GROUPS FACE OFF OVER RAMASAMY
Penang deputy chief minister’s supporters, detractors trade barbs in Komtar
TWO groups of rival protesters — one supporting Penang Deputy Chief Minister Professor Dr P. Ramasamy and the other against him — faced off during separate gatherings at Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak (Komtar) here yesterday.
About 200 people from 30 Muslim non-governmental organisations (NGOs) marched from Masjid Jamek Simpang Enam here to Komtar after Friday prayers.
They were protesting against Ramasamy’s alleged support for the Sri Lankan Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) terrorist group.
At Komtar, they handed over a memorandum of protest to an aide of Ramasamy.
The memorandum, among others, demanded for Ramasamy to step down and for the authorities to investigate the matter without fear or favour.
Ramasamy’s supporters had earlier gathered at Komtar at 12.30pm. The group comprised about 40 people from several NGOs.
One of the NGOs, Tamilar Kural Malaysia, said its presence was a show of solidarity for Ramasamy, whom it claimed had been labelled a “terrorist” by irresponsible quarters.
“We are here to fight those who labelled him a terrorist,” said its president, David Marshel.
While both groups jeered at each other, with one shouting “Tangkap Ramasamy” (Catch Ramasamy) and the other chanting “We support Ramasamy”, police kept the rival camps apart.
Police warned them to refrain from provoking each other.
The authorities cordoned off the area to prevent the groups from coming to a head.
Northeast district police chief Assistant Commissioner Anuar Omar said police were on standby to prevent any untoward incident between the groups.
“We were monitoring the situation as both groups had not applied for permits to gather,” he said.
“Nevertheless, we allowed them to gather and speak, as well as hand over the memorandum. If need be, we will investigate the matter.
“But we are satisfied that the protests ended without any untoward incident.”
Ramasamy caused a controversy when he uploaded a picture of him with Tamil Nadu politician and vocal LTTE supporter V. Gopalasamy, also known as Vaiko, on his Facebook page.
The picture was taken when Vaiko attended a wedding in Penang.
In June last year, Vaiko was detained by Immigration officers at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and barred from entering the country.
More than 50 police reports had been lodged against Ramasamy and his statement was recorded recently by police.
Ramasamy had repeatedly denied involvement with LTTE.
A closed-door meeting would be held between Perlis Mufti Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin and Ramasamy over the latter’s alleged link to LTTE.
Asri had been a vocal critic of Ramasamy.
The meeting, to be mediated by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa, was meant to settle the feud between the two, which had seen accusations being hurled back and forth.