Provocative banners found outside churches

The police and Umno urge the public to remain calm and not to make quick assumptions.

KEPALA BATAS: Penang police have dismissed the involvement of churches in the state in relation to three banners depicting Jesus as the son of Allah which have sparked outrage amongst Muslims and Malay NGOs including Umno here.

State police chief Abdul Rahim Hanafi said the police believe provocation was the motive of the placing of the banners by certain quarters here.

He added that police have stepped up security in various areas in the state, especially in the heart of George Town which has a total of about 40 churches.

“Until now, we have received three reports on the matter (of the placement of banners) and investigations are still ongoing.

“We doubt that the incident has nothing to do with the churches but was done by unscrupulous parties to spark provocation and racial tension,” he told reporters here today.

Earlier today, residents from a few areas were shocked to discover the banners hung around several areas here with wording such “Allah is great” and “Jesus is the son of Allah”.

The act is seen and thought to be by way of retaliation against the Allah issue which has been much talked and debated about of late.

The tree banners were found hung in front of the bus stop of the St. Britto Church in Sungai Pinang, at the compound of the Church of Assumption in Lebuh Farquhar and outside the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Pulau Tikus.

Rahim added that a closed circuit television camera (CCTV) footage from all three areas where the banners were found had already been obtained by the police and police were also trying the trace finger prints to trace those behind the incident.

He said that the case was being investigated under Section 4 (1) (A) of the Sedition Act and urged all quarters not to make premature assumptions into the matter.

Meanwhile, Penang Umno has slammed the act, describing it as a provocation of the highest order.

They want for the matter to be investigated by the police and for all not to make assumptions as it was a way to further rile things up between the Muslims and the Christians in the state.