NOV 27 – In a press statement released today, P.Waytha Moorthy, Unity Minister under the Prime Minister’s department, urged the Malaysian Indian community to be calm and rational in handling the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman temple issue as some unscrupulous people are taking advantage of the situation to further complicate the matter by inciting social unrest.
Condemning the violence at the vicinity of the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman temple last night, Waytha Moorthy said: “The attack by unknown people on the One-City Mall, last night was uncalled for, unwarranted and can be termed as a provocative act with the aim of disrupting peace and stability enjoyed by Malaysians at large. The government will not tolerate this behaviour and I urge the police to take immediate action to curb violence and mob rule undertaken by several groups in the name of safeguarding the temple”
“I urge the Malaysian Indian community to be calm and rational in handling the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman temple issue as some unscrupulous people are taking advantage of the situation to further complicate the matter by inciting social unrest. The issue is between the developer of the land where the temple is located and the temple management and it should not be exploited and turned into a racial conflict. I also urge the temple management committee to manage the crowd which turns-up at the temple as it is their responsibility to safeguard devotees who came to the temple on the call of the temple management. This is in light of a group which congregated at the temple late last night and decided to march to the One City Mall, turning rowdy smashing glass panels of the mall, purportedly owned by the developer of the land where the temple is located” Waytha Moorthy further noted in his statement.
“It has also come to my attention that a firefighter with the Fire and Rescue Services Department was injured in a scuffle with a group of people outside the temple last night. The fireman, now admitted at the hospital, was pulled out of the fire truck and beaten by a group of men when firemen tried putting out a fire set on a car parked outside the temple vicinity late last night. This attack against firemen is despicable as they were merely doing their job to ensure the safety of the people in the vicinity of the temple” Waytha Moorthy said.
“Once again, I call upon the Malaysian Indian community to exercise calm and keep a cool head in addressing the issue. The government views these incidences seriously and will not hesitate to act against those who breach public peace and security” Waytha Moorthy reiterated.
