Jakim tracing group that amok suspects belonged to

KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 — The Islamic Development Department (Jakim) has been asked to trace the group that the man and woman who went amok outside Complex B of the Prime Minister’s Department in Putrajaya yesterday, were members of.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom (picture) said Jakim has also been instructed to find out whether the group was religion-centric or involved in other teachings.

“I will check on this with Jakim,” he said after attending the opening of the 20th anniversary celebrations of the Institute of Islamic Understanding (Ikim) at the Ikim complex, here, today.

He was asked by reporters to comment on the incident where 47-year-old Khalil Afandi Hamid, who claimed to be Imam Mahdi (prophesied redeemer of Islam), and his 28-year-old female accomplice went amok, brandishing samurai swords outside the Prime Minister’s Department in Putrajaya yesterday.

In the incident, Khalil Afandi died from gunshots fired by police while being taken to hospital and the woman was injured in her left thigh, also from a gunshot.

“We will take serious note of this incident. It’s just not about the Imam Mahadi claim but also about security at the Prime Minister’s Department,” said Jamil Khir.

He said all government departments needed to raise their security level to ensure the safety of staff and visitors.

Kuala Lumpur Police Chief, Datuk Mohmad Salleh, said police would investigate to find out if the two attackers belonged to any deviant religious group.

Deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Ahmad Maslan, said deviant religious teachings must be stamped out to prevent them from spreading.

Describing deviant religious teachings as dangerous, he suggested that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission should always monitor certain websites to identify deviant religious teachings.

“Besides getting rid of this scourge, the safety of our leaders who always ‘turun padang’ (go to the ground) must also be ensured,” he said. — Bernama