THOSE responsible for the death of firefighter Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim must be swiftly brought to book, said the Save Seafield Mariamman Temple Task Force chairman.

In a statement today, S.W. Ramaji said the actions of the guilty parties had not only taken a life, but “compromised” the committee’s struggle to keep the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman temple from being relocated.

“We are deeply saddened and devastated by the passing of firefighter Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim, who was hurt while on duty at Seafield.

“The authorities must not only go after the perpetrators, but also the people behind the perpetrators.

“They must be punished as their act of violence or scheming has not only taken the life of a public servant, but also compromised the nature of our struggle to retain the Seafield temple at its current location.

“Violence is not, and will never be, a solution to any problem. And those who indulge in it for whatever reason have to be investigated and punished accordingly.”

Adib, from the Subang Jaya fire station, was beaten up by rioters at the temple on November 27 after he was allegedly dragged out of a fire truck.

It was reported that the 24-year-old, who had shown encouraging signs of recovery in recent weeks, suffered progressive deterioration of the lungs.

He succumbed to his injuries at the National Heart Institute last night. Police are investigating his death as murder.

Ramaji’s statement comes after Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order director Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said officers have been put on standby to face any eventuality following Adib’s death.

“In this trying time, let us all remain calm and and stop hurting each other’s feelings. Being emotional over this issue is not going to help improve the situation,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

After weeks of calm, Federal Reserve Unit and police trucks are once again stationed outside the temple, and racial and religious tensions are brewing on social media, with many users blaming the temple committee for Adib’s death.

A member of the temple’s task force declined to comment on the accusations.

The 147-year-old Seafield temple was fighting an order to relocate after the owner of the land on which it sits won a court order for the house of worship to move to a location some 2.7km away. – December 18, 2018.