SHAH ALAM: The 12 Muslims found at a Damansara Utama church during an inspection have given statements to Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais).
The three men and nine women in their 20’s and 40’s were also given counselling by JAIS officers.
The 12 were seen arriving at JAIS office at Sultan Idris Shah building here in batches from 9.15am-1pm.
Also seen in the meeting room where the statements were recorded were Jais director Marzuki Hussin and Selangor deputy mufti Datuk Abdul Majid Omar.
According to sources, they were given counseling in small groups of two to three people by several JAIS officers and Selangor Mufti Department.
Sources said the recording of statement and counselling went on until late afternoon.
Jais summoned the 12 people to give their statements yesterday after they failed to do so on
Aug 9.
“Some of them were companied by their counsel,” said the source.
Details on the recording of statements and counselling were unavailable as Marzuki declined to meet the media.
In fact, a JAIS employee who asked media members to wait at Level 6 of the building asked them to leave.
The media then waited at Marzuki’s office but were asked to leave by security guards who received instruction from their ‘bosses’.
On Aug 3, Jais inspected Damansara Utama Methodist Church in Petaling Jaya after receiving a tip-off that Muslims were present at a breaking of fast and thanksgiving ceremony.
The inspection was made under Selangor Syariah Criminal Enactment 1995. — Bernama