Hisham backs call for Waytha to quit

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein has backed a call for Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department P. Waythamoorthy to quit, if he was unhappy with police action which left five criminals killed in Penang.

On Aug 20, the five, believed to be hired killers and linked to murder and attempted murder cases, were gunned down by a police team at an apartment in Sungai Nibong.

Hishammuddin said Waythamoothy was seen as having failed to control his emotions and given priority to his political interest over collective responsibility as a member of the Cabinet.

"Indeed, I throughly agree with (Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad) Zahid (Hamidi). What he said was 101 per cent correct.

"As a member of the Cabinet, we cannot place our self-interest over our collective interest," he told reporters here.

He was commenting on a recent dare by Ahmad Zahid for Waythamoorthy to resign over his unhappiness over the deaths of the five men.

Hishammuddin said as human beings, he and Ahmad Zahid had their own personal views but any consideration or statement made as a member of the Cabinet must always be based on collective responsibility.

"If I am emotional when making a decision on the case of the bus tragedy in Genting Highlands recently, I would have stopped all bus services to Genting."But I cannot be emotional but must decide, based on rational leadership," he reasoned.

Prior to this, Waythamoorthy had questioned the action of the police as he allegedly could not bring himself to believe there was a shootout after he saw pictures of the five bodies.