Police had allegedly stopped a Sunday service at a church in Kajang due to complaints received from neighbours about excessive noise.

The incident happened last Sunday at the Bethany Church in Kajang, which is located in a shoplot, where the police had entered the premises while the mass was taking place.

"We had tried to reason with them not to stop the mass halfway. At least allow the mass to be completed," National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF) executive secretary Alfred Tais told Malaysiakini .

"We are still waiting for a full report on the matter from the pastor," he said.

However, according to a report from The Malaysian Insider , Kajang police chief ACP Ab Rashid Ab Wahid disputed NECF's version of events.

He said the police officers left after being told that a sermon was taking place.

 
"No church service was stopped. Police were just there to check what it was all about and after being informed that a church service was being conducted, the officers left," Ab Rashid was quoted as saying.

In an immediate response, Selangor DAP chief Tony Pua told Malaysiakini that Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar should apologise to the church for the "unwanted intrusion".

"It is an outrageous violation of the rakyat’s freedom of religion guaranteed in the federal constitution," he said.

"The officers responsible must not only be reprimanded, the incident must also be condemned by the authorities," he added.

He said that such incidents should "never repeat" in the country.