The government has found no fault in the country’s top cop for saying the Taman Medan church protest wasn't seditious, as Khalid Abu Bakar’s claim was based on police classification of the case as "attempted intrusion".

"The statement made by the inspector-general of police (IGP) was based on a report which the police in their preliminary findings had classified as attempted intrusion," said Home Ministry in the parliamentary written reply yesterday.

The ministry said it was the police’s responsibility to classify every complaint received for the purpose of investigation.

The ministry was replying to Gobind Singh (DAP-Puchong) who asked if any action will be taken against IGP for announcing there's nothing seditious in the church protest that took place in Petaling Jaya last month.

Following a public outcry over the protest, it was revealed that one of the participants was the IGP’s brother Abdullah Abu Bakar, as well as the area’s Umno division members.

 

However, this reply appears to deviate from Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's statement a day after the protest, where he declared the incident as seditious and vowed action.

 

'Remove cross'

On April 19, a group of residents, several of whom were Umno members, protested outside a newly set-up church in Taman Medan to demand that it remove its cross from public sight.

The church took down the cross within hours, citing fear for its congregation's safety following the protest.

 

A day later, Khalid ( left ) insisted the incident was not seditious while Ahmad Zahid said the opposite .

 

Abdullah, who is Kampung Lindungan Umno branch chief, later said he had explained himself to his brother through the phone.

 

This saw Khalid earning brickbats from several activists facing sedition charges who accused him of double standards in dealing with his brother, as they were arrested by police in the middle of the night for their alleged offenses.

 

Abdullah was eventually summoned by the police on April 22 and was questioned for three hours.

 

Khalid also promised not to get involved in his brother's case and will leave the matter to his subordinates to handle.

Meanwhile, in a press conference later in the afternoon, Khalid declined to comment on the matter when asked to do so.

"You have to refer that to the Selangor police chief. I do not wish to comment on that. If I comment, then I'll be said to be interfering with the investigation.

"I do not want to know about the investigation and it's between the Selangor police and the Attorney-General's Chambers," he said.