BUKIT MERTAJAM – All 49 suspects who were detained by the police last night after they had allegedly participated in the Hari Raya Aidiladha prayers at a surau in Taman Pelangi, Juru, have been remanded for three days to facilitate investigation into the incident.
The suspects, comprising 48 Bangladeshis and one local, were brought to the magistrates’ court here for the remand proceedings this morning.
Assistant court registrar Hasliza Razal proceeded to issue a three-day remand order for the police to facilitate investigations.
The men, aged between 20 and 43, will be remanded at the Seberang Prai Tengah district police headquarters at Bandar Perda here.
Yesterday, Penang police chief Datuk Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain had said the probe is being conducted under Sections 269 and 270 of the Penal Code.
A clip showing over 200 individuals conducting the prayers went viral, leading to the police investigation.
The congregants prayed outside after the surau management barred them from entering, as the house of worship had reached its 100-person capacity.
Shuhaily said a report on the incident has been handed over to Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani for him to brief Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin.
Hamzah had earlier asked the state top cop to provide a detailed report on personnel assigned to monitor SOP compliance on Aidiladha. – The Vibes, July 21, 2021