'Grave concern' leads to Pengerang man's arrest
Pengerang resident Yahaya Abdul Hamid was arrested by police on Wednesday morning for allegedly threatening a contractor at a Muslim cemetery in the fishing village on Christmas Day.
Pengerang resident Yahaya Abdul Hamid was arrested by police on Wednesday morning for allegedly threatening a contractor at a Muslim cemetery in the fishing village on Christmas Day.
The Muslim graves are being relocated to make way for the RM60 billion Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (Rapid) project.
According to Pengerang NGO Coalition (GNP) vice-president Hasnul Ahmad (
far left
), Yahaya was alleged to have done so while expressing disappointment over the relocation of his grandmother's grave without his knowledge.
Yahaya, who was released on bail yesterday, was investigated under Section 506 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation, Hasnul said in a statement posted on the group's Facebook page.
Hasnul said that eyewitnesses and GNP members at Kampung Punggai Muslim claim that Yahaya issued no such threats.
Four GNP members, who were with Yahaya at the time have lodged a police report on the matter at the Sungai Rengit police station on Wednesday in the latter’s defence.
“At that time, Yahaya and five GNP members was observing the relocation process of the graves when he noticed that his grandmother's grave was moved without his knowledge.
“This saddened him and when he was about to leave the cemetery, an officer approached him to ask about the new location.
“Yahaya only replied: ‘This is my grandmother's grave... why did you move it? Aren't you only moving graves belonging to those who don't have living heirs?’” Hasnul claimed.
Not the first time
He said that Yahaya is the second Pengerang resident detained for disputing the relocation of an ancestor's grave.
On Dec 5, another Pengerang resident Hong Lai Hock was briefly detained by police for allegedly threatening a contractor.
Hasnul said Hong had lodged a police report over the relocation of his grandmother's grave without prior notice last February.
“We dispute the police's action against the heirs of those whose graves have been dug up and demand to know why no action has been taken against those who have relocated the graves,” he said.
