Perlis Menteri Besar Abu Bakar Hamzah shot a cow with a shotgun during an Aidiladha sacrificial ceremony held on May 28 or 29 in Kuala Perlis, Malaysia [1, 2, 3]. Abu Bakar said he fired a single shot in the leg because the cow had broken loose and became aggressive, endangering workers and bystanders [1, 3, 4]. "I didn’t shoot the cow for fun. It had become aggressive. If we had left it alone and it gored someone to death, who would be held responsible?" he said [1]. He further explained, "Once it broke loose, we couldn’t do anything else. So I took the rifle and shot it in the leg. After it fell over, then we slaughtered it" [3]. After being shot, the cow fell down and was slaughtered following normal sacrificial procedures [1, 4]. Abu Bakar personally slaughtered 25 cows at the ceremony [1].
The police have seized Abu Bakar’s legally licensed shotgun and nine rounds of buckshot ammunition for further investigation [1, 4]. The incident is being probed under Section 39 of Malaysia’s Arms Act 1960, which prohibits discharging firearms in public places. The maximum penalty includes one year imprisonment, a RM 2,000 fine, or both [1, 4, 5]. Authorities have recorded Abu Bakar’s statement and plan to summon him for further questioning [1, 2, 3, 4]. They urged the public not to speculate or spread unverified information about the case [4].
The video of the shooting quickly went viral on social media starting from May 28 or 29, drawing wide public attention [2, 3, 5]. Some members of the public, including MP RSN Rayer, condemned Abu Bakar’s use of a firearm at a religious event and called for his arrest. Rayer disputed claims that the cow was aggressive, noting the animal was seen lying motionless after the shot. He questioned, "So why did Abu Bakar shoot the cow then? He definitely did not shoot the cow in the leg because the cow is also seen lying motionless after the Perlis MB fired the shot" [5]. Rayer also criticized police for not arresting Abu Bakar yet and demanded law enforcement take action [5].
Police sources stated Abu Bakar has not been arrested but the investigation remains ongoing [2, 3, 4]. The sequence spans from the shooting on May 28-29, to police verifying the firearm license and seizing the weapon on May 30, alongside recording Abu Bakar’s statement [1, 2, 3, 4]. MP RSN Rayer’s public call for arrest also came on May 30 [5].
Authorities have yet to announce further legal proceedings. The next step will be police summoning Abu Bakar for additional questioning related to the case [1, 2, 3, 4].
