Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy, who is in the eye of the storm over a May 13 remark, including several tweets related to the issue, may be called by police to give his statement.

According to Bernama , state police chief Abdul Rahim Hanafi said three reports - over remarks which can spark racial riots - have been lodged against Ramasamy.

Two reports were lodged in Kuala Lumpur, and another in Kepala Batas, while police have started to probe the case according to Section 4(1)(C) of the Sedition Act, 1948, Abdul Rahim was quoted as saying by the national news agency.

“Do not make further wild speculations to make matters worse,” Abdul Rahim was further quoted as saying at an event in Balik Pulau yesterday.

He was referring to Ramasamy’s remark asking Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to “bring (on)” the May 13, since the latter said it would not be impossible to recur if race relations in the country were not kept in check.

Muhyiddin, who is also Umno deputy president, did not mention the dates of the racial riot but the party’s newspaper, Utusan Malaysia, had headlined May 13 when publishing his remarks.

When contacted about the police action, Ramasamy said he welcomed the probe but shot back, “Make sure you (police) call the DPM to give his statement, too, since he had first issued the threat and warning to Malaysians that the May 13 incident may recur.”

“Police should call Muhyiddin without fear or favour, act professionally in this matter, as he issued the threat first, and I was merely responding to it,” he told Malaysiakini.

“I have no problems with the police contacting me, and I will give my full cooperation when it happens,” he added.

Ramasamy denied challenging Muhyiddin to re-enact the bloody racial riots which left a black mark on Malaysia in 1969, saying he was “upset, sick and tired” that the DPM had harped on the issue and blamed non-Malays for the country’s rising problems.

But his remarks irked Malay rights NGO Perkasa, who threatened to burn an effigy of him if he failed to show up at a dialogue with its members.

To this, Ramasamy said, “I have yet to receive an official letter from the NGO.”

“They said they wanted to educate me about Muhyiddin’s statement as if I am not educated enough. But I do not want to waste time with people who say they want to dialogue with me, then threaten to torch my effigy,” said the Perai assemblyperson.