Subang Jaya cops 'late and ineffective' during temple violence, say ministers, deputy minister

PETALING JAYA (Nov 26): A number of ministers and a deputy minster said the Subang Jaya police were “late and ineffective” in dealing with the violence that flared over the relocation of the Sri Maha Muthu Mariamman Seafield Temple in USJ 25.

In a joint statement issued by M Kulasegaran (Human Resources minister), Xavier Jayakumar (Water, Land and Natural Resources minister), Gobind Singh Deo (Communications and Multimedia Minister), P Waythamoorthy (minister in Prime Minister's Department) and Sivarasa Rasiah (Deputy Rural Development minister), they said: “Questions are being raised as to why only a single patrol car from the Subang Jaya police force arrived at the scene about 4.15am while the FRU only arrived at about 6am.”

They said in the statement that they were “informed in the early hours this morning at about 2.30am, a large group of at least 50 persons armed with iron rods and parang forcibly entered the Seafield temple and attacked a group of devotees who had gathered there including women”.

“The ensuing violence resulted in a number of persons injured and hospitalised. A number of vehicles were also torched. It is learnt that during the violence, five devotees were held hostage for some time by the intruders.

“The temple devotees finally managed to drive off the intruders, seizing identity cards from several of them. 

“The Subang Jaya police officers finally arrived on the scene following the violence and subsequently cordoned off the area.”

All five community leaders were also disappointed with a statement released by the Subang Jaya police which said that “a fight between the two Indian groups have taken place in the Sri Mahamariaman Temple area ... the cause of the incident is a misunderstanding between the two groups over the issue of temple relocation…”

They said that the statement “is false and irresponsible. It has created much tension amongst the Indian community especially in the light of the late and ineffective response by the Subang Jaya police”.

“We call upon the IGP to ensure that a corrective statement is immediately issued to set the facts straight. The Subang Jaya police should be investigated and disciplinary action taken.

“We condemn this unprovoked attack on the temple.

“We call for a full and independent inquiry by the police to establish who is behind this serious attack on the temple and the motive for it. Those responsible for this violence must be caught and punished.

“This investigation should be conducted by Bukit Aman and not left to the Subang Jaya police to handle,” they added.

It was reported earlier today that two men, both in their 30s, were detained by the police to facilitate investigation over the violence in the temple.

Selangor police chief Datuk Mazlan Mansor said the two men were arrested while they were seeking treatment at Serdang Hospital for injuries sustained in the incident.

"Eighteen cars and two motorcycles were torched in the incident. A police patrol car was also damaged when hurled with stones,” he told a media conference at the Subang Jaya district police headquarters here today.