I’ll keep Waythamoorthy for now, says PM after Adib inquest verdict

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has decided to retain P Waythamoorthy in his cabinet for the time being.

“I don’t see any problem. I can still keep him on as a minister for now,” he said briefly when asked by the media in Putrajaya today.

Back in January, the PM told Chinese daily Sin Chew that he would only determine the National Unity and Social Wellbeing minister’s fate after the inquest on firefighter Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim determined the cause of death.

At the time, Opposition and Pakatan Harapan leaders were demanding that Waythamoorthy quit and accused him of giving rise to racial tension after he criticised the police for racialising the first night of the Seafield riots and being late in arriving at the scene.

On Sept 23, Coroner Rofiah Mohamad ruled that Adib’s death was the result of both criminal acts by several assailants and police inaction when he was attacked. 

"I also found that the victim's death was the result of the police and FRU's failure to control the riot.

"Evidence clearly showed that there had been several fire incidents (during the riot) before the victim was involved.

"Firefighters had also been threatened by rioters who didn’t want the flames to be put off, but there were police officers on guard, and the fires were successfully put out by the firefighters.

"It was very unfortunate when two troops of FRU with hundreds of personnel and seven various types of vehicles, including water cannon, only watched the rioters attack the firefighters without doing anything.

"They were only standing by with their weapons because they didn't receive any orders to act, despite the tense situation,” Rofiah had said.  - Mkini