse coming from a public figure like him," the New Straits Times quoted Pritpal as saying.
"There are many other ways of showing one's displeasure. As a Sikh, it is his communal duty to bear in mind the sensitivity of all Sikhs and their religion," Pritpal said.
Lawyer Ranjit Singh Dhillon has also criticised Jagdeep for forsaking his religion for cheap political stunts.
"For a Sikh to go bald in public is too much. It is an insult to the religion and the community," said Ranjit.