Najib vows action against perpetrators, asks police to beef up security
PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yesterday slammed the action of some irresponsible people who attacked churches and directed the police to beef up security at all places of worship.
TEARS OF PEACE: Christians shed tears as they pray for peace at one of the churches bombed by arsonists.
The Prime Minister said he viewed the incident very seriously, saying such action can destroy the existing harmony in the country.
“I condemn such action by the irresponsible people because it can harm the cordial relationship and harmony that has been in existence. As a multi-racial community we must practise respect for one another … it cannot come under threat from anybody,” he told reporters after witnessing an exchange of memorandum for Human Resource Development in the Northern Corridor Economic Region, here.
Najib vowed that the government would take whatever action needed to curb such incidents and that he had directed the federal police chief Tan Sri Musa Hassan to beef up security at all places of worship.
Arsonists attacked at least three churches in Malaysia early yesterday, as protests were due to take place later in the day to denounce a court ruling last week allowing the Catholic Herald newspaper to use ‘Allah’ in its Malay-language publication.
Early yesterday morning, two church arson incidents took place in Desa Melawati and Jalan Templer, Petaling Jaya while another received a threat.
The ground floor of the three-storey Metro Tabernacle church, part of the Assemblies of God movement, was destroyed in the attack.
“Witnesses saw four people smashed the glass and throw incendiaries into the church building. They came on two motorcycles,” church leader Peter Yeow was quoted as saying, warning other churches to “double their guard” against any attacks.
There were no casualties in the attack on the church, which occupies the corner lot of a row of shop houses and which, Yeow said, draws some 1,500 people weekly.
Several hours later, the Catholic Church of the Assumption in Kuala Lumpur’s southwest was targeted, parish priest Philip Muthu said.
“I was awoken by men riding on motorcycles who threw a kerosene bomb into the church compound,” he told AFP.
“The bomb lit a fire and damaged part of the compound but it did not burn down the church building. I don’t know why they are doing this but this is worrying,” Muthu added.
Authorities at the nearby Saint Francis Xavier church said they were taking security precautions after receiving warnings that a protest would be staged outside the building while a fire department official said all stations were on alert for more blazes at religious buildings.
In reaction, Najib said whatever problem or issue in the country must be resolved through the proper procedures or through the law.
“There should be no overzealous action that can harm the harmony of the country,” he said.
The prime minister said fingers should not be pointed at Umno for such action.
“The matter must be handed to the authorities for proper investigation and action in accordance with the law,” he said.
Asked of the planned protest rallies after the Friday prayers, Najib said he had already informed the police to monitor the situation.
“That’s why they must nip it in the bud, hope with this statement and action by the police, people will not take the law into their hands,” Najib said.
Najib added that he would receive information on such incidents from Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and the federal police chief.
“When he gets the evidence, he will report to me,” Najib said.
The prime minister also refuted a claim by a journalist from an online portal that Umno members were the ones responsible for starting the flames after the High Court had ruled that the word ‘Allah’ can be used by Catholic Weekly Herald.
“Don’t point the finger at Umno or anybody. We have always been very responsible. Don’t say that these attacks were motivated by Umno. That is a very scurrilous statement that you have just made. You are alluding to it. Please stop that,” Najib said. — Agencies