AS SILAT GROUP DENIES INSTIGATING HINDU TEMPLE RIOT, EYEWITNESS CLAIMS ATTACKERS WERE IN A ‘TRANCE-LIKE STATE & OUT TO HURT PEOPLE’

PETALING JAYA,26/11/2018 Situation after violent riot at Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Subang Jaya. Picture Firdaus Latif

KUALA LUMPUR— A group of silat practitioners today denied that its members was involved in a violent pre-dawn clash at a Hindu temple in Selangor.

Pertubuhan Silat Seni Gayong Malaysia (PSSGM) secretary-general Mariam Bujang today asserted that the individuals alleged to have been involved in the scuffle at the Sri Maha Mariamman temple were actually members of the association’s defunct predecessor.

“About the article on the scuffle at the Seafield temple last night (25/11/18), it has no connections with PSSGM members who are validly registered.

“Members should be aware that the Pertubuhan Silat Seni Gayong Malaysia has now registered with the Registrar of Societies, with the registration number PPM-010-04-09042013.

“Anyone who uses the registration from the Sports Commissioner Office 0149/98 are members of an association that had its registration validly revoked on 30.30.2018 by the Sports Commissioner Office,” she said in a statement today to the members and disciples of the group for those who practise the traditional Malay martial arts.

Her statement comes after photographs surfaced online of certificates bearing PSSGM’s name and logo and PSSGM membership cards with the association’s logo of individuals allegedly involved in the Hindu temple scuffle.

But Mariam said that these were expired documents issued by the defunct organisation.

“Since the individuals were registered as members under PSSGM 0149/98 and the signatory of the certificates are no longer the YDP or secretary-general of PSSGM, the membership cards and certificates indirectly becomes no longer valid. The certificates and cards had also expired.

“Therefore, PSSGM (ROS) denies that its members are involved in this incident,” she said, urging the group’s members that were still registered under the defunct organisation to renew their membership to the group that is now registered with the RoS.

The PSSGM is expected to hold a press conference tomorrow noon at its Selangor chapter’s office.

The pre-dawn clash at the Hindu temple reportedly resulted in 18 cars and two motorcycles being torched with the fire being put out at around 6am, as well as damage to a police patrol car.

The Sri Maha Mariamman temple, which is also known as the Seafield temple, is a temple over 100 years old that was due for relocation on November 22 in line with a March 11, 2014 consent judgment by the Shah Alam High Court.

The temple falls within the constituencies of Kota Kemuning state assemblyman V. Ganabatirau and Kota Raja MP Mohamad Sabu.

The police have arrested several men, while Ganabatirau and five other ethnic Indian lawmakers from Pakatan Harapan have asked for the federal police to probe the pre-dawn incident instead of leaving it to the Subang Jaya police to handle.

Eyewitness recounts temple attack, claims mob behaved in ‘trance-like state’

SUBANG JAYA — An eyewitness to today’s pre-dawn attack of the 147-year-old Sri Maha Mariamman temple in USJ25, Putra Heights claimed the provocateurs were in a “trance-like state” and were out to hurt people.

The Save Seafield Sri Maha Marianmman Temple task force chairman, S. Ramaji recounted his harrowing experience at being held hostage with at least six others at knifepoint by an unruly mob numbering about 250 people during the 2am incident.

Ramaji described the attackers as being of Malay ethnicity.

“Wielding knives, axes, rakes, parangs and wooden sticks, they barged into the temple compound before ordering all within to vacate the premises immediately.

“They shouted that they were here to take over the land on behalf of One City (the developer),” he told Malay Mail earlier.

Ramaji said several devotees and temple priests were conducting prayers when the attack took place, with the temple’s security guard sustaining serious injuries after being assaulted by the mob.

“They proceeded to ransack the entire place by smashing glasses, furniture and destroying the metal shutters where our deities are sheltered,” he said.

Acknowledging the devotees had attempted to retaliate, Ramaji said the scuffle took place after the devotees summoned reinforcements from outside for about an hour and half.

“When the attack took place, we immediately notified the police, but they only arrived around 4am, almost two hours after first contact.

“Our devotees clashed with the mob and successfully chased them into the jungles behind the temple,” he said.

Ramaji said immediately after the fallout, the mob left behind their personal documents like identification cards (IC) and driver’s license, which has since been handed over to the police.

However, Ramaji disputed the police statement stating the scuffle was between two ethnic Indian groups and the real estate developer refuting its involvement, saying both were untrue.

“The ICs we obtained at the scene were mostly Malaysians (in blue) and there were some involving foreigners.

“We also call the statement issued by the developers as a bluff as they are well-aware of what was going on,” he said.

The temple had been scheduled for relocation on November 22 involving real estate developer One City Sdn Bhd, the Selangor state government and two claimants to the temple management, K. Chellapa and M. Nagaraju.

Ramaji pointed out that Chellapa who claimed to be the temple committee chairman in name only had entered into a private agreement between the developers to sell the land which the temple sits on, while leaving others in the dark.

They claimed the judgment had been breached.

Asked what the next move for the temple was, Ramaji said the temple has since lodged a police report and requested for additional police protection until November 29 where an injunction will be applied at the Shah Alam High Court to withhold an earlier consented judgement.

“The Selangor police chief has promised to provide security until the hearing starts,” he said.

The scuffle which took place early this morning near the USJ exit of the Elite highway and USJ 16 and USJ 21 between the devotees of the Sri Maha Mariamman temple and a second group quickly went viral on social media.

The incident was said to have arisen due to a misunderstanding over the temple’s scheduled relocation.

MALAY MAIL