DAP Youth leader wants Harapan debate on claims against Waytha

Pakatan Harapan youth leaders should have an internal debate over the calls for de facto national unity minister P Waythamoorthy to step down, DAP Youth international secretary Satees Muniandy said today. 

According to Satees, such a debate would bring closure to the issue, which has seen Harapan leaders trading barbs over the past week. 

"The allegations against Waythamoorthy (of stoking tension during the Seafield temple riots) are debatable. These are not facts, just assumptions. 

"We can debate it openly, to avoid further misperceptions that can lead to disharmony," he told Malaysiakini.

"However, considering the Harapan leadership's calls for reservation on such open spats, I would call for it to be an internal debate between Harapan Youth leaders," he added. 

Stees was referring to PKR president Anwar Ibrahim and DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang's calls for a cessation to the friendly fire.

After firefighter Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim succumbed last week to injuries he sustained during the Seafield temple fracas, there have been mounting calls for Waythamoorthy to resign for apparently failing to ease tensions in the riot aftermath – including from within Harapan.

Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman was reported to have accompanied Bersatu Youth members when they demanded Waythamoorthy's removal.

According to Satees, Syed Saddiq should have instead calmed the situation down as a fellow cabinet member, such as by arranging a meeting between Bersatu Youth and Waythamoorthy "to clear misperceptions."

"Those allegations are cooked up by opposition parties and rightwing NGOs to create misperceptions about the Harapan government.

"We should not enter the trap voluntarily.

"If anyone, including Syed Saddiq, insists that the allegations are valid, we can debate it," he said. - Mkini