A bad omen thru the SMS

It is amazing how gullible people are. All it needs is one simple SMS claiming that something was happening and off goes our people to do something about it.

A few months ago, hundreds of Malay Muslims gathered opposite a church in Ipoh after being wrongly informed of a mass baptism of Malay kids there. Naturally this was a false news but it almost created a racial stand off.

The last Saturday, another SMS was making its rounds. It read that a buffalo had entered into the altar of Lord Sivan. As the day progressed and the SMS’s went up and down the country, the content too changed.

The one I received said:

“A bad omen. A buffalo has somehow entered into the altar of the Tillai Nadarajar kovil (Lord Siva) in Jelapang, Ipoh. Its bad omen. In Hindu philosophy a buffalo is the symbol of Yamadarman - the guardian of the dead. The animal should not enter a worshipping shrine......This is a bad omen for all the people in the country. All Hindu are advised to light up at least 3 agal vilaku in front of our house.”

The place of the alleged incident changed - from Sentul to Ipoh to somewhere in Penang. Finally it mentioned a temple in South India.

And then to absolve this bad omen, the SMS asked Hindus to light a lamp, or three, or even one for each male heir in the family. Not just using normal oil, but ghee.

I think this rumour was started by some ghee company to boost sales! Today Tamil papers denied such a 'bullish' incident ever happened in Malaysia.

But this is not going to stop our people from continuing to believe such SMS rumours, is it?

I await for the next rumour over my mobile now.