GEORGE TOWN, July 27 — A state lawmaker urged critics to let Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy explain his controversial support for a defunct Sri Lankan militant group during a meeting with religious affairs minister Datuk Mujahid Yusof Rawa.

Bagan Dalam assemblyman M. Satees said the Monday meeting, which will also include Perlis Mufti Datuk Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, should lead to a positive outcome.

"Let it be resolved on Monday, so stop playing up this issue and stop stirring up religious sentiments,” he said in a press conference at a peaceful demonstration in Komtar in support of Ramasamy.

In recent weeks, Ramasamy was repeatedly attacked and labelled a terrorist over purported links to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which is considered a terrorist organisation by at least 32 countries.

Ramasamy in turn explained that his role as a negotiator in peace talks between LTTE and Sri Lanka was during his time as a lecturer in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

Over 50 police reports were lodged against Ramasamy over this issue and Mohd Asri also asked the police to investigate.

The allegations against Ramasamy surfaced after he urged authorities to repatriate Muslim preacher Zakir Naik to assist in terrorism-related investigations in India.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mujahid stepped in to organise a private meeting between Ramasamy and Mohd Asri to diffuse the whole situation.

Last Friday, several Muslim groups demonstrated against Ramasamy while calling for police to take action against him.