Call for Waytha's head to roll grows louder, PAS wants him out as well

After Umno Youth demanded his resignation, PAS is now calling for Minister in the Prime Minister's Department P Waythamoorthy's head to roll as well over the riot outside the Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Subang Jaya last month.

The party's secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan made the demand following the death of firefighter Muhammad Adib Mohd Hassan.

In a statement this afternoon, he said government leaders who had worsened the situation must accept responsibility for the riot and Adib's death.

“Therefore, PAS demands that Waythamoorthy accepts full 'social and moral' responsibility and resigns with immediate effect.

“PAS is of the view that the minister not only failed to control the situation but caused it to worsen,” he added.

Takiyuddin also accused the minister of being unprofessional by “lying” that the police failed to control the situation at the material time.

“What more when the information provided by him regarding the police's action contradicted the facts provided by the home minister when explaining the tragedy in the Dewan Rakay on Nov 29.

“Therefore, PAS once again urges him to resign and the government can replace him with a more credible Indian leader to fulfill the aim of fostering unity among the races,” he added.

Earlier, Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki had urged attorney-general Tommy Thomas to take stern action against four ministers, including Waythamoorthy, and Selangor execo V Ganabatirau.

He claimed the statements by the five had led to thousands of Indians gathering at the temple, which later saw a riot erupt.

The other ministers were Communication and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo, Human Resources Minister M Kulasegaran and Land, Water and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar.

Adib had succumbed to his injuries at the National Heart Institute (IJN) in Kuala Lumpur last night.

The 24-year old firefighter was part of the Fire and Rescue Department team deployed in response to vehicles torched by rioters outside the temple on Nov 27.

According to the police, he was dragged out of the vehicle and assaulted. - Mkini