Kulai PKR branch chief Hasnizam Hussain (centre) is flanked by Mohamad Nazim Samsi (left) and Sirajuddin Ab Samad (right) at the Bukit Batu PKR service centre in Taman Tropika in Kulai today. — Picture by Ben Tan

KULAI, Nov 30 — Two families here, who recently lost their sons in a road accident, were dealt with another cruel blow after photos of the accident were linked to the fracas at a Hindu temple in Subang Jaya on Tuesday.

The families, who are neighbours in Bandar Putra here, were shocked when they learned that 24 hours after their sons’ deaths, photos of the accident were linked to the second night of violence at Sri Maha Mariamman Devasthanam temple more than 300km away.

Najwab Nabil Sirajuddin, 17, and Mohamad Aliff Haikal Mohamad Nazim, 14, were killed after a multi-purpose vehicle crashed into their motorcycle. The incident happened along Jalan Rajawali 1 in Bandar Putra here at 7.40pm on Monday.

“I want all this to stop as my son’s picture after his accident is everywhere (on social media). It’s a stressful period for my family now,” Mohamad Aliff’s father, Mohamad Nazim Samsi, told a press conference at the Bukit Batu PKR service centre in Taman Tropika here today.

The 48-year-old self-employed man said it was unfair for irresponsible parties to link his son’s death in such a manner.

Mohamad Nazim’s sentiments were shared by Najwab’s father Sirajuddin Ab Samad, 43.

“I see this as an act of racial provocation and want the sharing to stop immediately as that was not how the two teenagers died,” said Sirajuddin, who was visibly upset.

Both fathers have since lodged police reports on the matter and provided investigators with four Facebook accounts that shared the photos and linked them with the Hindu temple riot in Selangor.

Kulai PKR chief Hasnizam Hussain said the events were unfortunate for both families as they are still grieving.

“The Kulai PKR branch have decided to assist the families to clear the names of the deceased that were wrongly linked to an incident with racial overtones,” he told the press conference.

Hasnizam said preliminary checks on the four Facebook accounts showed that the account holders may have deliberately played up the issue for their own gains.

He believed that some of the Facebook account holders were pro-Opposition members.

“It is for this reason that we also assisted the fathers of both deceased in lodging police reports on the wrongful use of the photos on social media,” said Hasnizam.

He added that the Kulai PKR branch and the family members of the deceased will also lodge reports with the state Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) in Johor Baru on Monday.

“We want to make it clear that the incident in which both teenagers were killed happened in Kulai in Johor and not Subang Jaya in Selangor,” said Hasnizam, adding that both reports were lodged at the Kulai police station this afternoon.