Friday 29 Mar 2024
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(July 13): There is a more urgent need for the authorities to resolve the racial tensions following the Low Yat Plaza incident rather than the scandal surrounding 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), PKR's Rafizi Ramli said today.

The Pandan MP, who is among 1MDB's staunchest critics, said this was because race relations in Malaysia were very "delicate", adding there was a need for immediate attention from the government.

"In my opinion, which is maybe very different from what the other MPs think, if we need to divert our attention to this issue to resolve it, we should.

"We should resolve this first," Rafizi told reporters after he and other opposition lawmakers visited Low Yat Plaza this afternoon.

However, this did not mean that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak could get away with the 1MDB issues, the PKR secretary-general said.

"So if Najib feels that what happened in Low Yat will divert the attention away from 1MDB, it won't happen.

"I am not worried that people will be diverted from the 1MDB issue by this, because the evidence and controversies surrounding 1MDB are overwhelming and it will come back to haunt Najib," he added.

He said although there was no evidence to show that the Low Yat incident was being used as a diversion from the accusations of corruption against Najib, history has shown that similar tactics were used when there other national issues at hand.

"We have not seen evidence that it is from a coordinated group. But obviously, a failure to defuse this very quickly and put forth a right facts of the event, if it snowballs into a more complicated race relation issue, obviously it has a potential to divert away the attention from 1MDB.

"In the last four or five years, when an issue becomes a national issue, we may have temporary distractions but the focus will go back to the issue.

"I will make sure the 1MDB issue comes back anyway," he added.

Yesterday, a fight broke out between two groups, just hours after police had earlier ordered a large group gathering outside Low Yat Plaza to disperse.

Fistfights broke out among members of both groups while helmets and other items were thrown at each other. Several people, including media personnel, were injured in the incident.

The Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) and a water cannon truck were dispatched to the scene.

Several people were detained and police later ordered everyone, including media personnel, to disperse, failing which they were warned of arrest.

The drama at Low Yat Plaza began on Saturday when it was reported that a youth had visited a shop there to buy a Lenovo S860 handphone worth RM799.

The youth however ran off with the unit when the salesman turned away to get a free gift.

A chase ensued and handphone dealers in another shop apprehended the suspect, assaulted and handed him over to the police.

The suspect's friends later ran amok at the store where the employees had helped arrest the suspect.

Meanwhile, Rafizi also urged police to take a different approach to the Low Yat incident than from other cases, saying that all facts of the case should be stated clearly in order to put a stop to the tensions.

"Normally police will not talk about other cases but in this case, police have to immediately reveal the details of the case.

"If it is theft, then come and say it clearly to avoid misunderstandings that will be used by others to fan racial sentiments," he said.

Earlier, opposition politicians including Rafizi, Nurul Izzah Anwar (PKR-Lembah Pantai), Tian Chua (PKR-Batu), Khalid Samad (PAS-Shah Alam), Dr Hatta Ramli (PAS-Kuala Krai), Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh), Fong Kui Lun (DAP-Bukit Bintang) and National Laureate Datuk A. Samad Said spoke to reporters at the entrance of the popular shopping plaza before meeting with tenants.

Most shops on the ground floor were closed, believed to be under the orders of the management of the complex, for security purposes.

Khalid said that the acts of the group that made a ruckus at the plaza on Saturday were unIslamic, adding that it was also not a racial riot.

"It had nothing to do with race. I ask that those going on social media trying to fan the racial flames to stop.

"I also ask that police take stern action on anyone who is trying to turn this into a racial issue. I am confident that Malaysians will not allow themselves to be used in this agenda instead of concentrating on other pressing issues in the country," he added.

Fong, who is the MP for Bukit Bintang where the plaza is located, also expressed his regret over the brawl.

"We condemn the happenings of the last two nights. It is uncalled for.

"We hope police acts more professionally to ensure Low Yat, which is a tourist attraction, is kept peaceful and make sure that it continues to be a safe place for the public to come," he added. – The Malaysian Insider

 

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