Maintain your stand on the killing of five youths in Penang and quit the government, DAP national chairman Karpal Singh tells Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department P Waythamoorthy.
GEORGE TOWN: Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department P Waythamoorthy should quit to maintain his stand regarding the police slaying of five Indian youths in Penang, said DAP national chairman Karpal Singh.
“That will be the best course of action in public interests,” Karpal told newsmen today during his visit to his Bukit Gelugor parliamentary constituency.
Waythamoorthy has come under criticism from Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for questioning the police on the shooting incident at the Century Bay apartment in Penang.
Ahmad Zahid hds called on Waythamoorthy to toe the government line and stop “thinking like the leader of Hindraf instead of a government official.”
“Or else, quit the government and return to NGO,” the Home Minister reportedly told Waythamoorthy.
In response, Hindraf chairman Waythawoorthy said Ahmad Zahid had misunderstood his intention and rejected the Home Minister’s accusation that he was interfering in police work.
He said he was only voicing public sentiments to enable him to contribute positively to the objectives and good governance of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak administration.
“Being a leader of the marginalised Indians in the country, I cannot just be a disinterested observer on the sidelines just because I am in government,” he said.
The police claimed that they had killed the five during a dawn raid in self-defence.
Police said the five were wanted for murders and attempted murders in Penang, Kedah and Negri Sembilan.
Both Waythamoorthy and Karpal had criticised the police for being overzealous in their action and urged Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail to conduct an inquest to determine the cause of death.
Waythamoorthy had said photographic evidence suggested that the five had been shot at point-blank range.
Karpal reiterated his call for an inquest today, pointing out that even Ahmad Zahid had concurred that it should not be a problem to hold such an inquiry.
He said the public inquiry was imperative because the families had the right to know what actually happened.
“The police should not fear to defend their actions if they are right,” said Karpal.
He said he understood that the police needed to take drastic action to curb the rising crime in the country.
“But it does not mean that one can allow lawlessness and police to be trigger-happy and overzealous in taking action,” he added.
Karpal said the police must comply with certain procedures before they could resort to killing crime suspects.
He felt the police action on Monday’s killing was wrong and did not abide by the procedures.
Karpal cautioned the police to realise that their overzealous action could spark a reprisal on innocent police officers.
“It put lives of other officers at risk due to overzealous action of a few,” he said.
He added that there was no necessity for the police to kill the five in that manner when they were in their rooms.
“To depart from those procedures resulting in the death of the five is a serious matter,” said Karpal.
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