Muhammed Sanusi Md Nor, who is from PAS, had accused his critics yesterday of talking under the influence of alcohol and toddy.

P Ramasamy, who is Penang deputy chief minister II, retaliated today by asking if Sanusi was high on drugs when acting against the temple.

Sanusi said yesterday that while the MIC and the DAP were quick to jump on the matter of temple demolitions, they were however silent on the demolition of structures belonging to Malays.

In the process, he had remarked that the leaders were “drinking one bottle of toddy but pretending as though they had consumed two”.

He had also accused them of not reporting the actual facts behind two Hindu temple demolitions within the spate of a few months.

A peeved Ramasamy described Sanusi’s toddy drinking analogy as unbecoming and not something expected from a menteri besar.

“The very fact that he could sink to this level tells much about the calibre, quality and competency of the leadership of Sanusi.

“Political and ideological differences are expected from leaders, but not comments about opposition leaders getting drunk and inciting ethnic or religious tensions,” Ramasamy said in a statement today.

He asked if Sanusi associated Indians with toddy drinking, was it not too much for him to say that Sanusi was high on ganja and heroin in demolishing Hindu temples.

“Is he suitable to provide crucial political leadership to the state? I don’t have to get high on alcohol such as toddy to take up the religious and cultural rights of Indians in the country.

“I am defending the rights of my community against those like Sanusi who are drunk on racial and religious extremism,” he added.

He advised Sanusi not to play with fire by destroying Hindu temples and places of worship by claiming they were built illegally.