Waytha: Shall we shoot all gangsters to end crime?

The Indian Malaysian community is facing a crisis in rising gangsterism, and violence is not the answer said Deputy Minister in Prime Minister's Department P Waythamoorthy.

"Every major town on the west coast, I am sure has several gangs and probably as many members as in Penang. That is a large and disturbing number. 

"Is anyone suggesting we shoot off all these wayward youngsters to clean the streets of crime?" said Waythamoorthy (left) in a statement today.

He was responding to criticism of his earlier statement against the recentshooting of five youths in in Sungei Nibong, Penang. 

"That particular episode may have taken the five off the streets in the way it did, but will it really solve the problem of crime?" he asked.

He acknowledged the police's remark on Saturday that the Indian community was facing a serious threat in rising gansterism.

"At the funeral procession of one of those who died that day, the newspapers reported about 800 Indian (Malaysian) youths many purportedly 04 gang members in the procession. 

"Yesterday it was reported that the director of criminal investigations (CID) Bukit Aman Hadi Ho Abdullah (left) said the police records of known gang members revealed that 71 percent were Indian (Malaysians).

"There is a crisis within the Indian (Malaysian) community. We need urgent and positive intervention to stop the slide," said Waythamoorthy.

[More to follow]