PETALING JAYA: Police are maintaining a heavy presence in the areas near Desa Mentari following clashes between Malay and Indian groups in the area in the past week.
Commenting on the increased of patrols and roadblocks, including the light strike force personnel, Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar said that the clashes were "sporadic" incidents.
"What happened was sporadic. When there's a situation, we respond to control it...there is nothing extraordinary here." he said. " Everything is under control."
Checks by FMT yesterday showed that Desa Mentari and the areas nearby, namely Taman Medan, Taman Sri Manja, and Jalan Klang Lama, were calm.
Residents in the area admitted that dangerous rumours were being spread following a violent fight last week, but they were quick to dismiss them as baseless.
In the early Sunday morning melee last week, it was reported that a gang of some 20 men wielding parangs and wooden sticks had fought with a smaller group of about four men.
Recounting the incident, lorry attendant S Nagesrau, 30, said he was not in any group but had came home at about 1.45am at the Desa Mentari flat when 20 to 30 men came upon him.
"They attacked me at the motorcycle parking lot without any reason. Some were holding sabits and I think some were also Indonesians," said Negesrau, who was slashed more than seven times all over his body. He required some 50 stitches for his wounds.
A friend of Negesrau, M Yogaiah, 41, said when he saw the group he ran and fell and grazed his arm. He said another man wounded by the same group is still recovering in the hospital.
One arrested, five questioned
Last Friday, a 14-year-old boy was set upon by a group of about six youngsters with wooden sticks at about 2pm. He was sweeping the floor alone in the home when they knocked on the door and pulled him out when he opened it.
The boy's elder brother told FMT that the attack was sparked off by an earlier argument.
"My brother had confronted a group of boys after they shot my youngest brother with a toy gun. One of them threatened him with a knife but the whole situation was diffused by the Rukun Tetangga people. But the next day, they came again.
Meanwhile, Petaling Jaya district police chief Arjunaidi Mohamed said the first case was caused by a misunderstanding while the second was "personal" in nature. He said one person was arrested for the Sunday case while five boys were questioned for the second.
A resident in the area, businessman Ravi said: "We heard about Kampung Medan rumours but that's totally untrue. But since that night, everyday there would be road blocks. Police would be patroling from 12 to 8am. Yesterday, some plainclothes policemen came and check our ICs, both Malays and Indians."
However, Ravi said he felt comforted by the police's concern. "We feel safe with their presence."
"It's always misunderstandings, never racism. If I see Malay boys on bikes I would also be mad, " said another resident, Che'An Osmar, 50, a shopkeeper.
On Wednesday, several police officers, including Selangor deputy police chief A Thaiveegan, visited the flats and spoke to residents. A dialogue with Arjunaidi was also held on Thursday. Seri Setia state assemblyman Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said several politicians also visited the area. He urged the public not to get excited by rumours.
Not racial in nature
Federal internal security and public order director and outgoing Selangor police chief Khalid Abu Bakar told FMT that eventhough there has been some fights and quarrels, they were not racial in nature.
"It is not so bad (as you think). But we not taking any chances," said Khalid.
"We are taking extra precaution. The whole area has always been under our close scrutiny. The situation right now is exactly like in Sri Muda, where Sabahans and Indians clashed. But there is nothing to be worried about."
"The incidents were simply caused by drunkards and naughty boys. We don't want it to escalate. We are taking all necessary precausions so that the situation won't be taken out of context and blown sky high," he said.
Asked when police patrols will return to normal, he said until he was satisfied that "everything was alright".
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