Najib gets tough, wants stern action

By Rozanna Latiff, NST

MAINTAIN PEACE: Those behind attack on church in Penang will be dealt with, says PM.

PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has ordered stern action against those who resort to provocative acts that could spark religious and racial tension.

In condemning an attack on a church in George Town, Penang, yesterday morning, Najib said maintaining peace and harmony was the government’s top priority.

“We will do all we can to ensure that we can continue to maintain peace based on the rule of law,” he said after launching the book Maps of Malaya and Borneo: Discovery, Statehood and Progress here yesterday.

Najib said he hoped the incident would not provoke any retaliation that could aggravate the situation.

“Let the authorities do their job. This is the time for us to stay calm and refrain from acting rashly as it could be detrimental to the nation.

“We still do not know who is responsible yet. We can speculate but it may be off target. This is why I hope all parties will stay calm so that we can take the next step in this matter.”

In the 1.30am incident, two Molotov cocktails were thrown into the compound of the Church of the Assumption.

On Sunday, banners that read “Allah is Great, Jesus is the son of Allah” were hung outside five churches in the state, including the Church of Assumption.

Penang police chief Datuk Abdul Rahim Hanafi said police were looking for two men believed to be behind the attack.

The incident had received all-round condemnation.

Dr Frederic Durand and Datuk Richard Curtis co-authored Maps of Malaya and Borneo: Discovery, Statehood and Progress. It showcases the extensive collections of the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah and Curtis.

The book features more than 160 maps, including early Portuguese, Dutch, French and English maps, nautical charts, and maps of the interiors dating from the 1500s to after Malaysia’s formation in 1963.

Present at the launch were the Regent of Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah and Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim