PTI
 
Kuala Lumpur, Dec 7: Malaysia's police chief has alleged that a Hindu organisation campaigning for a better deal for the Indian community was seeking support from terror groups and warned of stern measures to prevent racial violence.

"We view such matters very seriously. It is also very worrying especially when we live in a multi-racial society," Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hasan was quoted in The Star newspaper on Friday.

He charged the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) with collecting funds "by misleading the public into believing that the money is to finance its activities".

"The police will not hesitate to take stern action against anyone to ensure that peace and security prevails in this country," he said.

Musa also said the group was trying to sow hatred towards the government and that its actions could spark racial clashes.

"The fanning of such racial sentiments among the Indians is very unhealthy and dangerous," Musa said, adding that the police would not hesitate to invoke the Internal Security Act (ISA) against those who abused technology to stoke racial hatred or unrest.

He said such dangerous sentiments were being widely spread via Hindraf forums, distribution of books and leaflets, on websites as well as through the short messaging service (SMS).

"It is also trying to rope in gangsters to prevent local authorities from demolishing illegal temples in the near future," he said.

The police chief cited Hindraf leader P Uthayakumar as saying in an interview in Monday's edition of Singapore's New Paper that he (Uthayakumar) would not rule out using violence.

The Tamil leader was quoted as saying that the recent protest by monks in Myanmar last September inspired Hindraf's public protest.

"The monks were prepared to die for their cause. I've shown slides of monks getting shot and killed during my road shows and I think it struck a chord with the people.

"I think it's quite unlikely we'll head down that path towards a civil war but there's always that possibility. Some of the uneducated may resort to violence," the paper quoted Uthayakumar as saying.

He also allegedly made similar statements in an interview with an Indian TV channel where he warned of serious consequences, the police chief said.

Hindraf organised a rally on November 15 that attracted an estimated 10,000 people. Although it was peaceful, police dispersed it using water cannon charge.

Thirty-one people are being tried for leading the rally, declared illegal by the police and have been denied bail by a court.

Hindraf claims to speak for the Indian ethnic community, who form eight per cent of Malaysia's 27 million people.