Police arrest four in surau vandalism case

By Bernama

SEREMBAN: Police arrested four teenagers late last night and early today to help investigations into the incident yesterday in which a surau in Taman Pulai Impian, Sikamat, near here, was splashed with red paint and thrown with liquor bottles. State police chief Osman Salleh said police had obtained a four-day remand order for the teenagers, aged between 16 and 18.

“Police investigations showed that they did that in retaliation to a surau official who, a day earlier, reprimanded them for playing firecrackers,” he told reporters here.

The four teenagers lived nearby, he said, adding that the public should not make any speculation on the incident.

“This has nothing to do with race or religious issue,” he said.

Meanwhile, surau committee chairman Mohd Hasbi Ismail praised the police for the arrest of suspects.

“I am thankful for the police for solving this quickly,” he said.

A check at the surau showed that the red paint had been removed and the affected walls repainted.

A perimeter fence was also being installed around the surau, which was opened on July 24.