Waytha files report over threat to family after Mahathir forum

Waytha believes that the latest incident was politically motivated to derail his cooperation with Pakatan Harapan. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: P Waythamoorthy today lodged a police report over alleged threats, said to be from “political elements”, against his family.

In his report, made at the Mambau police station in Negeri Sembilan, the Hindraf chairman claimed that the threats were made after the Hindraf-organised forum featuring PPBM chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday evening.

The 51-year old said a Hindraf member, whose name and contact number were on the publicity material for the forum, received a call about four hours after the event, with the caller threatening to harm Waythamoorthy’s family.

He said the call from a mobile number lasted about 45 seconds.

“I take this threat seriously,” he said in the report.

“In August 2017, just a day before I formally met Mahathir to announce my support for his leadership in the opposition, I was attacked in my office by unknown assailants and now just hours after the completion of the forum, I am threatened again,” he said.

Waythamoorthy believes that the latest incident was politically motivated to derail his cooperation with Pakatan Harapan (PH), which had named Hindraf as a strategic partner earlier this month.

He added that he also received two calls from private numbers at 3.16pm yesterday, but did not entertain both as he believed that they were being made by the same party.

He urged the police to investigate, adding that the member who received the call was willing to cooperate with any investigation into the matter.

“Should any harm befall my family or me, I will hold the government responsible,” Waythamoorthy said.

In the August 2017 incident cited by Waythamoorthy, two men had allegedly broken the glass panel doors of his office in Seremban and entered the premise at around 3.50pm, on Aug 16.

Waythamoorthy’s lawyer S Karthigesan had later said that the activist was punched by the assailants who also hurled bags of liquid into his room while shouting “acid”.

He said one of the men had warned Waythamoorthy “not to mess around with the government”.

Waythamoorthy’s wife, who was present, was also reported to have been attacked by the men, who took away her gold chain and mobile phone. -FMT