Police to double presence, DIGP vows no more riots

Police presence at the Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Subang Jaya will be doubled tonight to prevent further untoward incidents.

"There will be no more incidents like this. If there are signs that there will be a gathering, we will take action from the get-go,” said deputy inspector-general of police Noor Rashid Ibrahim.

“If there are people who stop by (at the area), we will inspect them. Only those going for religious activities are allowed to enter the area. We will be strict," he told a press conference in Bangi.

Noor Rashid said the number of Federal Reserve Unit personnel and police officers would be increased.

"I have instructed them to be on standby. The number is much higher than yesterday, more than double," he said, adding there have been more than 91 police reports received regarding the temple incidents.

Trouble began in the wee hours of Monday morning after a group of masked intruders attacked the temple and held some of its caretakers hostage.

A riot broke out later, during which various vehicles were torched and several of the intruders seriously injured.

Last night, more than 1,000 people assembled near the temple in a show of support. The gathering was initially peaceful but riots broke out after midnight.

Apart from attacking Fire and Rescue Department personnel, the rioters also attackedthe office of MCT Bhd, which was located nearby.

MCT’s subsidiary One City Development Sdn Bhd owns the land that the temple is located on.

Three One City Development Bhd employees were among the 19 remanded this morning to facilitate investigations into the altercation. 

Selangor police chief Mazlan Mansor today confirmed that so far, 21 people have been arrested with two detained this morning. 

The temple was supposed to have been relocated on Nov 22.

Plans to relocate the temple have been ongoing since 2007, after the land it is located on was purchased by One City Development Sdn Bhd.

In 2014, a consent judgment was entered into in court, where One City and two rival camps vying for control of the temple agreed to relocate it to a plot of land 3km away.

One City had also donated RM1.5 million to the temple as part of the settlement agreement.

However, devotees have continued to resist efforts to relocate the temple, which was built in 1891. - Mkini