SELANGOR Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said today police have informed him that the attack by masked men with knives on the Sri Maha Mariamman in USJ 25, Seafield, this morning was not racial in nature.
“I contacted Selangor police chief Mazlan Mansor this morning and he gave an assurance that police will investigate the incident thoroughly.
“I refer to his statement that it was misunderstanding between two groups and does not involve racial elements,” Amirudin said in a statement.
Urging all parties to stay calm, the menteri besar said the state would not tolerate anyone who acted provocatively and who broke the law.
“I ask all parties to remain calm and not to issue any statement that is racial, hateful or seditious in nature.”
The incident saw about 150 people storm the temple grounds at 2.15am with weapons. There were around 100 devotees worshipping at the temple when the attack occurred, according to priest S. Jayakumar.
Jayakumar earlier said he blamed the attack on the developer, who owned the land, and that he would lodge a police report.
Save Seafield temple chairman Ramaji also said the temple received an order from the developer to vacate the land.
Devotees were held at the temple, some of them at knifepoint, until 5am when police came.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator P. Waytha Moorthy also issued a statement, calling for calm, saying he had contacted Deputy Inspector-General of Police Noor Rashid Ibrahim who has promised a thorough investigation.
“(I have raised) grave concerns of the community on the affray which appears to be a threat to the breach of peace and peaceful co-existence of our multiracial and multi-religious society as well as freedom of religion,” he said, promising the rule of law on the perpetrators.
THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT
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