Arson attempts in Taiping and paint splash in Malacca

TAIPING - Two cases of attempted arson were reported here Sunday.

One involved the All Saints Church at Jalan Taming Sari. A staircase leading to the church was slightly burned.

Pastor Rev Joshua Ong told reporters that he saw black patches when he was opening the premise at 7am in preparation for its service, due to be held an hour later.

School too affected

The other case affected the SMK Convent. However, a molotov cocktail hurled into the school failed to explode.

Perak CPO Deputy Comm Zulkifli Abdullah said the bottle, however, shattered the window of the guard post located at the compound, which also houses a church.

He assured the police have beefed up security at places of worship in the state and urged the people to remain calm.

“We are investigating these matters and hope the public do not send out SMSes that can cause unnecessary tension and fear,” he added, when contacted by The Star.

“This is the work of opportunists and not by extremist groups,” he said

Black paint splashed

In MALACCA, black paint was splashed on the outer wall of the Baptist Church in Durian Daun.

The police said their surveillance of houses of worship would be stepped up.

In HULU SELANGOR, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said the situation was generally under control.

“It is under control and not as exaggerated by the foreign media, SMSes and the Internet,” he told reporters after launching Umno’s Juara Rakyat programme.

Hishammuddin, an Umno vice-president, said the incidents were not coordinated and were isolated.

He would study the use of all existing laws and the Internal Security Act only as a last resort, he said.

Malaysian Mirror
10/01/10

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