PRIME Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad condemned those behind the group of Malay thugs who forcibly occupied the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Subang Jaya on Monday.
He suggested that the foreign owner of a firm involved in the dispute with temple had a poor understanding of local culture.
“They did not think it through when they asked Malays to take charge of the Hindu temple. These were foreigners. They do not understand Malaysian practices or culture,” he said
Though he did not specifically name the company, the prime minister is believed to be referring to Philippines-based Ayala Corporation, which is the majority owner MCT Bhd.
The MCT BHD in turn owns One City Development Sdn Bhd, the legal owner of the land where the temple is located.
Dr Mahathir also felt the lawyers who allegedly paid the leader of the thugs RM150,000 to take over the temple before the authorities arrived to demolish it on Monday morning should be brought to book
“If we find out who did this, the lawyers or the attorney-general will have to find some case against him,” he told the media at the National Heart Institute after visiting a fireman who was injured outside the temple yesterday during a riot. 
Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had said during a press conference today that the thugs were hired by lawyers linked to One City Development Sdn Bhd.
The prime minister also said the temple devotees should not have taken the law into their own hands.
“It was said that the developer had sent people to the temple. When the Indian devotees saw Malays coming inside, they acted against them.
“The devotees should have called the police and reported the intruders in their temple, but they did not.
“They took matters into their own hands, resulting in trouble,” he said.
Dr Mahathir said the attack on the fireman, Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim, was attempted murder.
He said Adib would have been dead if not for the doctors and life support machines.
“The damage was such that if it had been a little bit more (force), he would be dead. If he’s dead, the charge will be for murder,” said Dr Mahathir.
Fire Dept: Engine did not slam into injured fireman Adib
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 28 — The Fire and Rescue Department Malaysia today dismissed allegations that warded rescuer Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim was struck by a fire engine instead of demonstrators at the Sri Maha Mariamman Devasthanam temple.
Its director-general Datuk Mohamad Hamdan Wahid explained that the individual seen in the video was instead another fireman, who was dispatched to the scene following an emergency call.
“The person highlighted in the viral video was another fireman who was equipped with firefighting gears.
“That said person is sitting right next to me, here he is,” he said during a press conference at the National Heart Institute (IJN), pointing to firefighter Mohd Hazim Rahimi, 31.
Hamdan explained that Hazim had moved from the fire engine to the emergency medical response service (EMRS) vehicle.
Earlier, the chairman of the Save Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple taskforce S. Ramaji, who heads a faction involved in a dispute over the temple’s relocation, pointed to a video clip that had been shared on social media to support his allegation.
Ramaji said the severe injuries suffered by the fireman were not caused by demonstrators, but from a fire truck reversing into him at full speed.
Mohamad Hamdan then slammed those who uttered such statements, pointing out that the accusers were not present during the operation.
“I have eight personnel who responded to the emergency call, so please do not accuse us.
“We will therefore lodge a police report against such false allegations leveled against us to protect our personnel’s integrity,” he said. – MALAY MAIL
THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT / MALAY MAIL
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