Nothing seditious about church and cross protest, says top cop

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar says his brother Datuk Abdullah was at the church protest as a community leader and to keep the crowd from turning aggressive. – The Malaysian Insider pic, April 20, 2015.There is no element of sedition in the protest by a group of residents against a church in Taman Medan, Petaling Jaya yesterday, as the protest was only over the location of the church, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said today.

He added that his brother Datuk Abdullah Abu Bakar who was at the demonstration, which also called the church leaders to remove the cross symbol on the outside of its shop lot premises, was only there to calm the crowd.

"We do not see it as seditious as it it did not touch on Christianity but only on the location of the church," said Khalid today at a press conference after an event at the Bukit Aman police headquarters.

He said his brother was also there to appease the crowd and keep the situation from becoming aggressive.

"We have reviewed the whole issue and it was not seditious as it was not about Christianity.

"The cross was taken down following the community's request. There was no violence," Khalid said.

The matter has been referred to the Petaling Jaya City Council and the Selangor state government, he said, because it was deemed a community issue.

"The elected representative also has to play his role to solve this issue," he said, adding that as yet, no police report has been lodged by any party.

He also described the protest as the actions of a "flash mob".

Khalid said the situation was under control, based on reports by police officers on the ground.

The IGP also said that he would not compromise if an offence had really been committed.

"Immaterial if they are my siblings or my children, no problem, we will carry out our job," said Khalid, adding that action would be taken without bias.

He also thanked the community and the church's pastor for handling the incident in a peaceful manner.

Some 50 people yesterday gathered outside the new church, which is housed in a corner shoplot, to demand that the cross affixed to the building be removed as it was challenging Islam, The Star Online reported.

The protesters reportedly said the presence of a cross in a Muslim-majority area posed a challenge to the religion and could sway the faith of the youth.

The cross was taken down by church leaders a few hours after the protest.

Meanwhile, Abdullah told reporters separately in Petaling Jaya that he had explained the situation to Khalid, who is his younger brother.

"He called me at about noon today and asked me to explain the true situation," said Abdullah who is Taman Lindungan Jaya Umno branch chief.

He said he had not led the protest and that he was also not a village head as claimed by some.

"I only acted as a middle man to represent the residents who were upset with the church. I tried to calm the tense situation," he said.

"I told the same thing to Khalid and he said OK."

- TMI