Group calls on Waythamoorthy to quit over temple riot

PETALING JAYA: A coalition of civil society groups wants a minister to resign and for a Selangor state exco member to be held accountable for their actions during the riot at the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple.

In a joint statement, the Malaysian Alliance of Civil Society Organisations in the Universal Periodic Re- view Process (Macsa) said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department P. Waythamoorthy must be held responsible for creating tension during the riot.

Waythamoorthy, who is in charge of the National Unity and Social Wellbeing portfolio, had played a part in inflaming tension by initially blaming the police over the fracas instead of demanding that the temple committee abide by the country’s laws, it said.

“We find it disgusting as well as scandalous that the minister has taken it upon himself to absolve himself of blame by partaking in the national mourning over the death of fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim.

“We seek his immediate resignation as minister and his prosecution under the law for his part in inflaming racial and religious tensions,” Macsa added.

The coalition, which is set up to look into and advocate human rights issues, also called for Selangor state exco V. Ganabatirau to be held accountable.

In a Facebook posting, Ganabatirau had described the attackers as a ‘‘Muslim group’’. It urged the Attorney General to immediately prosecute those responsible.

“We also demand that the government immediately revoke its moratorium on the enforcement of the death penalty and abandon plans to scrap it,” it said.