WILL Bersatu act against Noor Azhar Muhammad, the party’s Kota Baru Youth division member, for assaulting a security guard which led to his death, or will it turn a blind eye, asked DAP leader P. Ramasamy.

Ramasamy said Bersatu members are more interested in political play that to date,  no party leader has come out to condemn or take action against Noor Azhar for his “vicious” attack on Thava Sagayam, who died last Friday.

“Bersatu leaders, being more interested in power and positions, are hardly taking any interest in the conduct and behaviour of its members and leaders.

“Eight months have passed since the vicious attack (and) no action has been taken against Noor Azhar,” the Penang deputy chief minister said.

Noor Azhar assaulted the then 63-year-old Thava with a table at a condominium in Ipoh on December 29 last year.

It was reported that the assault came about after Thava refused to allow Noor Azhar’s son to use the swimming pool which was closed.

Thava was hospitalised after the attack and underwent eight surgery procedures on his head.

A post-mortem showed he died from sepsis, but his family maintained that his health deteriorated over the months as a result of the attack.

Noor Azhar was earlier charged under section 335 of the penal code for voluntarily causing grievous hurt.

Police, however, have now reclassified the case as murder.

Noor Azhar is currently out on bail pending another court appearance in the magistrate’s court in Ipoh on September 9.

Ramasamy said since he is out on bail, he may use his political connections to free himself from the murder charge.

He urged former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is Bersatu president, to take action against the youth leader.

He said failure to do so is equivalent to Bersatu condoning Noor Azhar’s actions.

“Since he is no longer in the post (prime minister), maybe he will call for the party meeting to discuss what actions should be taken against Noor Azhar, their youth member from Kelantan.

Yesterday, Thava’s nephew, Nelson Raj Nathan, told The Malaysian Insight that the family was seeking justice for his uncle’s death and compensation for his widow.

Nelson described his uncle as a dedicated, loving and compassionate man.

Thava and his wife, Philomena Edward, 59, have no children and had looked after Nelson and his three sisters.

Nelson said Thava had run his own business, selling ice-cream and bread, for about 20 years before he became a security guard in 2015.

He added that his uncle was hard-working and the family breadwinner as his aunt had lost her job at a factory due to the epidemic. – August 31, 2021.