Police arrest suspect in arson attack at Ngeh's house

IPOH: Police have arrested a man believed to be involved in the arson attack at Beruas MP Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham’s house in Ayer Tawar.

Perak police chief Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri said the suspect, in his 30s, was arrested at about 4am in Shah Alam yesterday.

“We also seized two mobile phones from him.

“The man has no past criminal record,” he said in a statement.

He added that a court order has been obtained to remand the man for five days until Jan 16 to facilitate investigation into the case.

In the early hours of Wednesday, three cars parked on the porch of Ngeh’s house were damaged after a Molotov cocktail was thrown into the house compound.

Comm Mohd Yusri urged those with information on the incident to contact investigating officer Asst Supt Mohd Azalan Ab Karim at 019-392 7837.

The attack came following the controversial proposal by Ngeh to include non-Muslims in the special committee formed by the Federal Government to review syariah laws.

Following a severe backlash, the DAP leader apologised and retracted his statement, saying that he never intended to interfere in the management of Islamic affairs and that he had thought the government was seeking proposals to amend the Federal Constitution.

The arson attack was condemned widely by politicians from both sides of the divide, who said violence can never be accepted as part of the Malaysian political culture.

However, police reports were subsequently lodged by Perikatan Nasional parties against Ngeh after he suggested that the mastermind might have been instigated and misled by the false narrative of PAS and Bersatu over his remarks on the syariah courts legal review.