Indian groups unhappy with IGP’s explanation on ‘temple vandalism’

A coalition of Malaysian Indian NGOs has expressed disappointment over inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar’s explanation that the man responsible behind the temple vandalism incident in Ipoh is mentally unstable.

“We are disappointed in the IGP. I didn’t know since when the IGP became a doctor - a specialist who could declare that a person is sick or otherwise,” said Pertubuhan Rapat Malaysia (Rapat) president A Rajaretinam during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur last night.

On the 29-year-old suspect who has since been sent to Hospital Bahagia, Tanjung Rambutan, Rajaretinam said if the man was truly of unsound mind, he should have already been admitted at the mental hospital in the first place.

“I feel very sorry for the young man, but he has been misguided and he is not alone, a lot of people are like that, this is the tip of the iceberg,” he said.

Rajaretinam, however, demanded proof that the suspect is truly mentally unsound.

“For a mentally unsound person, he was able to drive a car and had brought together with him flags resembling that of (terror group) Islamic State (IS).

“If he’s truly mentally unsound, it’s okay, I forgive him. But if it is otherwise and we’re trying to hide something, isn’t this something dangerous?” he queried.

The suspect had reportedly run amok during the incident on Sunday, breaking into the temple in question before he destroyed several statues.

He later crashed his car into a bus stop not far from the temple while trying to escape, and was subsequently arrested by the police.

'Lack of religious understanding'

Khalid on Monday had urged the Hindu community to remain calm, explaining how the suspect is mentally unstable. Several groups however cast doubts on whether the suspect was truly unsound or otherwise.

Rajaretinam, meanwhile, lamented the lack of religious understanding among the country’s various races and different religious followers.

“Do you understand about vegetarian food (for the Hindus)? I understand about (the Islamic concept of) halal.

"I’m willing to know about you but you don’t want to know at all about me,” he lamented.

And this, he said, has become a major problem for Malaysians.

“If the suspect knew about the difference in religious aspects, I’m sure that he won’t do such a thing,” he said.

Therefore, Rajaretinam urged the government to review the country’s education system, claiming how matters with regard to the Indians are only given ‘half a page’ in textbooks.

“The government must accept the reality in our people, that something is wrong with our community, something is seriously wrong about the young people.

“The education system has failed to give the best to everyone,” he said. -Mkini