The corner lot shophouse unit housing the church which was forced to take down its cross symbol after a protest last Sunday. – The Malaysian Insider pic, April 23, 2015.
The police are investigating those involved in a protest against a Taman Medan church for affixing a cross on its premises, says Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Noor Rashid Ibrahim.
"We have classified the case as sedition following our information gathering," he told The Malaysian Insider this evening.
He said police had recorded statements from the church as well as the people involved in Sunday’s protest.
He also said that police were closely monitoring Taman Medan, after Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali gave the green light for the church to put the cross today.
“It has been decided by the state government that it was their (the church) right. We will be monitoring the situation to ensure the safety and security of everyone,” said Noor Rashid.
Azmin today said the cross was a sacred symbol of the Christians and people of other faiths would have to respect that.
"Yes, it is not a problem. In fact, the question is, why was the church forced to remove it?
"This is because the cross is a sacred symbol to the Christian community and society has to respect that," he told reporters at the state secretariat building in Shah Alam today.
Azmin also said stern action must be taken against those who protested against the church.
Meanwhile, Selangor police chief Datuk Abdul Samah Mat said church members need not worry about their safety as his officers were in constant contact with the representative of the house of worship.
“I have instructed for more patrolling in the area and the church management can call my officers if there is trouble,” said Samah.
A representative from the church on Tuesday sought police protection to avoid similar incidents in future.
On Sunday, some 50 residents protested outside the church to demand that it remove the cross affixed to the building's facade.
They said the cross was a challenge to Islam and would sway the faith of youth in the area.
When reports of the protest first came to light, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar cleared the demonstrators, which included his own brother Datuk Abdullah Abu Bakar, of any wrongdoing and said there was no element of sedition or violence.
But Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told reporters that same day that the protest was seditious and police would investigate the case, adding that party members who joined the demonstration would face disciplinary action.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak urged police to investigate the protest and said that action could be taken under the law.
Najib said the protesters should have discussed with the church instead of taking action that could create tension in a multiracial country.
Samah earlier today said more than 10 people have been called in to have their statements recorded since Sunday.
This included Datuk Abdullah Abu Bakar as well as the church pastor and others involved in the protest on Sunday.
- TMI
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