IGP: Places of worship under close watch after NZ attacks

KUALA LUMPUR: Places of worship around the country have been put under close police watch in the wake of the terror attacks in New Zealand and the Netherlands in the past five days.

Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun said all state police had been ordered to be vigilant and monitor such places to ensure its safety and security.

“Immediately after the Christchurch attack, we gave out orders to all our state police chiefs to keep these places under tight surveillance.

“There is nothing to worry about,” he told reporters after witnessing a memorandum of understanding signing ceremony between the Police Cooperative, Retired Senior Police Officers Association (Respa) and Security Industry Association (PIKM) at Bukit Aman yesterday.

Mohamad Fuzi also said they would not allow the nation to become a safe haven for foreign terrorists.

It was reported that a Malaysian and 12 Filipinos were arrested in a Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division swoop on

March 11 and March 12 in Semporna and Tambunan.

Those detained were either members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), Maute or Royal Sulu Force (RSF) terror groups

Police revealed four of the suspects were involved with the Maute terror group which attacked Marawi in 2017.

The four also harboured other Maute members and even Middle Eastern militants who sought refuge in Sabah.