PUTRAJAYA: The lawyers to the developer involved in the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman temple issue hired thugs that led to the riots, says Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (pic).

The Home Minister said police investigations revealed that the leader of the group which instigated the conflict was handed RM150,000 by the lawyers, which was used to pay the thugs involved from RM150 to RM300 each.

"Because they hired Malays to 'take care of things' at a Hindu temple, you can imagine the reaction it would trigger.

"As an example, imagine what would happen if you send Hindus to take care of a mosque?" said Muhyiddin at a press conference here on Wednesday (Nov 28).

Muhyiddin said the two lawyers who paid the thugs were among the 21 arrested by the police.

In a statement Monday (Nov 26), One City refuted allegations that it was behind the temple scuffle.

It said allegations that it had orchestrated the incident were malicious lies, and that the company condemned both acts of violence and insinuations that it would resort to "such despicable acts".

"Most importantly, One City is committed to adhering to the rule of law in addressing the temple which is sitting on its land," the developer said in its statement.