The Sri Muneeswarar temple was vandalised in Penang today, bringing the number of temples desecrated in these two months to four.

According to Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy, intruders smashed three statues of deities in the Sri Muneeswarar temple at Jalan Kudin, Gelugor this morning.

The vandalism was discovered at 5.30am today and a police report was lodged by the temple committee, he added.

"Why the attacks on temples in Penang? Are there political forces trying to destabilise the state government?

"Unlike the three other cases, the latest act of vandalism gives an impression of a hate crime," Ramasamy told Malaysiakini.

Ramasamy expressed uncertainty over whether the police were taking the temples' destruction seriously.

"This is the fourth case and yet we still don't know much about the earlier destructive acts," said Ramasamy.

The case in Gelugor follows three other incidents - two in Penanti, Seberang Perai, last month.

Last week, a Hindu temple was vandalised in Sungei Nibong Kecil on the island.