I cannot just be an observer, Waytha tells Zahid

Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia leader P Waythamoorthy says that as a leader of a marginalised community, he cannot remain a disinterested observer just because he is in government.

The deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department was responding to Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who said Waythamoorthy had misunderstood his intentions.

"Being a leader of the marginalised Indians in the country, I cannot just be a disinterested observer on the sidelines, just because I am in government.

"In fact, it is to the advantage of the government that I voice out the true sentiments of the people on the ground so that I can contribute positively to the objectives and good governance of the government." Waythamoorthy said in a statement today.

He also said he did not intend to interfere with police work in casting aspersions on the recent shooting of five suspected gangsters in Penang.

"The home minister has also to understand that the issue is not simply of some gross criminals being killed in a justifiable manner.

"The issue, if he understands it in its entirety, relates really to the wayward drift of the young of the Indian community and killing them off in this wanton manner does not solve the problem of rising crime in the country," he added.

Zahid had taken a swipe against Waythamoorthy, telling him not to act like an NGO and issue statements contrary to the government's policy.

This was over Waythamoorthy's statement on Aug 20 that from photographs of the five shot dead, their injuries suggested that they were shot at point-blank range, contrary to the statement by police that their men acted in self-defence during the Aug 19 shootout.

Waythamoorthy said he would be arranging with Zahid and other NGOs to address the issue of Indian youths involved in crime.