IPOH, Jan 21 — Initial findings show that petrol was the cause of the arson at the residence of Beruas Member of Parliament Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham in Taman Semarak Jaya, Ayer Tawar, on January 10.

Perak Police Chief Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri announced today that the Fire and Rescue Department confirmed the matter on January 18.

“However, the official report will be sent to the police soon,” he said in a statement here today, adding that 11 witnesses have been called in so far.

The case is classified under Section 435 of the Penal Code, which is punishable by up to 14 years imprisonment and a fine, upon conviction.

He appealed to members of the public with any information on the case to contact the investigating officer ASP Mohd Azalan Ab. Karim at 019-3927837.

On January 12, police arrested a man in his 30s in Shah Alam on suspicion of committing arson at Ngeh’s residence and seized two mobile phones.

In the early morning incident on January 10, a Molotov cocktail was thrown into the compound of Ngeh’s house resulting in a fire that destroyed one of his cars and damaged two other vehicles. — Bernama