Six more charged over Seafield temple riots

A total of six individuals were charged today in connection with the first day of rioting outside the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Subang Jaya last month. 

Five of the accused – Mohammad Shahril Danniel Sajel, 22; Mohammad Saifullah Abdullah, 31; Muhammad Hasneezam Shah Samsudin, 29; Akmal Izzat Aziz, 24; and Mohd Norul Ismawi Islahuddin, 40 – were charged in the Petaling Jaya Magistrates' Court for rioting with weapons.

All five claimed trial before magistrate Mohamad Ikhwan Mohd Nasir. Pre-trial proceedings will take place beginning Jan 17. 

This brings the total number of individuals charged over the same offence to 18.

The other suspects were charged on Dec 4 and Dec 12. If convicted, they can be jailed up to five years, fined or both.

According to the charge sheet, the accused committed the offence on Nov 26 between 2am and 5am.

Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had previously stated that about 50 individuals had received between RM150 and RM300 from an individual linked to the lawyer representing One City Development Bhd, the developer that owns the land on which the temple sits.

The go-between was allegedly paid RM150,000 to have the temple secured. Temple caretakers had been resisting eviction efforts for several years.

During the first day of rioting on Nov 26, a clash broke out between the hired hands and temple devotees, which escalated into a riot.

Federation of Malaysian Indian Organisations (Prima) president M Manimaran, 38, was also brought before the magistrate today to have three charges read out.

He is accused of obstructing civil servants from discharging their duties, rioting and causing hurt to one Sulaiman Abdullah, 32.

Manimaran is also accused of preventing a police patrol car from leaving the temple vicinity. 

He is said to have committed the offences alongside M Elangovan, 34, and D Gabriel, 33, who were both charged on Dec 12.

The maximum penalty for each offence ranges from two to seven years' jail.

Manimaran claimed trial to all charges. Pre-trial proceedings are set to being on Jan 17. - Mkini