Siti Kasim Submits We Support Waytha Memo To Pm

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Lawyer and activist Siti Kasim today led a group of about 50 people to submit a memorandum to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad urging him to retain P Waythamoorthy as the de facto national unity minister
Siti said that 211 NGOs had jointly signed the memorandum to show their support for the besieged Waythamoorthy
"Despite people saying that he's not doing his job as the national unity minister, I want people to know that behind the scenes, he has been working hard to solve the problems of the Orang Asli
"I'd like people to know that he's not just for the Hindus or Indians, but that he's working for the unity of everyone. "I don't feel that he is sidelining any race or people of a certain faith," she said
Siti was speaking to reporters after handing over the memorandum to Mahathir's political secretary Abu Bakar Yahya at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in Putrajaya
The event was also joined by Sisters in Islam executive director Rozana Isa, social activist Azrul Mohd Khalib, and several supporters from the Independent Living and Training Centre Malaysia. The memorandum of support also said that Waytha had been made a scapegoat in the Seafield temple riots
"Blaming minister P Waythamoorthy for the riots which occurred and for the death of (firefighter) Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim, making him a scapegoat for what has happened since, and finally calling for his resignation, is a convenient distraction from addressing the real problems which are affecting our country, namely racism and religious intolerance," read the memo
'Not in tandem'Siti also took aim at Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, over his call for fellow cabinet member Waythamoorthy to resign
"They (the ministers) are not stupid people, except maybe one who's not in tandem with the other ministers. "He (Syed Saddiq) is supposed to be the minister for all Malaysians, not just for Bersatu and (Bersatu Youth wing) Armada. This is not about his political party. "Some have texted me saying how disappointed they were with him. His constituency (Muar) comprises mainly non-Malays and he has upset a lot of people," she said, adding that the minister had turned arrogant when pro-Waythamoorthy groups criticised him
In a statement on his Facebook page two days ago, Syed Saddiq said that he was ready to face the consequences if his call for Waythamoorthy to step down was deemed wrong
“I did not enter politics to play safe. I did not enter politics to be a ‘yes man’. "I did not enter politics to (keep my) my mouth and ears shut when the people voice out."I am ready for action to be taken if what I did was wrong. I will never apologise for speaking my mind,” his post read. - Mkini

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